WINONA LAKE — Quinisha Williams, a Grace University business administration major and Marine Corps veteran, won $5,000 in the 12th Annual Grace University Business Plan Competition held April 17.
Her apparel printing business, Visions of Q Studio, won the top award. Williams plans to use the $5,000 to open a custom printing retail store at 25 Kings Highway in Winona Lake, according to a news release from Grace University.
Visions of Q Studio's mission is to provide high quality custom apparel printing with no minimums and unlimited colors without compromising print quality.
“I first learned about this new direct-to-film printing method that is gaining momentum overseas in 2019,” says Williams. “It was a difficult process to learn at first, but the potential turned out to be worth the headache.”
In 2021, Williams purchased his first commercial DTF printer, and in 2022, this printing method began to gain recognition in the U.S. market.
“After many attempts to start my own business, I had given up hope that my business would ever make it through my doorstep,” Williams said. “I decided to devote my free time to learning how to print and discovering which supplies and settings give the best results.”
By the time the application deadline for the Grace College Business Plan Competition approached, Williams was ready to restart her business.
“I've been through a lot in my life, and I started to think that maybe now was the time to be a successful startup,” Williams said.
While preparing for the competition, Grace faculty helped Williams finalize details and create the best business plan possible. Williams said some of her mentors believed the business had greater potential than she did.
“I was speechless when I won,” Williams said. “The biggest reward for me was when I went home and told my kids that I had won. That’s when reality set in. My daughters Alessa, Natelli, Alana, Valerie and Xiomara made me Keep moving forward.”
Reflecting on her business journey, Williams was quick to express gratitude for the support she received at Grace.
“I would like to thank Grace University, the judges, sponsors and everyone involved for the opportunity,” Williams said. “I am grateful to Dr. Rick Koontz and Professor Melissa Chappell for helping me understand the true potential of what I am doing, and to Dr. Jeff Fawcett, who heads the great business school.”
If you would like to learn more about Visions of Q Studio or inquire about custom printing services, please contact us via email. [email protected].
The Grace College Business Plan Competition was sponsored by the William P. Gordon Institute for Corporate Development, Attorney Beers Mallards, Strategic Venture Partners, and Wildman Business Group. This is one of the many opportunities Grace College offers students to turn their dreams and goals into reality.
For more information about the School of Business, please visit www.grace.edu/academics/undergraduate/academic-schools-Departments/school-of-business/.
