Meet Clarice Watson Bradley, the owner of not one but two businesses: CWB Events and Design LLC and Forever Entwined Photography.

Clarice is Bossed UP because she has never given up on her dream. She started feeding her desire to plan and design when she was just a teenager!

Outside of her entrepreneurial life, Clarice is a mom, wife, and creator who resides in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Growing up, she attended Loris High School (class of 2003). After high school, she attended college at South Carolina State University (class of 2007). She got married in 2009 and started her family!

When Clarice was a teenager at Loris High School, she developed her passion for creativity in cake design. She took culinary classes with Ms. Hodgdricks to learn more about baking from scratch and cake decorating. For her Final Senior Project, Clarice collaborated with a few friends and did a mock wedding; her primary responsibility was to bake and decorate the wedding cake.

As a college student, she needed a way to make a little extra money, so she started baking cakes, cupcakes, and sweet treats for her friends and whoever inquired. When it comes to decor, her interest grew as she went shopping for not only her student apartment but for her friends’ apartments as well; she wanted to create a place that felt like a home and not just a temporary space while living as a college student.

Photography came to light when Clarice realized she enjoyed capturing not just a photo but a genuine moment. Clarice found herself taking several pictures with her cell phone during an event she attended. Her friends and family knew they could count on her to have captured several moments. Because she enjoyed capturing moments so much and people would always ask her for photos, Forever Entwined Photography was created. Her photography company is a husband and wife duo under CWB Events and Design LLC.

Planning and Decor is truly Clarice’s passion, and she is always on the move to build her empire. From talking with her, she aims to create unforgettable moments for all of her clients and give her best service no matter what.

Clarice is filled with positivity and constantly pushing to make things happen not only for herself but also for her family. She’s a role model to her kids and those who look up to her.

Please get to know Clarice better through the questions we asked her below.

Qualatrice: What or who inspired you to follow your dreams?

Clarice: I will have to say, my daddy and my mom! My dad is the fuel! He started from the ground and built himself up. He taught me that if you do something and fail, you’ve gained a lesson. His success and motivation really inspire me. From watching him, I feel like I can do whatever I want to do and have whatever I want to have. My dad didn’t go to college, but he worked hard to make things happen for his family. He once told me, “Nobody is stopping you but you. Whatever you want to do, you can do it!” My dad is my inspiration for allowing me to get out, and he makes me want to go far.

My mom was a stay-at-home mom who worked in a beauty shop but was a hustler! I feel like I get THAT hustler drive from her because if she has to get it, she’ll go out and get it! She is a go-getter with a hustler’s mentality. She goes hard for what she wants, and when she wants it, she isn’t taking no for an answer.

My mom and dad are like ying and yang! They’re my inspiration, and my babies are my motivation. When it comes to my children, I have to be a strong image and show them they can do anything. People say the sky is the limit, but I tell my children the sky is not the limit; the universe is the limit. They can go beyond the sky. I want my kids to know they don’t have to wait for someone to hand them something. Instead, they can get themselves together and do it themselves.

Qualatrice: What is your mission, and what do you want your clients to get from the service you provide?

Clarice: For our Photography business, our mission is to create memories with interlocking hearts and unifying souls one photo at a time. When my husband and I sit down and talk with our clients, we are there to interlock what our clients feel at that moment, so you won’t just see a picture; you will see memory and emotion. We think images are representations of you, your family, and your feelings.

For our events and decor business, we are dedicated to providing premier quality, creative professionalism, planning, and decor services for weddings, birthday parties, and other events. Planning and design are my obsession, desire, and passion. I live for the smiles and thank yous at every event. I’m so blessed to be able to do what I love and use my many talents

No matter where I go or what I do, I could not have done this without God. I was once in a dark place after the loss of my son.

However, God allowed me to become a full circle and be ok with that. He gave me grace and mercy, And without it, I would not be where I’m at.

Qualatrice: Do you have a team, or is it a husband and wife duo when it comes to planning?

Clarice: Well, I recently acquired an assistant to help. I pretty much plan everything, but when it comes to execution, we put a team together. We place temp ads on the event page when we need a lot of people to help out. In the future, I am looking forward to creating internships and apprenticeships.

Qualatrice: How do you build your clientele?

Most of my clients come from word of mouth, social media, and networking. We gain some generation from our business web page as well. There is no particular location where we get our clients; they come and call from all over. For example, in January, I got the opportunity to plan a baby shower in Atlanta, Georgia. While we were there, we got the chance to attend the B Collective Awards, an Africa American magazine company, and it was terrific. In August 2019, I got the opportunity to work under my mentor Atosha in Charleston, South Carolina. Seeing event planning of that magnitude opened my eyes to a different world! It only pushed me to go harder with my business and networking. I amaze myself with the people I’ve worked with and the people I’ve connected with. I’m currently amazed at where I’ve been and where I’m going! I’m excited about the next level and what the future holds for my business.

Qualatrice: What are some difficulties you face as an event planner or just as a business owner?

Clarice: Just like any business, you will have some trials and tribulations and disgruntled customers. If there is a way I can fix a situation, I always tell my customers to come to me to make things better to their liking, and we are on the same page. I don’t ever want someone to walk away from an event unpleased. However, I do know you can’t please everyone when it comes to clients or partnerships with other vendors. After doing enough events, you can tell who are your clients and who aren’t. This all comes from being attentive; all money isn’t good money. Some people will come to kill, steal and destroy. You have to use your intuition. You can’t prevent certain things, but you must have a plan when things go wrong.

Qualatrice: How do you plan or manage your events?

Clarice: I think I have ADHD (LOL)

I will create a timeline and a complete layout/imagery of what I want things to look like. I create the event beforehand and take photos. I also plan things around my clients’ vision and their budget.

Sometimes I have multiple events in one day, so I separate all materials into different bins with photos, so my temps will know how things are supposed to look.

Sometimes my brain is scattered, and I create things off the whim, but that’s because I love a considerable production challenge.

Qualatrice: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?

Clarice: My bit of advice is that it looks easy, but it’s not. Be prepared for sleepless nights! Be ready for crazy days! Be prepared to feel like you don’t have anything and feeling like you’re broke. Be prepared for nobody to give you a yes! Be prepared for the worst but hope for the best. My best key point is never to stop believing in yourself! You will be surprised at what you will be able to do!