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Forward by Lillie Mae ................................................................... 5 Chere Turner ................................................................................. 6 Shanel Evans ................................................................................ 8 Shant'e Williams ........................................................................... 10 Amorette Mason ........................................................................... 12 Michelle Yabui .............................................................................. 14 Venus Simmons ........................................................................... 16 Channing Smythe ......................................................................... 18 Reva Hart ..................................................................................... 20 Crystal Perkins ............................................................................. 22 Anushka Gopilall .......................................................................... 24 Ebony Murphy .............................................................................. 26 Pernilla Turner ............................................................................ 28 Alison Scott .................................................................................. 30 Bibi Brown ................................................................................... 32 Christina Merriweather ................................................................. 34 Almashea' C. Spotser ................................................................... 36 Star Dimery-Loring ....................................................................... 38 Olivia Anderson ........................................................................... 40 NewNew Norton .......................................................................... 42 Margaret Drumgole ...................................................................... 45 Laurinda Andujar .......................................................................... 47 Lattannisha M. Roberts ................................................................ 49 Celeste Carr ................................................................................. 52 Tosha Daniels .............................................................................. 54 Khloe Rose .................................................................................. 56 Mishi Booker ................................................................................ 58 Myeisha Hamilton ........................................................................ 61 Shanekia Bing .............................................................................. 64 Yolanda Ayo ................................................................................. 66 Angelique J. Hamilton .................................................................. 68 Elena Borneman ........................................................................... 71
PAGE 5 FOREWORD
"Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a Mother" - LILLIE MAE
My mom, Elizabeth Burgess is my best and first friend! In my eyes, she is the perfect mother. Growing up I watched her work hard, but also find time for us to travel and be involved in tons of activities. As a family, we ate dinner together, went to church every Sunday and even watched TV together! Anyone that meets her becomes immediately smitten with her kind and giving soul. As an adult, I can't begin to fathom how she balanced it all while working two jobs at times. However, I feel extremely blessed that God chose her for my sister and me. This is why I have an immense admiration for Mompreneurs! I created this E-book compilation to inspire other women that also juggle the world of motherhood and business ownership. Each co-author shares her particular journey so that every reader can see a glimpse of themselves throughout these pages. Certain obstacles are a part of your journey to help grow you and push you into your destiny. Whatever facet of mompreneurship that you may fall in, know that your babies will one day grow into adults who are empowered to pursue their dreams like you are doing right now! (Connect with me on Instagram!! @iamLillieMae / @GlambitiousIAM)
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“Your purpose is not about you, but it requires you.” - CHERE TURNER
THE START The day that I became a mom, it awoke the leader inside of me. As a leader, I am responsible for showing my daughter and providing her the tools to be great. Not just telling her about greatness; such as a Boss. At first, I equated that to going to college, getting my degrees, getting a job and working hard. Even if that meant suppressing my dreams. I later found out that system didn’t work; at least not for me. Not because of the money, but because of the return on my time invested. My job at the time wasn't horrible; it was fun though it came with a glass ceiling, plenty stress and was extremely time-consuming. I was surrounded by nothing but success while being exposed to many inspirational people, places, and things. You see what I once thought was a dream too big to reach; I saw being attained by others on different levels. It was time that I break my family’s cycle of working hard for someone else’s dream while dying to my own. As I continued to grow, the gifts and creativity inside me were continually being restricted. After many nights of tossing and turning, I decided I was ready to live on purpose. I heard many “No’s” yet I kept showing up. The day finally came when I booked my 1st acting job as an extra, that later became a featured role. In February 2011, I resigned from my job to pursue ME. THE DOUBT My initial fear wasn't money. I was recently married, we had money in the bank, and I had MY timeline for success. However, fear and doubt had me questioning the belief I had in myself. But as I sat in my car for lunch right before resigning, God clearly confirmed what I was feeling. What he hadn’t confirmed was the rollercoaster of life that I was boarding, nor how tall or how long it would take. Remember that timeline I told you about? Well, that didn’t go so well. As life would have it, over the next few years, I experienced some highs and lows business-wise and personally. I was going through a divorce, put in jail, had no bookings coming in, my rent was late, my car note was late, no medical insurance and my daughter’s senior year /graduation was fastly approaching.
I was on my way to being broke! And then… I was broke. I got sick just thinking about going back to punching a clock. But I’m a mother 1st and my daughter was watching me constantly fall down and get back up. I kept pushing my business and found myself in deep prayer many times asking God for his help. And you see while I was in a panic about finding a job, God was assigning my name to contracts and sending them to my inbox. THE PROCESS: Of all the struggles that I mentioned earlier, none were enough to keep me down. The one struggle that almost counted me out was ME. If I can be real and downright transparent with you, there was a time that the spirit of procrastination fell heavy on me! Especially on that high ride of the rollercoaster, when the money was there. It was a struggle to get out of bed sometimes because “I didn’t have to.” I slept late, spent more, had all kinds of excuses why I didn't see progress. I hadn’t paid attention to how times had changed in just a few years, and I refused to adapt to this whole new marketing, networking and supportive platform called Social Media. In addition to all this, I lacked accountability. YES, it’s okay to have someone hold you accountable to your vision and goals; you don’t have to do it alone sis. We sometimes need to get out of our own way. MY WIN: The beginning of 2016 was a tough year for both me and my daughter, physically and emotionally. I had to return to work a 9 to 5 and was then fired for no reason within six months; just as I was getting back on my feet from what was the start of an ugly divorce. When I look back at all that I'd been through and saw that God never failed me nor allowed me to give up, I didn’t panic. That same year, I booked a Lead role on TVOne, met with (2) major networks, filmed another season of my Talk Show “Say Something! w/ Chere'” which brought about contracts, deals and ultimately bookings! I also noticed that on all of the cards my daughter was giving me for special occasions, her language had changed. I saw her writings in the cards now read “Mom I appreciate everything that you do for me, even when it doesn't seem like it” “Never give up on your dreams and never let anybody stop you!”. I knew without a shadow of a doubt, we were absolutely winning! THE LESSON: Purpose will require you to be tested, fall down, get back up, be frustrated, be talked about, and be doubted many times. I could not have made it through all of this and still come out a hero to my daughter if I had not trusted God and the people he sent to help me, hire me, fire me, book me, or promote me. If I had decided to give up and deem myself not good enough, I wouldn't be an inspiration to so many other women. So as a Mompreneur, I say to you “Don’t doubt the process.” Whatever it is you want to do in life, needs only one initial “Yes” and that yes is from you! To connect with Chere visit: www.chereturner.com | IG: @chereturner | Facebook: Chere Turner
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“Sometimes our blessings are unveiled when we help someone else achieve their dreams. Being a cheerleader has its rewards”
- SHANEL EVANS
THE START I’ve worked in Corporate America for years as an accountant and finance consultant but I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I treated my day jobs as an opportunity to learn new skills outside of accounting that I could apply in other areas. Marketing, business development, sales, contracts; I learned it all. I think deep down, I just KNEW at some point, I’d need to venture out on my own. Something about creating something from nothing, molding an idea into an enterprise has always intrigued me. I’ve done a number of side hustles, direct sales or home based businesses to make extra money and to have a creative outlet from my day job (I’m an accountant by day, so I crave creativity whenever I can find it! ☺ ) The business I am most proud of is one that I co-founded with my husband, Competitive Edge Athletic Performance Center. We’re a 20,000 sq. Ft athletic training facility based in Woodbridge, Virginia specializing in youth sports, sports performance training, sports specific camps, injury prevention, and family fitness. We fell into the business basically from our kids being involved in sports. We started a track and field program (Dale City “Lightning” Track Club) nearly ten years ago out of lack of programming in our area. The organization quickly grew and what started as a small track and field program evolved into the reality of us owning an award-winning facility and community resource. I love the fact that my business is family owned, a place where my three daughters and their friends can make themselves at home. My kids work in the business and are my best critics. We are building a family legacy, something that we are proud of. THE DOUBT The idea of owning a business and being your own boss, making money, creating your own rules all sounds glamorous. And it is. But it’s not always slick and shiny! People often see the shine, the glory, the awards, and accolades but they don't see the late nights, the sacrifice, the fear, and loneliness that often comes from entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship takes a certain level of work ethic, sacrifice and extraordinary commitment that many are just not willing to put in.
