Wayne State University will host its annual tribute to the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 12 and 13., with a two-part event honoring the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s famed 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
The event will begin with a panel discussion titled “The Economics of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” at the Industry Innovation Center Auditorium. The panel will explore how a diverse, equitable and inclusive economy allows everyone to contribute and earn with fair access to resources and opportunity.
The following day features the formal program, “Economic Freedom Through Social Justice,” with a keynote speech by businessman Randy D. Williams, founder and president of Talley & Twine, the largest Black-owned watch company in the country, in the Mike Ilitch School of Business Lear Auditorium. Williams’ address will focus on Dr. King’s message of connecting social justice to economic opportunity.
Williams describes himself as an entrepreneur, servant and someone who is trying to add value to his community. At Talley & Twine, he says, they practice servant leadership. “I’d have to say, it’s modeled after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” he said. “Our first goal is to treat everyone as a human being by understanding that they want to be treated with respect and dignity.”
Williams, 40, a Camilla, Georgia native and graduate of HBCU Albany State University, self-published his first book, Be a King, in 2010 to inspire young men to lives of leadership and purpose. His second book, 7 Questions Every Young Leader Must Answer, was published in 2013. He paired his books with his personal experiences to speak to college students and organizations about leadership and personal development.
Williams began his watch business while working a full-time job in corporate America. After being fired, he made the decision to operate Talley & Twine full time, even though he wasn’t getting paid a salary. The company was named for a Virginia intersection that formerly served as a violent crime hotspot, and each watch only features the number seven on it.
“Our name represents positive change,” Williams said. “The number seven represents completion. It serves as a reminder to finish what you start. As an entrepreneur, you try all of these different things. A lot of times, you are on to the next thing before you give yourself a chance to win at one thing. When I started Talley & Twine, I told myself I was going to see it through to the end, because it is something that can be a lasting company.
“Our goal was to create a quality, detailed, attention-grabbing timepiece that spoke to a market that has been ignored by mainstream companies,” he explained. But, during the early stages of building his brand, Williams came to the realization that owning a business does not guarantee instant success.
“I have learned to have patience,” he said. “The people who have lasting businesses, who were around for decades, it took them a while to build it. Brands are built over a five-to-ten-year period, not because you slap a logo on something one day and start selling stuff. You have to have patience to see it through to the end.”
When it comes to his business, Williams feels that the best way to stay current with industry trends is not to follow them.
“There are watch brands that have been around for 100 years — and that’s no exaggeration. I can’t compete with that,” he said. “But what we can do is speak to customers that haven’t been spoken to. We can use unique aspects in our marketing, use unique aspects in our design. We use things that make us different to our advantage. That’s how you stay relevant and continue growing.”
Williams and Talley & Twine have been featured by The New York Times, CBS News, the Associated Press, AT&T Business, Black Enterprise, Essence, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Ebony, and other national and international media outlets.
To RSVP for one or both events please visit communityoutreach.wayne.edu/mlk.