Nine years ago, Lisa White attended her sister’s church, and the minister shared a prophesy that she would own a business one day. As a former Kimball employee for 23 years, White was familiar with the commercial dealership model and the contract furniture industry, receiving several sales awards during her career.
She approached the company with a business plan and goal to open a select dealership in Georgia and walked into that prophesy in 2017 when launching White Howard Brands where she is the only female and minority owner of a Kimball International select dealership in the country.
“I didn’t aspire to become a business owner during my career working within corporate,” said White. “When the opportunity presented itself, I was nervous to take up the challenge; however, I was reminded that my faith in God would make this an amazing experience and I was blessed with a gift where I could show other minority women that entrepreneurship is possible, rewarding and exciting.”
White Howard Brands Commercial Interiors is a contract furniture dealership headquartered in Hapeville, Georgia with Kimball International as its primary vendor partner, representing over 200+ manufacturers. The company serves clients across the U.S. within corporate, medical, colleges and universities, government, hospitality, industrial and retail environments for any furniture needs and interior accessories.
Under White’s guidance, the firm has established relationships with Fortune 500 & 100 companies with locations across the globe, completed two projects at the Hartsfield-Jackson International airport, and in 2020, worked with a local hospital system in Georgia to provide products essential during the pandemic.
“I possess a great gift of meeting a stranger and becoming acquainted with them within a few moments,” said White. “It generally leads to exchanging contact information and potentially forming a relationship.”
A fierce supporter of the community, White is an advocate for empowering the younger generation with career planning tools, interview preparedness and community involvement, which ultimately earned her the Atlanta Black Chambers Member of the Year Award and recognition as a 2023 Woman of Impact from TD Bank and the International Association of Black Actuaries.
According to White, a key element of her leadership style is integrity. “It’s at the core of how I strive to conduct myself and lead my staff and colleagues,” she said. “When we instill the importance of integrity within the fiber of how we conduct our lives – personally and professionally – it opens up the possibility to be our true selves.”