I had a tough time managing my business during a series of personal attacks when my mother in law became terminally ill with advanced stage cancer. When you have death living with you, it’s hard to remain positive and to keep grinding. When you are emotionally exhausted and called to care for others, you often have nothing left to give yourself. During this extremely difficult and emotional time, it seemed like literally everything that could go wrong did! Tight business cash flow, staffing issues, failed operations processes, client complaints, fake business relationships, car accidents, family sickness. Literally everything. You name it, it seems I faced it. I had to hold on to God’s promises and stay faithful that we would be provided for. It wasn’t easy to remain faithful but I had to; for my business, for my family, and for me. And if you can survive the valleys, you will reap when it’s your season. THE PROCESS You have to put in work. You have to plant seeds DAILY. I have big goals, so I plant big seeds. I plant financial seeds into my church, community, and fellow Mompreneurs. I push forward when I am in low points, but I stay consistent during award-winning seasons too. I have three daughters that are extremely busy with school and activities, and both my husband and I work outside of our business. People think we are crazy and sometimes we are! LOL! I have learned to be resourceful and apply lessons learned, so I am not recreating a broken wheel! I handle a lot, but I don’t do it alone. I have a strong support system of close friends and business colleagues that cheer me on. I am not afraid to say no, but I have learned to be very intentional about what I say yes to. I love being a Mompreneur but don’t want to give up my sanity or memories with my family for the business. THE WIN I am an extremely competitive person. I don’t compete in sports; I compete with myself. I always want to set the tone for being a trendsetter, for supporting those important to me and for doing what others around me aren’t willing to do. When you have a long season of doubt, failed plans or a false vision.... all of a sudden, you start to see the tide shift….WOW! It feels like God sent a custom made rainbow with my name on it! Winning after a long drought makes every nomination, every award, every sale that much sweeter because I KNOW what it’s like to feel down and defeated. THE LESSON There is no cookie cutter approach to life or to being a Mompreneur. What works for me may not work for someone else. Moms have to be bold enough to do what works best for them and their families, regardless of what naysayers say. Stay focused. Be consistent. Have fun. Most of all take care of yourself. Self-care is essential. We can’t pour into others and birth amazing ideas if we are emotionally and physically bankrupt. To connect with Shanel email: Shanel@competitiveEdgeVA.com CompetitiveEdgeVA.com | @Shanel.Evans | @CompetitiveEdgeVA
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" If the vision was given to you ....it is for you" - SHANT’E WILLIAMS
THE START After graduating from college with a Liberal Arts Psychology degree, I decided that I wanted to become a teacher. Not only did I become a teacher but I had the opportunity to work as a teacher, counselor and, a student advisor. Within all of those jobs, I recognized similarities amongst many of the students; a sense of hopelessness and lack of self-worth. Daily studies of math, reading, and science are important, however, I understood that the children would have to overcome the struggles of everyday pressures to see the importance as well. I recognized that if students were not able to focus and present themselves in a manner ready to learn it would be much harder to grasp unknown facts, let alone gain interest in them. This was a challenge I was willing to take head-on. THE DOUBT I never really struggled with doubt however after various events I recognized what I could have been doing differently. Through hosting events, there are periods of unknowingness as I wait for ticket sales and this is often when I question if I made the right decision. I am nowhere near mastering the process, but I am learning and growing. Staying organized continues to be a struggle, however, I am getting better and understand that outsourcing for different things is a major key as well as offering value and evolving my business. After numerous years of working with the youth, I have evolved into Women's Empowerment. As a divorcee' I recognized the things many women go through helping and caring for everyone else and how necessary it is to take care of ourselves. From these thoughts, I created my "Mask-off' Holding on to you" event. This event has been a success and has changed lives. It's currently being sought out for tours. Mompreneurs need to know that if the vision was given to you, it is for you. Most importantly mompreneurs need to understand that it's ok to be unapologetic about your "Me time," because it is impossible to pour from an empty glass." So mom's make sure you keep your glass overflowing.
THE PROCESS Reflecting back, I would be literally sick and crying, talking to God about what he wanted me to do because I did not like the position I was in. I knew I wanted to work for myself; however, I did not know where to start. I began to join different groups and build different networks. My circle changed, my mindset changed, and I was ready to learn more about business. I no longer talk on the phone about people and things, but I had scheduled phone calls where I was creating, building and bringing forth ideas. I was adding value to lives, supporting the dreams of others, building with people and creating new networks. I remember walking through the school corridors and greeting students. I would say "Hello Beautiful" to the girls, and many of them would cower away. Some of the girls would smile shyly and respond by saying "Hello." While others would look or ask "Was I talking to them?" I always assured them that I was and that they were beautiful as well. Growing up, my mother always called my sisters and me beautiful, so I never thought anything else. Working in the schools helped me to quickly realize that every little girl did not have the same experience. I recognized the need for girls to have confidence and a healthy sense of self, so I founded Beaut'e Within, a self-empowerment program for girls. The program's focus is on self-esteem, goal setting and healthy relationships. From Beaut'e Within, the Miss True Beaut'e SelfEmpowerment Pageant was formed similarly to a Beauty pageant. However, the contestants get on stage and let their light shine from within. These pageants have been a success, and amazing memories were etched in the minds of both the contestants and their families. THE WIN As a community leader/role model, I continued to create more events to bring families together; father-daughter dances, mother-son dances and warm-pajama drives. The one event that made me most proud is the "Philly youth Awards", which honors children throughout the city of Philadelphia that are doing great things in the community. It was awesome to see what was once a thought, play out in real-time. Every event may not have been filled to capacity, but lives were changed. After coming across so many broken children, I felt it was my duty to create pleasurable childhood memories for others and this later became the "motto" for Beaut'e Within. I realized all was well when people looked forward to attending my events and showed gratitude for me hosting life-changing events. THE LESSON As I venture out and have different events throughout the community, I greatly appreciate the admiration from parents and women who thank me for speaking life into them and their children. It is my mission to make sure women and children recognize that they are the prize; their beauty should not only be outward, but should be reflected from inside as well. I am currently writing a book on this topic and look forward to sharing it with the world. If you are interested in gaining more information: Email inwardbeauty79@gmail.com or connect on Instagram: @beautewithin79.
