Hope is not a strategy

In 2009, I was preparing to launch my very first business. My dad, Moses Brand, played a huge role in this first venture - from the name of the business to me getting setup in my first office, he was a part of it all.

The day before I was scheduled to begin moving in my office, he passed away. One fateful morning, I stopped by his place to pick him up to go look at furniture and discovered that he was no longer with us.

I felt like time literally stopped when this happened. He was and continues to be such an incredible influence in my life.

I was uncertain if I could keep going with this dream of entrepreneurship that he and I both shared. We had so many plans of what could be for our family, for me.

It was extremely difficult, but I still managed to move in my office. I made all of the normal mistakes expected of a first-time business owner, but I was inspired to persevere in honor of him...and I did.

After many subsequent ventures and experiences, my father still drives the work that I do every day.

One thing I learned through it all is that hope is not a strategy. If you want to make something happen, you must have a plan of action to make it real. Just hoping isn't enough.

This summer, I kicked off a brand-new blog series created for everyone, but especially for businesswomen and female founders who are in transition or trying to navigate their careers, businesses, and the concept of "having it all."

My thoughts and perspectives are deeply influenced by my experiences as a Black female entrepreneur, community leader, and business professional for the last 20 years (which is insane to write, lol).

This week's moment of clarity:

Hope is the spark, but strategy is the engine.

Hope is the spark—it’s what gets us dreaming, believing, and imagining what’s possible. But hope alone won’t carry us the distance. Strategy is the engine that takes those dreams and turns them into something real. Without it, hope is just potential waiting to be realized.

Life is unpredictable. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that we never know what tomorrow will bring or when our last day will be. The plans we have for “someday” can disappear in an instant. That’s why the time is now—right now—to take the leap.

If you’ve been holding back, waiting for the perfect moment, let me tell you something: there’s no such thing. Waiting doesn’t guarantee readiness, and hope alone won’t get you where you want to go. We have to move, even when it’s scary, even when the path isn’t entirely clear.

Hope is an amazing thing. It gives us vision, it lifts us up, and it reminds us of what’s possible. But we need more. Strategy is what fuels the journey. That engine runs on intention, discipline, action and a belief that yes, I can do this.

For anyone reading this that is currently building something, whether it's a business or a new professional venture: Don’t just hope for it—build it today. Plan the steps. Take the risk. Give your dreams and aspirations the urgency they deserve.

Because the truth is, we don’t have forever. The world is waiting to see what you’ll create—don’t make it wait any longer.

Happy heavenly birthday to my dad today! We miss him so much.

And as always, thank you for reading and your support. If there is an opportunity to speak with your organization or at your event in 2025, let's chat! Shoot me a line: [email protected].

Jasmin