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Alumni Spotlight:Â Charlese Watson
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Charlese Watson, owner of HoneyBee Studios, participated in the 21st Century Leaders summer leadership institute program at Savannah State University in 2007. Prior to that, she participated in the inaugural Turner-sponsored summer leadership institute program at GA Tech in 2006. She was also a marketing intern for 21st Century Leaders from 2007 – 2008 (which was “loads of fun!”) and is a volunteer with 21CL. Charlese is a high school graduate of DeKalb School of the Arts and college graduate of Savannah College Art & Design.
Currently, Charlese is focusing on building clientele for her videography company, HoneyBee Studios. She has two brands under her company: the first brand is dedicated to filming weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, birthday parties, and special occasions; the second brand is dedicated to filming promotional videos for corporate clients, music videos, etc. She is continuing to build out her wedding brand, with plans to strategically focus on the corporate brand side in the summer of 2018.
How did participating in 21CL change you and/or lead you to where you are now?
21st Century Leaders gave me lifelong friendships and the leadership skills I needed to pursue and be successful in various positions throughout my college career. 21st Century Leaders also provided me with the confidence needed to go after my dreams and create a life that I enjoy living. The organization taught me how important it is to help those around you and give back when you can.
What was your most memorable moment in 21CL?
A memorable moment for me was when we had the opportunity to visit Turner Studios and shoot a Public Service Announcement (PSA).
How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?
21st Century Leaders taught me how to network and how to work with people of different backgrounds. Both of these tools allowed the transition into college to be smooth for me. With the leadership skills I developed, I was able to secure multiple part-time jobs and leadership positions while in school, which included being an orientation assistant, marketing assistant for the school magazine and newspaper, student ambassador, and first year experience peer mentor, amongst other roles.
What’s something you’ve recently learned about leadership?
Being a great leader means being of service to the people you lead, caring about their needs and goals, as well as supporting them every step of the way.
What advice or encouragement do you have for 21CL students?
Take the program seriously. Make a ton of connections. Learn all that you can because you never know when you’ll need to pull from your experiences within the organization. Keep in touch with your peers throughout your college career!
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Learn more about HoneyBee Studios and Charlese’s targeted brands at www.honeybee-studios.com  Best wishes, Charlese! Thank you for sharing inspiration with future entrepreneurs like yourself, and we’re sure we will see you soon!
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