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"Look at myself in the mirror, I say we gone win. Knock me down nine times but I get up ten!" - AMORETTE MASON THE START Sometimes, you prepare for something long before you even know you need to. This is the magic of following your gut and moving on a desire that you have inside without knowing what the end result will be or when it will come. I have had the entrepreneurial desire in me all my life, a gift I attribute to my father who was an entrepreneur himself. I always wanted to be like him, and even before I was a mom, I started working on business ventures. Some worked, and some did not, but I learned through it all. We have all tried at something and failed. Few people have been successful on the first try and I feel like I am still moving and growing on this journey. I am in the financial management market, which is not historically dominated by black women like me. So much of my work relies on the trust I build with clients and on my abilities and intellect being up to par with what has stereotypically been a male-dominated industry. For those reasons and many more, my journey has been unique. One of my most significant catalysts was in 2010 when I became pregnant and found that I was ineligible to take maternity leave. Alone and unsure how I would take care of my child and myself, I knew I needed to make a change. I had no control over my employment and income, and even though I was successful working my side business in the film industry, I had to get serious about my future and figure out what I was doing. In 2014, I began my current business with a friend while still employed full-time. We squeezed in planning sessions before and after work, lunchhours, and on the weekends. I did not know when or if it would ever become my “real” full-time job, but I was determined. This was the groundwork for the company I have today. THE DOUBT I feel like doubt and periods of unknowingness come with the territory when you’re an entrepreneur. My business provides accounting to small businesses and entrepreneurs. When it comes to financial management, many of the voices in the field do not have similar life experiences to people of color. Wall Street executives, for example, are still overwhelmingly white and male. Also, historically, people of color have had a different relationship with financial institutions than mainstream society. As a result, it has been difficult finding a mentor in this industry where there aren’t many black women mentors.
For me, a lot of my learning and growth has happened by experience or trial and error – and that has meant many sleepless nights. During one particularly stressful period, I was struggling to access client transcripts electronically with the IRS. I had filled out all necessary paperwork with the IRS but was unaware of one final step for this credential to be approved. I had built part of my business on being able to help clients file tax returns but found I couldn’t do my work despite the fact that I had taken what I thought was all the necessary steps. After multiple calls to the IRS, I learned what I needed to do. No one ever told me this last step, and it wasn’t until the fifth call that an IRS employee helped me figure out what was wrong. These times are frustrating, and the doubt can weigh you down. But, I also use them as opportunities to learn and grow in new ways. I stretch my skills and find that I am a better entrepreneur as a result. THE PROCESS Back in 2014, I was working at a commercial real estate developer. At the time, I thought it was a safe job, a sort of “security blanket” for me. I worked on some entrepreneurial projects on the side and met a friend who was a mom like me and had similar dreams. Together, we decided we would start a business that provided bookkeeping, accounting, and property management for small businesses. We each put in $150 and used it to get business cards and file partnership paperwork. Then we hit the ground running. We went to everyone we knew and asked them to give us a chance. The first six months were hard but then we got some big opportunities, and business picked up enough that we could sustain ourselves. Unfortunately, a year in my partner decided to relocate and was no longer able to be a part of the business. This was a big blow because it felt like I would have to start all over again. I overcame this struggle by returning to my initial desire to be my own boss and have control over my own employment and income. In short, by remembering the person I have wanted to be for all these years and never letting go of that desire. THE WIN Every day that I can wake up, make my own decisions, and be the boss of my business and my life is a win. The freedom is the reward. Especially now that I am pregnant with my second child, I don’t have the lingering worry of whether my employer will allow me to miss time from work. I make my own rules and live by my own direction. THE LESSON A lesson I want to share with other women is that they should understand that it is never going to be 100% easy, but it will be worth it. There is always a lot to learn and you’re not perfect. There are things you won’t always get right, but don’t give up on yourself. Still believe in yourself no matter what people say or think about you. Amorette Mason can be reached at: amorette@innovativecapmanagement.com IG: @innovative_amor | Twitter: @InnovativePGHP | www.innovativecapmanagement.com
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"What is for us is for us; it's inherently ours. No one can take from us what is ours." - MICHELLE YABUI THE START It was summertime in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and I sat in my Ford Expedition outside of perhaps what was the best position I had ever had as a Paralegal. The pay was great, my bosses were phenomenal and I even got along with all of my co-workers. Despite it all there I sat, face wet with tears. I was sad, angry, confused and unfulfilled. I'd been in this place before, over and over with each new position, always searching for fulfillment and passion. I realized if I was going to put an end to this cycle, I had to search for my purpose and I was not going to find it in a relationship, in my career or even in being a mom to six of the most astounding children ever gifted by God. I decided that if I was going to flourish, I had to step out on faith and make a drastic change. THE DOUBT Fast forward three years, I left my career as a Paralegal and opened SoZealous Boutique and Gifts. I had been open three months, and so far made very little money. Most days, no one came in at all, and I started to feel anxious and afraid. I would text my father and tell him "I'm not making any money; I don't know what I am going to do." His reply was always something very similar to "it takes time sweetie; you'll do fine, just give it time." I refused to tell him how I couldn't pay the rent or the utilities at the boutique and in my home. I desperately tried to maintain a sense of normalcy for my children. I did my best to keep up appearances and I pretended each curve ball thrown my way was "to be expected in opening a new business"; so when anyone asked how I was holding up being a new small business owner, I was always "fine." However internally I had significant doubts. I had sacrificed so much to make this work, but it simply was not working. One particularly hard day, I received a call from my daughter's dance instructor. She needed me to stop in and speak to her; it was about our late tuition payment. I walked into her office fully prepared to make some financial institution related excuse for my nonpayment this month. I took one look at her sitting behind her desk smiling at me, and immediately broke down. "I just can't do this, it's too hard," I said as I sat there crying. Without judgment, she began to tell me about some of the trials she encountered when opening her studio. I listened, and eventually, I calmed down. I'd walked in completely hopeless and embarrassed at what I considered a giant failure that I'd created.
