Life & Work with Omolola “Lola” Campbell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Omolola “Lola” Campbell.

Lola, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Born and raised on Hilton Head Island, I am a native islander, whose family has been on the Island for 6 generations. I share my passion for heritage and celebrate the Lowcountry with residents and visitors of all races and backgrounds with the ventures you’ll read about below. My great-grandfather was The Rev. Solomon Campbell, who was the grandson of an enslaved man living on Hilton Head during the Union capture of HHI in 1861. He was thought to be the first Gullah teacher born and raised on the island. My grandfather, Solomon Campbell, Jr., was an early craftsman of boats and homes on Hilton Head. Growing up in the Lowcountry, I developed a deep respect and admiration for the stories of my elders and seek to spread this respect. I graduated from The University of Georgia and Howard University School of Law. I am a writer and poet with a self-published book, and an entrepreneur, and work as a senior derivatives counsel for a major financial institution. I love spending time on the island with my nine-year-old son, Jaylen! Creating things that tell a story and inspire my surrounding community motivates me. I am a lawyer by training, but a writer, a poet, and a creator by heart.

I first created Living For Lola, Inc., a conglomerate of small business ideas, from the sheer inspiration of women who have come before me, and have dared to go against the grain of tradition and society by stepping out on faith and following their dreams. For most of my life I have been afraid to follow those “wild” dreams in my head, but confident that I could build a successful business, while also making a difference in our world. So, I decided to go for the gold and just do it! And am continuing to go for it! I want to inspire others to do the same, through Living For Lola, which includes (1) an inspirational company, under the Living For Lola brand name, including books and journals written by me, and motivational t-shirts/accessories/gifts; (2) Gone Gullah, a lifestyle brand which tells the story of my beloved Gullah Geechee Heritage in a fun and fashionable way, and (3) Binya, a brick and mortar boutique where I sell items that represent the Gullah culture, such as sweetgrass baskets, Gullah art and books on the subject, as well as local artisan-made items/gifts. At some point, I’d like to give a certain amount of the profits made from Gone Gullah to local cultural non-profits that provide education and insight into the Gullah Geechee heritage. I believe that the opportunities for Living For Lola, and the brands under its umbrella, are huge. The world wants and needs to be inspired by good, and there is an upward trend in becoming culturally aware, especially of cultures where the story has been untold for such a long time – dying cultures with rich heritage that have been overshadowed by mainstream attractions such as the beaches, tennis and golf in Hilton Head’s case. I firmly believe that now is the time to inspire, motivate and share! As with any new business, I expect challenges, but I’m up for them!

My late father, who, with my mother, opened a seafood and produce market over 20 years ago (which is next door to Binya), always encouraged me to start my own business and be my own boss. I know he would be super proud of my decision to finally do so, and more so my idea to promote and share the Gullah culture and heritage. There is a longing for knowledge of the culture and moreover, for items that represent the culture.

I’ve had a longing for fulfillment for many years. As a lawyer, I do what I do well, and have been blessed to always have a job. But, somewhere along the way of life, I realized that while becoming a lawyer is something I’ll never regret, it is not my passion, or ultimate purpose in life. Finding purpose and happiness in life is very important to me, and an important ingredient for success. Writing helped me find my purpose, and my heritage also helped me find it. Opening Binya, creating Gone Gullah and sharing my creativity with the world has not only fulfilled me, but have filled me with pride, for where I come from, who I’ve become, who I am, and what I’ve accomplished.

“Binya” is a Gullah Geechee term that translates to “been here.” It’s used to describe people who are native to the Lowcountry and affectionately used to revere Gullah heritage and culture. Meet my retail store: Binya Hilton Head, where you will find treasures that celebrate not only Gullah culture, but everything we love about the Lowcountry!

From delicious southern stews to delightful spiritual songs, Gullah heritage is a dense part of our roots on Hilton Head Island. Our products are locally sourced or locally made, from small businesses and artisans. We value shopping local & shopping small and supporting other entrepreneurs, especially minority or women-owned. When you shop with Binya, you support a community of small businesses and people like these.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Mentally, it has not been a smooth road! For so long I was unsure of my dreams, and furthermore afraid to chase them. As many people do, I feared the unknown, and failure. Fear disrupted my peace and hindered me from finding my purpose in life, for a significant period of time. I wanted to write a book long before I actually published my book, but I was afraid – of what people would think of it, would they like it, would they buy it? Would they be disappointed once they bought it? I came up with the idea for my brand, Gone Gullah, over 10 years ago, but never even tried to execute it until 2 years ago. Why? Because of fear of failure. So, instead, I just kept plugging away in my day job, ignoring my entrepreneurial desires because I was safe in that job. Fear has a way of causing complacency and stagnancy, and it indeed did that to me. Opening Binya was, admittedly, easier to do than any of my other ventures, but I think that’s because by the time I decided to open Binya, I had learned to have faith and trust in the process and my destined path. I had been successful in writing and publishing the book, and successful in getting Gone Gullah up in running, so I was flying high with confidence, and more so purpose! Of course, there are the struggles of inventory and choosing the right items to display in the store – trying to figure out what my customers want – but that’s a piece of cake compared to the struggle of taking the leap of faith and beginning.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a New York State Licensed Attorney with 15+ years of legal experience in the financial services industry. I work part-time as senior derivatives counsel for a major financial institution, while also running my gift shop – Binya, on Hilton Head Island. In my career as a lawyer, I have been known for my great personality and intelligence, ability to get along well with others, learning quickly and paying attention to detail. It’s those qualities, coupled with my creative talents of writing, designing, etc. that have also allowed me to be successful in publishing a book, starting my own lifestyle brand and opening a popular gift shop. I am most proud of my creative ventures and think that I’ve created a niche idea in the existing commercial market of Hilton Head Island!

What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important thing I’ve learned along the way, is that once you’re faithful and trusting in your path, and are grateful for what you’ve been given, and what you have, then you can move forward boldly with no regrets. You can embrace what’s meant for you. I know that’s the only way that my ancestors, who are the source of my strength, were successful in anything that they accomplished and I know it’s the key to my own success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.binyahhi.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/binyahhi
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/binyahhi

Image Credits
Harden Creative