🔨 When Faith Meets Hustle: Alger Reed & Overgrown Grass

Tuesday, August 5

7:00 a.m.

DeShay Williams

Spark Thomasville Executive Director

Have you ever sat in your car, staring at a rundown building, wondering if you’re making the biggest mistake of your life?

Alger Reed (center) engages in a Spark Thomasville business coaching session, turning faith and hustle into a sustainable legacy with Platinum Cuts and Companies.

That’s exactly where Alger Reed found himself, parked outside 1123 West Jackson Street in Thomasville. The grass was literally “taller than the building” and everyone told him he was crazy.

“Ain’t nobody coming down here,” they said.

But sometimes, the most powerful business decisions happen when you stop listening to the crowd and start listening to that quiet voice inside.

The Parking Lot Prayer That Changed Everything

Alger didn’t start with investors or a fancy business plan. He started with a prayer.

“I went back to the parking lot, sitting there, prayed. And the Lord said, ‘do you trust me?’” Alger recalls.

So he did. With his own money, his construction skills, and 30 days of non-stop work, Alger transformed that overgrown property into Platinum Cuts barbershop.

Today, he runs multiple businesses under Platinum Cuts and Companies, LLC – balancing his barbershop Thursday through Saturday while focusing on electrical and HVAC work the rest of the week.

The Business Lesson? Start Where You Are

What is amazing about Alger’s story is how he leveraged what he already had. No outside capital. No fancy connections. Just:

1. Skills he’d developed (construction, electrical, HVAC)

2. Faith that gave him courage

3. Willingness to work when others were sleeping

This is what our hardworking entrepreneurs at Spark Thomasville demonstrate every day.

When Alger connected with Spark and Dr. Sharon Edwards, he wasn’t looking for a handout.

He was looking for organization, structure, and community to take his existing hustle to the next level.

Alger’s story hits close to home.

The transition taught him something profound: There’s a world of difference between studying business and actually building one.

That’s why at Spark, we focus on practical education, honest coaching, and access to resources that address the real challenges entrepreneurs face in neighborhoods rich in culture and community.

What’s Your Parking Lot Moment?

Is there a time when you had to choose between listening to naysayers or following your gut. What happened? What did you learn?

Until next time.

P.S. If you know someone who needs support turning their business dream into reality, our next Spark Thomasville cohort starts soon. We help underestimated entrepreneurs achieve economic stability through education, coaching, and access to capital. Because supporting entrepreneurs isn’t charity – it’s an investment in Thomasville, a place worth investing in, worth serving, worth loving. ❤️