Tonia Williams takes pride in her lifelong investment in the city of Detroit. She grew up in the Woodbridge neighborhood (where she still owns a house) and attended Wayne State University. But it’s the future that gets her excited.
“I feel like I’m part of what’s coming to the city,” she says.
That’s because her valet business, Universal Special Events, is taking advantage of the city’s developing economy by growing a list of clients that includes her alma-mater, Shinola, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Detroit Historical Museum. She’s also worked “on the frontline” of events like the opening of the John Varvatos store and the Albert Building.
When Williams says she is on the frontline, she means it. You’ll see her at 99 percent of her company’s events, never asking her employees to do anything that she wouldn’t do herself.
“I know the valet business like the back of my hand,” she says. “I can go to an event and know exactly how to make it go smoothly.”
Having worked in the valet business for 20 years as a valet, manager, and director before going into business for herself 3 years ago, she understands what makes for exceptional customer service—ensuring that a customer has a great first and last impression when they come to and leave an event.
“To me it’s not just valet,” she says. “It’s the above and beyond.”
But like many passionate business owners, she still needed help with the back end of her business. She found support from the Accounting Aid Society, a New Economy Initiative grantee that assists small businesses with bookkeeping and tax preparation.
Accounting Aid helped Williams become comfortable working in QuickBooks.
“When my daughter and I went there for help, they sat down with us for four hours,” says Williams. “They took the time to really explain a lot about my business expenses and where to put different accounts. Before I retained a regular accountant, I was doing QuickBooks myself, and he told me that I was doing a good job with my books. I attribute that to Accounting Aid Society.”
This support has allowed Williams to remain focused on the details of running a great front-end organization. She mentions little things like taking customers’ jackets out of the back of their cars and helping them put them on or changing a client’s flat tire.
In addition to her work with Accounting Aid, Williams has taken advantage of resources for Detroit entrepreneurs like Motor City Match, a program that connects new and expanding businesses with real estate opportunities in Detroit, and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, a program that teaches participants entrepreneurial skills like negotiation and employee management. All of this support is helping Williams plan for the growth of her business, which will soon expand to providing other transportation services. She wants to buy a few SUVs to deliver clients to and from events, building on the relationships that she has already established.
“Our clients feel comfortable with us,” she says. “They’re not in a car with a stranger.”
Her expanded business model will set her up to take advantage of opportunities that are likely to come to downtown as more development occurs.
“I plan to grow with the city of Detroit,” she says. “I see it coming back. Just to be a part of that—I feel very special.”