Today we’d like to introduce you to Patty Williams-downs
Patty, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
BreakingBounds®️Media launched a podcast last winter called Boundary Breakers, hosted by Patty Williams-Downs. The goal of the show is to amplify the voices of leaders who are using their unique gifts and talents to transform the world. But what exactly is a Boundary Breaker? A Boundary Breaker is someone who has defied the odds, broken barriers, and created new paths that foster growth and evolution for themselves and others.
Season 1 of Boundary Breakers showcased incredible individuals who embody this spirit. Lauren Anderson, the first Prima Ballerina of the Houston Ballet, shared her groundbreaking journey. Marvin Pierre, the innovative social entrepreneur behind 8 Million Stories, discussed his mission to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. Kim Roxie, the pioneering CEO of Lamik Beauty, the first Black-owned vegan makeup brand, shared her inspiring story. Stephanie Tsuru, the visionary behind SheSpace, a co-working space designed for women, also graced our show. What an extraordinary group of individuals to share space with! Each of them shared their journeys, highlighting how they had to break existing paradigms to build something new and impactful.
And episode 1 of Season 2 airs Wednesday, September 25th! Season 2 is all about people who are pushing boundaries and shaping a better future. We’re diving into some of the world’s biggest challenges and hearing from the change-makers behind the scenes.
Season 2 Guests:
💫 Laif Afseth: President, Amegy Bank
💫 Jessica Dandridge-Smith, MA: Executive Director, The Water Collaborative
💫 Erin M.G. Mulpur, MPH: System Director Global Patient Services & Platinum Program, Houston Methodist
💫 Christa Stoneham, AIA A. NOMA , AIA A. NOMA: President & CEO, Houston Land Bank
💫 #Teddy Wheeler: Head Basketball Coach, Xavier Academy
💫 Carol Haddock: Former Director, Houston Public Works
💫 Lereca Monik: Founding Chief External Affairs Officer, The Breakthrough Collaborative
Tune in!
We’re so grateful these amazing people shared their stories with us to transform the world. My story deeply connects with these remarkable humans because I have always been a Boundary Breaker. Despite growing up in a loving family, our conditions were marked by poverty. Before I even had the words to describe it, I understood that I wanted to break free from these constraints. I sought to understand poverty, its roots, and how to eradicate it. I wanted to break boundaries.
And I have! From serving as a Teach For America corps member and teacher to founding BreakingBounds®️, an enterprise dedicated to creating transformative experiences for leaders striving for social good, every step of my career has been about dismantling barriers that hinder people and building structures that elevate people and their work.
And my story is still unfolding, so stay tuned!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nelson Mandela once said, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” This sentiment resonates deeply with me as it encapsulates the essence of my professional journey, which mirrors the twists and turns of my life: highs, lows, growth, serenity, joy, and love. What truly fascinates me is the process itself. I’ve learned to fall in love with being present, appreciating each moment, rather than being consumed by an incessant zeal to achieve.
A particularly valuable lesson for me has been to mourn losses and then immediately envision possibilities—to rise after the fall, as Mandela put it. As an enterprise leader of a rapidly growing startup, I experience a mix of successes and setbacks in every area. There’s so much to do—building infrastructure, designing and delivering work, forming partnerships, building a team, achieving revenue goals, and more. Doing all these things simultaneously is impossible, yet the demands of the market, partners, and personal life often suggest otherwise. I’ve learned to slow down and prioritize, which helps manage both the pace and the outcomes effectively.
There are extreme highs when this approach works. For instance, within six months, BreakingBounds ® established a coaching operation, a consulting operation, and a media pathway with the Boundary Breakers Talk Show by Patty Williams-Downs. These achievements came with securing partnerships that set our 2024 revenue path, ensuring 100% client satisfaction in coaching and consulting, and featuring four of Houston’s most game-changing leaders on the talk show. These wins were tremendous!
However, alongside these highs, there were also lows. The rapid growth and abundance of BreakingBounds®️ were both beautiful and challenging. We found ourselves working around the clock to deliver the quality our brand promises. To sustain our work and build a pipeline for future opportunities, we needed to slow down. As a former Division 1 basketball player, I know that fatigue can lead to mistakes that can cost the game. Similarly, our pace risked jeopardizing our progress. So, we went back to basics. We made strategic decisions, such as taking on only one consulting client at a time to provide undivided attention. We built standard operating procedures, policies, and practices to ground us and expedite future work.
By slowing down and steadying ourselves, we maintained our lead. We continue to lead in executive coaching, strategy consulting, and our media pathway with the Boundary Breakers Podcast.
Take your time, do what you believe is right, and bounce back to keep your lead. Rise after you fall.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about BreakingBounds®️?
BreakingBounds®️ is in the business of transformation. We are an Executive Coaching and Strategy Consulting firm on a mission to facilitate the evolution of business leaders and their organizations. We also provide facilitation and public speaking services. We envision a world where business leaders, armed with our innovative offerings and unwavering support, redefine what’s possible in their industries and beyond.
The world has limits, we don’t. We aren’t a static firm that provides transactional services that leave leaders and organizations with pretty products or fanciful feelings. Our services support leaders and their organizations to evolve, take the helm and move the ball down the field towards the vision they have for themselves and their organizations.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
“You only win or you learn.” Nelson Mandela
My son is a basketball player, and the sport is a significant part of his life and identity. Like entrepreneurs, his wins and losses can shape his sense of value and contribution to the world. After games, rather than asking, “How did you do?” I ask him, “What did you learn?” As a former Division 1 athlete, I realized a little too late that the true purpose of the game was to be my teacher. I’m teaching my son early to see basketball as his teacher, to learn something from every experience, especially the losses.
The advice I’d give to leaders and entrepreneurs is to ask yourself after every big and small moment, “What did I learn?” Stay in constant pursuit of understanding and reflection about yourself, others, and your business. Building this muscle will help you win repeatedly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.breakingbounds.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/pattydowns_breakingbounds
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pattydowns
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoundaryBreakersHostedbyPWD
