Gratitude and Celebrations

Hey there folks! I am blessed and honored to celebrate year 14 of business this year, THIS MONTH!??????????????????

?And just like in business, this celebration storytelling had to be postponed as I became sick with the summer crud last week and had to delay the start of my sharing. Ugh.

?True to form, I debated whether to continue or if it even mattered. After all, no one was “waiting” for this project.

?Here’s one of the many things I have learned in fourteen years: I am stronger than I think. Mentally, emotionally, physically.

?The courage it takes to leap into entrepreneurship— it is not for everyone. It doesn’t look the same from one person to another, or one business to another.

?The hits keep on coming regardless of the day, month, or year— lack of support, challenges to your skills and expertise, and financial instability.

?And yet, thousands of new people pitch their entrepreneurial tent every day. Why?

?Because of a dream, a layoff, a challenge, a spirit of adventure, or all of the above.

?I didn’t start with rose-colored glasses on.

In fact, after my layoff I had a valued colleague tell me I should start a lobby practice and I told him he was crazy! That was for “later”, maybe.

But “later” became “now”, and it’s been an interesting and empowering pathway all these years.

There have been many temptations to “go back”, invitations to apply to the latest “dream job”, and thoughts of maybe I should let it go, especially during the down times.

?And then the quiet voice from within says, “Well, maybe try one more thing . . ."

?There’s never a guarantee that things will be great all the time; that’s a mirage.

?But there is a guarantee that if you believe in yourself when others don’t when the ideas flow even when the money doesn’t, and are willing to take one more leap of faith, then truly I have gotten to experience the “evidence of things not yet seen.”

?I am thankful for every bump in the road, sleepless night, and unreasonable client request, for with each step I learned more about myself, gained valuable experience, and have left a trail for women, especially black and brown women, to know and believe that they too belong in all the spaces where decisions are being made (RIP RBG).

?So, I invite you along for the reflection ride over the course of the coming weeks as I share my insights from the last fourteen years— the challenges, the wins,??the lessons learned, the fantastic experiences had, and the opportunities presented.

?I remind my clients to celebrate who they are now and what they have overcome thus far because it’s important not to brush aside those experiences.

?This is me practicing what I preach.?

?Thanks again to my friends and colleagues over the course of my career who have contributed to these moments past and the ones yet to come.??

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