After listening to this Mompreneur, I realized that there would be trials, but I would have to entirely give up on myself to be considered a failure. THE PROCESS SoZealous is approaching our one year anniversary. It has been an extremely difficult journey and we have finally begun to see a profit. This voyage is not for everyone; you have to be willing to acknowledge and accept that your life will drastically change when you become an entrepreneur. First changes will seek to break you, but if you bend just enough to reach the other side, without breaking, you will fulfill every dream you've ever had for yourself! THE WIN Success came for me once I completely decided that there would be no other option but success for my business. I desired to create something my children and grandchildren would be proud of. Perhaps the most critical thing I have learned is bending is okay; bending is sometimes necessary. At one point I had decided that I would have my store opened from sun up, to sun down, seven days a week; I was relentless! Being an entrepreneur is exhausting; however, being a Mompreneur far exceeds that calling. I had to learn to accept unsolicited advice, realize that I am not going to always be a perfect mom, test new things out and to never give up. As I worked on expanding my brand and adding the titles of Speaker and Expert Contributor, I met another public relations professional who provided me with additional opportunities that have been great including a chapter in this book. Being open to change and embracing all of the opportunities available to me as a Psychotherapist has been truly remarkable. The win for me happens daily when I can help people adapt to change whether in their business or personal lives. THE LESSON I have begun to live by the premise that in everything I set out to do, I have to find my purpose in it; passion is only going to carry me so far. Truly believing that I can accomplish anything; (as cliché as it may sound) saved my life. Along with building my Boutique, I decided to learn to play poker, then to become great; I am also learning to play golf. Family and friends say I "stay busy," I say I'm finally living. I escaped from the mindset that because I was a single mom, I had to play it safe and not take any chances. My soul was idle which is why I never felt fulfilled and had I decided to continue living that way; I would have grown to hate myself and resent my family. I know that my kids are proud of me and the woman I have become; especially my daughters. All of my career success pales in comparison to knowing that I have successfully broken all idealistic boundaries about what I can and cannot accomplish. I am now able to bestow this truth upon my children. We first seek God in revealing our purpose, then faithfully accept and assume it. I would not trade one single day of my struggle; it has created in me a thirst to obtain more and the peace in believing I can. To connect with Michelle on Instagram follow: @SoZealousIsShe
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"Being a mompreneur is a challenge. Don’t be afraid to take a risk in fear of failing." - VENUS SIMMONS THE START I have always been a go-getter, a hustler. While waitressing at a nightclub, I met a gentleman that inspired me to invest the money I was making into a small business. My business of choice at that time was a women’s clothing store. I also decided to enroll in a Massage Therapy Program. I would hire an assistant to work the store during the day, while I attended class and continued to waitress at night. Shortly after opening my clothing store I became pregnant with my daughter. I was three months along when I found out the good news. Hello, my name is Venus Simmons AKA Mona Venus. I help women learn how to become their own boss; I’m an educator, fitness model & owner of Mona Venus Skin Care and Spa. THE DOUBT I had to stop working at the nightclub immediately. Because of that, I could no longer afford to keep my clothing store open and had to close temporarily. During my pregnancy I didn’t have much support, my daughter's father lost his job and we struggled financially. I didn’t have the drive or motivation to continue with my program, so I dropped out of training for massage therapy. I remember hardly having anything to eat, struggling to pay bills and eventually being evicted: standing there watching all of my processions be scattered on the front lawn. I was at an alltime low, with scattered emotions, sadness, depression, anger, and homelessness. Six weeks after the birth of my daughter, I would find myself back in the nightclub hustling.
THE PROCESS Not long afterward, I decided that I would enroll in a massage therapy program once again. The program was approximately eight months long. Although I had my share of ups and downs while enrolled, I managed to graduate with honors and pass my state licensing exam the very first time. I decided to find an office location for about $500 a month and placed ads in local newspapers advertising my massage services. Soon after I would be making hundreds more than I ever made working at the spa that I was employed in. THE WIN I enrolled in an esthetics program and completed it. After several years of running my spa business from a one room office, I was able to save enough money, build business credit and invest in a 5-room spa. I have worked with celebrities and launched a skin care product line that caters to acne, hyperpigmentation, and anti-aging. THE LESSON Being a mompreneur is a challenge. Don’t be afraid to take a risk in fear of failing. To connect with Venus visit: www.monavenusspa.com | www.monavenusskincare.com info@monavenusskincare.comInstagram | @faceandbodybymonavenus
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"Do your best and trust God for the rest". - CHANNING SMYTHE
THE START Growing up I thought to be a successful woman meant being married with children, while owning a business. As a young girl, I always was told that in order to be successful I had to get a college education. Of course, being a child, I figured the grownups knew best, so I just stifled my creative thoughts. I tried to focus on sitting in a classroom working toward that degree. I quickly learned that college wasn't for everybody and that I wanted more. I had so many ideas for the businesses I wanted to start and dreams of how my life was going to be. Fast forward to May 2010, I was 21 and none of my original plans were fulfilled, but it was okay because I just took a different route. On May 6, I gave birth to my daughter, Leah Sarí. One of the most life-changing experiences that can happen to a woman. I was young, but she was a blessing. After Leah's birth, my goals had to change because I had to put myself in a position to provide for her as a single parent. I was working a 9 to 5 job but not happy because of the amount of time I was away from Leah. That unhappiness sparked my determination to again go after my dreams. It was then that my journey as a "Mompreneur" began. THE DOUBT Like any young entrepreneur starting out, you wonder, is this the right thing to do? Will I be able to make enough to live comfortably? Then came, oh, what if I fail? Now, add to all that doubt, a child! I wasn't sure if I could do this. My finances weren't enough to even support my dreams. I would write out my plans and think "dang, I'll never be able to make my goals happen because I don't have the money even to get started." In March of 2014, I found out that I was pregnant with my second child. I was still a single mom, but I was okay because I knew I was a great mom to my daughter and would be a great mom to my unborn child. Working a full-time job, trying to plan and execute my business, while taking care of my children would be my top priorities. I thought I finally had my plans in motion, when on June 2, 2014 another obstacle emerged. My daughter was diagnosed with Stage Four Neuroblastoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer. The doctors gave her a 50 percent chance of survival which stopped me in my tracks.
I felt like my world ended but thank God my faith kept me going. After two long years of taking care of my sick child, as well as an infant, I felt like I didn't know myself or what my purpose was - I just lost myself! The only thing I knew was that God is good because He allowed my child to survive. A few months later, I started my "Mompreneur" journey again! THE PROCESS It wasn't easy! I struggled because I couldn't work since I had to spend countless hours and overnight stays at the hospital with Leah. I applied for so many jobs but found nothing that allowed me to take off the time I needed when Leah had her appointments. Of course, that left me with little to no money; I felt helpless. Thank God for family and friends because they stepped in and helped take some weight off of my shoulders. I knew I needed to find an in-home job, so I turned my focus back to fashion. I have loved fashion since I was a child and always wanted my own clothing line, so I created a brand and had my online boutique up and running. Unfortunately, it never really worked the way I wanted it to. I couldn't devote the time I needed, so I gave up. Then I tried again! This time I changed the brand name to something more meaningful to me, SixTwo (VI|II). I call myself a multi-passionate entrepreneur because I like to have my hands in multiple endeavors. This time around my brand was anything that I was passionate about, from clothing design and wardrobe styling to interior decorating. I also created The Leah Still Foundation to help families affected by childhood cancer. THE WIN I wish I could tell you that my businesses are exactly where I want them to be, but they're still a work in progress. They may not be coming to fruition as quickly as I'd like, but I know I'm working on God's time. He has His hand on my life, and I've learned to be patient and do my best. That's a win for me because finally, I am doing it and not just allowing the situations around me to cause me to be stagnant. The ultimate win overall is that my babies are healthy. My daughter is three years in remission and soon to be officially declared cancer-free. Throughout this whole journey of being a mompreneur, my kid's health is the sweetest win for me! THE LESSON I've learned to never give up; to keep pushing and give it your all no matter the circumstances. Don't let how you start dictate how you finish! My grandmother Eunice once told me "Do your best and trust God for the rest". I live by that statement every single day now! Believe in yourself, that's the best thing that you could ever do! JUST JUMP! To connect with Channing email: Channing.Smythe@Yahoo.com IG: @carmen_soprano & @viiithebrand www.VIIItheBrand.com www.LeahStillFoundation.com
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"Keep trying until you succeed and do not let anything or anybody stop you." - REVA HART THE START My journey as a "mompreneur" began during my adolescence years, as a young girl who dreamed big and wasn't scared to take risks. I dropped out of high school which I truly regret. It wasn't to enter the business world but my dropping out of high school started a chain of events that led to me becoming a "mompreneur." I had low self-esteem and several hardships which made me very depressed. However, I eventually met my husband and fell in love with him. Things moved very fast in my life after that. We married when I was 21 years old, and before I knew it, I became a mother of five children by the age of 25. My husband's salary wasn't much, so I had to work as well. Our combined income was barely $25,000 per year. I was always worried about eventually becoming homeless one day if things continued to go the current way. I wanted to give my children a better life than what I had lived through. I created several small businesses over the years including hair styling for women/children, cleaning, food catering and child care services. The businesses did provide some income to support our livelihood, but none of them took off so that we could truly live a better life. My name is Reva Hart, I am a Mother, Wife of 25 years, Businesswomen, Mentor, Ambassador, and Director of Laboratory Logistics. THE DOUBT As I tried to launch my entrepreneurial ventures for several years with little success, I was often depressed due to the stress, financial hardships, and responsibilities. I was always trying to balance my duties as an entrepreneur, a wife, and a mother. Doubting myself and my pursuits eventually stopped me from going after business opportunities. At the time I was working two jobs and only had 8 hours to myself, to sleep, be a mother, and a wife. I was starting to think that in an attempt to perform all three roles, I was actually performing none of them at all. Shouldn't I just keep one job, forget about entrepreneurship, and focus on my children and husband? Am I even a real entrepreneur? Am I a proper mother and wife? This period of doubt was crippling for me, but I did not give up. I needed a professional business plan for my next business idea. I approached a professional business plan writer and pitched my idea to them.
However, I was heartbroken to hear them say that my idea was not good enough for the highly competitive market. My husband told me that nobody had the right to tell me what I could or couldn't do and his support granted me much determination and strength to move forward with my idea. THE PROCESS Everybody's process of turning a business idea into an actual business is different. My process for launching my idea began with self-improvement and building my faith. After years of starting and closing businesses, I realized that I needed to gain more education. I invested in a business coach who could teach me the essential skills to launch a successful business venture. To further develop myself, I obtained a BSN in management to improve my managerial skills, conducted extensive research in the field of business. I watched videos, webinars, and read numerous books. I cut out all other distractions and focused on my goal. Finally, I surrounded myself with high-achieving people and built a social network that would help me achieve my vision. THE WIN I know I have come a long way from several years ago when I first stepped into the world of business. I am not afraid of people or failure. I do not look to others for validation or permission. Most of all, I have provided my family a decent living and hope to leave a proper inheritance as well. I feel that I have finally proven myself as a good mother by providing my children with a better life. I think this is my biggest win. In 2017 I launched Preddi U & Co. which is focused on bringing out the inner and outer beauty, financial freedom, and empowerment of all individuals. Preddi U & Co. is a parent company, and there are two subsidiaries, Preddi U Fitness & Wellness and Preddi U Hair & Beauty; which my two daughters co-own and operate. I coached many women who are facing difficulties in their ventures and led them to succeed in a corporate organization. Finally, I met a public relations professional via social media who provided me with the opportunity to co-author a chapter in a book. With so much to look forward to, I will become a successful entrepreneur and a book author in the near future. My achievements aren't all in big sales numbers but they are still significant wins. THE LESSON I think the main lesson is to never give up. Keep trying until you succeed and do not let anything or anybody stop you. Failures are natural and should not discourage you from trying again. Many people will tell you that you can't do it, but don't let them stop you. It will be a lot of stress, work, and responsibilities as a woman split into three roles, but do not give up. Get better, improve yourself, and learn new things.  Keep learning from your failures then you are bound to succeed. To connect with Reva visit: Facebook.com/revahartww | Instagram: @reva_hart
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"Live Your BEST Life by FAITH!" - CRYSTAL PERKINS
THE START I experienced a lot of morning sickness throughout my pregnancy with Kennedy. I remember being exhausted from work and having to carry disposable bags with me daily because I would get sick at any given moment. I became a pro at vomiting while stuck in rush hour traffic at the end of a long day in the Counseling field. In Social Work and Counseling, you don't get much of break because a crisis can occur at any given moment. I always dreamed of being a stay at home Mom, but that seemed impossible since my Husband and I got married and purchased our first home two months before finding out we were expecting. Life comes at you fast. I was in my first trimester pleading to GOD because I didn't want to be sick my entire pregnancy. I just wanted to hold down an average meal. It didn't take long for my employer to grow tired of my absences and sickness. I was terminated from my job during my third month of pregnancy. I felt relieved and inspired. I didn't need anyone telling me how to react to such a vital part of my life! I knew then that Entrepreneurship was in my future. I didn't want to ask anyone for permission to become a Mompreneur! THE DOUBT I was a stay at home Mom during my entire pregnancy. I decided to go back to work after Kennedy was about seven months. Although I feared to leave her for the first time, I'd set a goal to be a fulltime Entrepreneur before she went to Kindergarten. At that time, I had no idea what I would do business-wise, but I knew in my heart, mind, and soul that being a Mother was the most important thing to me and that was all the motivation I needed! I'm sure in that season of our lives there was fear of the unknown, but I knew that nothing would stop me. THE PROCESS During a very rough season of trials and tribulations, GOD revealed my Entrepreneurship assignment. GOD promised to bless with more than ever imagined if I obeyed and fulfilled the vision of Faithful Chics Boutique.
At the beginning of birthing Faithful Chics, the process was far from easy. I was in a season of putting our lives back together and getting our family back on track while also committing to my new assignment from GOD. I didn't have it all together, but I had FAITH in the Promises of GOD. I knew it wouldn't be a piece of cake. In fact, GOD told me that it would be hard and require a considerable amount of work. But I was up for the task. I decided never to give up no matter what occurred. I promised myself always to put our family first while juggling my new journey as an Entrepreneur. Ministry starts at home. I couldn't see myself giving my business 100% and lacking in giving my family the time and energy they needed. My days were long. I would work from 8am-5pm, run errands, pick up shirts, get Kennedy from school, cook dinner, prepare her for bed, spend time with my husband, and devote to my business from 7 pm until. Some nights ended at midnight. Some continued until two or three the next morning. We attended every business event as a family. Especially Kennedy and me. I wanted to ensure that she was involved and experienced as much as possible, even at young age. There were many challenges, and I didn't always get it right, but I knew two things: 1. My Promise to GOD and Kennedy 2. GOD's Promise to Me! I kept them both in front of me during this new Faith Journey! THE WIN The WIN! Or should I say The Promise! Here we were, the summer before Kennedy started Kindergarten (remember my goal?), GOD released me from my career! Our business was flourishing, and it was time for me to dive into full-time Entrepreneurship! My dedication, perseverance, steadfastness, FAITH, tears, and hard work paid off! I fulfilled my promise to Kennedy and last, but not least, GOD fulfilled his promise to me! I was thankful for the freedom to commit to GOD, our family and business wholeheartedly! I was excited about waking up every morning and planning my day without asking for a more extended lunch for meetings, field trips, post office runs, etc.But, that's not it! The Real WIN is that years later, Kennedy is now eight years' old and she's launching her first business soon! Having a child tag along to every event, meeting, conference, etc isn't always easy; But hearing her goals and aspirations as an Entrepreneur like Mommy makes it all worthwhile! THE LESSONS Motherhood is one of the most critical roles that we have in life. I've witnessed so many women allow jobs, careers, and employers to keep them in bondage. I'm not here to push Entrepreneurship on everyone. That's not my assignment. However, my Purpose is to encourage other women to be fearless and unstoppable by FAITH! Not just for ourselves but our little ones! It is my prayer that my story ignites your FAITH like never before and encourages you to commit to your true purpose in life! We teach our children how to live by our actions! If GOD did it for me, He will do the same for you! To connect with Crystal visit: www.faithfulchicsboutique.com IG: @CrysPerkins | FB: Crystal Perkins BookCrystalPerkins@gmail.com
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"Where there is Passion, there is Purpose." - ANUSHKA GOPILALL THE START I have always been passionate about entrepreneurship. Before even dreaming of becoming a mom, I was dreaming of being my own boss, making my own money (a lot of it), and being fully in charge of MY time! Working for someone else was never appealing to me. The thought of someone bossing me around for my entire professional life was not what my dreams were made of. As a young new mother, I had to make wise decisions and prioritize my responsibilities because those things would impact me and my daughter's life greatly. Needless to say, motherhood and adulthood took precedent and priority. I decided to temporarily put my dreams on hold so that I could provide for my family. That "temporary hold", however, turned into twelve years! In April 2017 Anushka Gopilall, LLC was founded! The company is a for-profit business that is dedicated to the everyday woman who desires to live an enriched and finer lifestyle without having to make substantial financial sacrifices to do so. We are committed to bridging the gap between the various social statuses amongst women in today's society through enrichment and empowerment initiatives designed for all women from every walk of life. THE DOUBT Of course, we all have doubts, for one reason or another. The unknown is a scary thing. I have always been confident in myself and my abilities, but that doesn't mean I don't have fears. I overcame my fears by quickly realizing that my courage is far stronger than those fears holding me back. To thrive I had to stop overthinking and just act! Once I did that things began to fall into place. Remembering my why was also crucial: why I wanted my business so badly, why I aligned myself to seize these opportunities, why I've worked so hard throughout the years, why I wasn't going to let anything or anyone stop my success. That made things very clear to me: my why is Rianna. I kept in mind that my daughter is counting on me. She is watching my every move and mimicking me. I had to lead by example, with grace, intelligence, and integrity. I made it my goal to show her that a girl can have it all, as long as she puts her mind to it. THE PROCESS The process and journey is not always an easy go lucky one.
There are ups, downs, and many in-betweens along the way, but it's worth it. I've had many early mornings, late/sleepless nights, long days, unexpected issues, lack of support, etc. The grind never stops though. My brain never stops nor sleeps. My drive is ongoing. I've had to make tremendous sacrifices but I've learned to work smarter and only work hard when need be. Knowing my business inside out prepared me for many unforeseen circumstances. "If you stay ready you won't have to get ready," is the motto! I also created a team of experts in areas I'm not so good in. They help me enhance and execute my vision. I used to be too independent and it was not in my best interest nor in my business's best interest to carry everything on my own. The process and overcoming business obstacles became easier when I had a team to genuinely support me and the business. I would like to say I have work-life balance, but that just isn't the case yet. Being a single mom requires a lot of EVERYTHING! Being an entrepreneur requires a lot of EVERYTHING! Both are my babies, so to speak. One makes life worth the wild and the other feeds life into me. My passion and purpose, I tell ya! THE WIN My journey is my win. It has led me to a place of fulfillment, excitement, passion, purpose, and gratitude. As Valorie Burton says in her book, Successful Women Think Differently, "successful women are confident enough to dream authentic dreams. It means you have to be honest enough with yourself to acknowledge the real desires of your heart. No time for surface goals. No time for putting everyone else's agenda ahead of GOD's plan for you. Be bold and courageous about what you are hoping for. Stretch and see beyond your current circumstances and resources. Reach toward the heavens and trust that although your divine destiny lies beyond your reach, GOD can close that gap by meeting you more than halfway. It's that believing that requires Faith." Living this belief in my everyday life is a win for me, projecting it forward is setting longevity in wins! THE LESSON I have found through my trials and tribulations there is always a brighter side to every situation, so don't give up on yourself; push hard to overcome your shortcomings because the comeback is far greater than the setback. Be fearless and take what's yours. Too often as mothers, we have sacrificed for everyone and everything while neglecting our own needs. Love yourself, take care of yourself (mind, body, and soul), and most importantly, stay true to yourself. Nothing else will matter when it's all said and done if you lose who you are in the process. Keep GOD first and have Faith. Believe in what you pray for. It will come to fruition if you believe it to be so. Work for what you desire because I can guarantee you, hard work beats talent every time! And whoever said a girl can't have it all, I beg to differ! To connect with Anushka visit: www.AnushkaGopilall.com Email: info@AnushkaGopilall.com | Instagram: Anushka_Gopilall
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"And the LORD answered me: 'Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it'." - EBONY MURPHY THE START When I separated from the military after seven years of active duty service, I was a single parent. I desired to make a difference in my community. I realized my passion was working with numbers and building budgets. After procuring a civilian job, I knew I wanted more from life than just the cutthroat corporate America. My uneasiness came from me seeing that I was a replaceable commodity. After recovering financially from my separation and divorce, I needed to rebuild my credit and get my life together. I believe that we do not go through struggles just to keep the testimony to ourselves. I realized that even as an unemployed single mother (at the time) I had to make it and push through for my baby’s sake. Now I can tell other mothers, that if I can go from dead broke to overflow, I can crunch numbers for you to have a plan of action that allows you to succeed in your finances as well! THE DOUBT Initially, in my journey, I didn’t tell anyone what I believe God was leading me to do. Awkward enough, I almost felt embarrassed. Like who would support a little black girl who makes budgets for fun? This was because I was fearful and petrified of the unknown. This thought pattern paralyzed my vision for two whole years. When I managed to finally attempt to move forward in business, I’d hear snide comments of discouragement from some of the people that were close to me. I wanted to be great at what the Lord gave me, but I also wanted family and friends’ approval at the same time. When I didn’t get it, I basically quit. But then I had to dig deep and snap out of it. If God gave me this passion and drive, then who was I to keep it to myself? This dream was bigger than me. I had to keep pushing out of obedience to the Most-High and for a better life for my child. THE PROCESS The process of seriously re-starting my business with the mindset of sink or swim, was all research. Since I already knew what my business budget was I didn’t have to spend money in the wrong places.
To get re-introduced to my market, I followed others in my industry, googled and explored social media. I found information on how others were working and excelling in their businesses. Ultimately, I gathered a plethora of information but only implemented what would suit my business brand and content. When I initially started my business, my biggest struggle was beginning and staying consistent. I had all of the content I needed but didn’t reach out to my audience consistently enough to be credible. To overcome this, I had to commit to my business fully and put the work in. Already being schedule oriented, I adjusted my lifestyle to input my best “business” hours to work on growing my brand. After knowing what days and times I could work consistently, all I had to do was commit (without making excuses) and trust God with the rest. THE WIN After diligently putting in the hard work of staying up late, getting up early, and working on weekends to produce and share the best content; I finally received what I craved initially. I began to get shout-outs on Facebook plus family members and their friends began asking me to create a budgeting forecast for their futures. I also received more followers and likes. Once I started gaining testimonials from how my products helped others, I knew I was in the right place at the right time. I felt powerful and confident. Although I really enjoy getting paid doing what I love, I know that even if I never got paid, this still would be the best job in the world. THE LESSON My biggest take away from starting my own business was just to start. Make a plan, implement that plan, revamp when needed, study your industry and get a coach if need be. Know how much your business needs to survive on and know what your profit margins and break-even points are. Set a budget and stick to it! You have to understand that this is bigger than you; it’s about using your gifts wisely to help others. Let your little ones be a reason to start; to show them that dreams do come true and goals can be accomplished no matter the fear or obstacles! Have and keep the Faith! Every day, every week be consistent with your gifts. Keep being active with your audience and the monetary value will follow in due time. The purpose of following your dreams is to navigate your God-given purpose by doing the thing that you’re so passionate about. It will not look like what others are doing and it may not even look like what you thought it should; however remember that this is your special journey. Be diligent in business and do not forsake your calling to be your best! To connect with Ebony visit: http://blessedbudgets.com Email: ebony.murphy@blessedbudgets.com | Instagram: @ebony_budget #blessedbudgets
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"Mompreneurs have the ultimate power! " - PERNILLA TURNER
THE START I was an entrepreneur before I became a mother. I had been an entrepreneur for five years before I gave birth to my oldest daughter. Although I worked as an entrepreneur, I had other commitments. Within four years of founding my non-profit organization (VSTAR) I started an etiquette business, entitled Classy Etiquette Institute. Instantly, I had a non-profit, a for-profit business, I became a newlywed and then shortly after an expecting mom. During the seasons of giving birth to my children, my businesses, and my non -profit organization - I went through unpredictable and challenging obstacles. With VSTAR I was changing lives of female youth through dance, mentoring, and charm school; Through Classy Etiquette, I would make guest appearances on local media outlets to give etiquette advice as an expert while also hosting private workshops for schools and businesses. Additionally, I authored my first two books in 2018. The Modern Mix: Etiquette Today for teens and adults and Chloe's Mini Manners, an etiquette book for small children. THE DOUBT Recently, I gave birth to a second daughter and after her birth, I began to reflecting and decided to take some time to analyze the real challenges that VSTAR was facing. Thinking back, I seriously had never been able to find a board of directors that was totally committed to the mission. There were only a few people here and there that could commit to and be present for the organization. Many were only committed to Pernilla and not the organization. Also, some of our partnerships lost funding and could no longer support our programs; that really hurt my heart, zeal, motivation, and passion. No matter what everyone else did, I knew I had to keep trying to uphold the organization. I took time away from the organization to pause and refocus on what female youth needed today. It is with that mindset that led me back to the need to rebuild with an emphasis on the "why." I worked extremely hard to build VSTAR in graduate school and to think of it not continuing the work in the community, didn't sit well with me. I didn't want the inactivity of the organization to prevent a young girl from gaining the exposure that we so eloquently offered through our after-school and summer programs.
I was elated to be signing up many freelancers, solopreneurs, and small business owners of all facets! I knew I needed to form a proper business and start hiring, but I needed office space. I researched funding sources and submitted my application to one of the two I zoomed in on. My credit back then was not as good, and because of that, the interest rate offered to me was enormous. I opted to bypass funding. I'd been funding myself since graduating high school…and so here I was looking to accelerate my new found plan, but no funding source to kickstart it. I was feeling somewhat despondent, but I knew there had to be a way, and I knew I had to find it. So I did in another meditation session! THE PROCESS I originally built my non-profit organization in graduate school. So, nearly three months after graduation I began working to complete what I had initially started on the campus of Texas Southern University. Finding resources and people to support my business and be an active volunteer was a challenge. After all, I knew that a strong volunteer base would help develop a strong foundation for the organization. Our mission was powerful, so the desire to impact lives kept me going after what I knew I needed most. Fast forward to eight years later, I recognized that time management, and creating a work/life schedule, were essential to productivity, peace, balance, and success. To get new results that were better than before, I sought after new partnerships and fresh relationships. I pursued new outside the box opportunities for VSTAR. THE WIN My oldest daughter who is a few months shy of turning three years old reminds me consistently of VSTAR. She talks about our summer camps that she has attended with me since she was in the womb. She dances and models after my every behavior. Just as I have built an organization that focuses on building Proverbs 31 female youth, I know that I am expected to teach her everything that I am attempting to instill in the girls that we connect with through VSTAR programs. Our goals are to transform lives by equipping female youth with the tools to achieve their goals and become successful in every endeavor of their lives. Also, I have an infant daughter who is nearly one year old and watching the two of my girls play together keeps me grounded. I tell them daily that they are Virtuous Sophisticated Talented and Amazingly Remarkable (VSTAR). So, I not only have a non-profit organization for girls but I am a mother of 2 girls. What better way to stay on course. THE LESSON Mompreneurs have the ultimate power! The process isn't always milk and honey, but the reward of perseverance, consistency, faith, and determination sure does feel like it. The process doesn't always feel as good as the rewards. Keep going, never give up, and never give in. Remember why you started, remember what winning feels like! No matter how small, you can handle it! To connect with Pernilla email: pernilla@youarevstar.org or pernilla@classyetiquette.com www.YouAreVstar.org | www.ClassyEtiquette.com | IG:@virtuousstar @classyetiquette
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“Being a mompreneur is like juggling 12 spinning balls with your hands tied” - ALISON SCOTT THE START Fashion has always been my first calling. As a little girl, I would design new styles for my dolls and then my friends. When I was in high school, I took a trip to New York City to visit the Parson School of Design. My parents knew the distraction of such a large city would not be beneficial at that time and discouraged my attendance. I went to college and majored in Education, however, I continued to dabble in fashion. Creating accessories (Charmed by Alison), for myself, my daughter and friends quickly transitioned my hobby into a profitable business. Now I am presenting CHARMED-- body positive activewear for women of all sizes XS to 3XL. THE DOUBT There is always the nay-sayers and the haters. I tried my best to ignore them. Motivational videos and daily affirmations are a powerful tool. As a mother, I was afraid to invest money that may be taking food and shelter from my child. One day I just felt like it was time and I took the leap! THE PROCESS Everything began with an idea! That idea grew into reality after hours of planning and investment capital. I've had ideas before, but I was unable to bring them to reality because of the lack of capital. Since I was considered young and inexperienced, banks were reluctant to give me a business loan. I recorded every idea, big or small, and began to write a plan of action for each. I continued to persevere with some alterations in my original plan and moved in that direction. THE WIN I experience the win multiple times daily! The win for me is the moment someone purchases an item from my online store; it brings joy to my heart knowing that someone appreciates my ideas and designs. The ultimate win is when I receive photographs of clients styling in their handcrafted jewels or activewear!
THE LESSON Whether you’re just beginning your career as a mompreneur, maintaining or rebuilding your existing business; there will be obstacles that you will face throughout the process. 5 Tools for overcoming obstacles as a Mompreneur: 1. Maintaining a positive attitude 2. Utilizing discernment 3. Having faith in the process 4. Avoiding the burnout 5. Securing a solid support system For me, the most stressful challenge on this list is utilizing discernment when making decisions. New entrepreneurs are forced to make hundreds of decisions. From big ones, like a supplier impacting the company’s supplies, to tiny decisions like the number of hours you are dedicating to the business versus spending time with family and friends. Alison Scott: Mother | High School Business Teacher | Business Owner CHARMED Body positive activewear for women of all sizes XS to 3XL. To connect with Alison visit: www.CharmedByAlison.com IG: @CharmedByAlison | Twitter: @CharmedByA | Facebook: “Charmed By Alison” Email: Charmedbyalison@gmail.com
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"Willingness to be a sacrifice for your God-given purpose is mandatory. " - BIBI BROWN
THE START The start was when I said, "I do." My conviction for marriages shifted in a direction that I didn't understand. It wasn't until God said, "Give me your marriage, and I will use it to save others'." Seeing a woman not understand the value of her spouse through consistent disrespect or not living in her intuitive wife spirit, hurt me to the core. Knowing that most women didn't have a "Marriage Blueprint" or understood "Staying on their post in prayer" made me cringe. We have plans and maps for everything in our lives except marriage! My Relationship Coaching Practice, my passion, was birthed when I realized I needed to amplify myself. Seeing the strongholds and dysfunctional marriages dissolve under my coaching ignited the desire to reach more women. My mandate "to prevent deaths in marriages," became etched in my soul. THE DOUBT As a Mompreneur, your perception of doubt is critical. It can cripple you if not cautious, paralyze you if you don't confront it or guide you! But what I love about doubt and fear is its insight and reflection. Now, let me explain. Fear and doubt are the adversary's tools to hinder your highest potential in life blatantly. They are liars! Fear and self-doubt cannot reside in the same place as faith and belief. I have been a Wife/Relationship Coach for 10 + years, but during the summer of 2016, God called me higher in every aspect of my kingdom assignment. My husband was working out of state for a year and the three little ones and I had just moved in with my parents. I had full-time employment while being a full-time mommy! My eldest was in baseball, my daughter just started daycare and my baby boy was two. My days started at 5:00 am every weekday to prep the kiddos for school. I would then return home and rest for maybe an hour if baby boy would allow it. Soon after, it was time for my shift. I would work on my feet for 8 hours, come home, finish homework, rush to a baseball game or put them to bed by 8:45 some nights .... only to wake up and do it all over again the next day. I shared those facts because during what felt like chaos, God said "I need you to go back to school." I said, "You've got to be kidding! Right now?"
I didn't understand the charge, and I didn't believe I could at that very moment. I began to doubt I heard clearly from God. I doubted myself because I knew how exhausted I had become. I didn't understand why He would ask me to add something else to an overflowing plate! But I did. His grace proved sufficient and He anointed me in the assignment because of my obedience. The 10week Marriage Breakthrough License course has transformed my practice and ministry. The feeling I got when I could finally say, "I am a Certified Breakthrough Coach" was worth the long days, nights and time away from my babies! THE PROCESS I started my business and learned to juggle it all when I became a mom of two then three, ha! What we don't realize is when they say He will never put more on you than you can bear, it is entirely true! God had been preparing me for that moment my entire life. I didn't think I had enough time in the day to go back to school or make it with the three little ones needing me while my husband was gone. In this intense period of my life, I formed my signature program "The Marriage Blueprint TM". The biggest prayers that carried me through this process were, "God, give me the grace to do exactly what I am supposed to do each day; God exalt my strengths like an ox and anoint me fresh this morning." Establishing a process of prayer afforded me the certificate, and at that moment, I appreciated how far He'd brought me. I was spiritually and naturally exhausted, but God showed me my strength and determination. What I learned more than anything was that pressure cultivated my performance. The same techniques referenced in my book Pray! Why? What! Call! Where? Five Daily Techniques to Improve Your Wife Life, make up the process that yields results. THE WIN Whether Coaching towards relationship goals or marriage enhancement, I see women discover themselves all over again. A wife is a woman who is willing to be a sacrifice for the growth of her marriage and spouse. But, a coachable wife is one who aspires to be that even while being a mom, leader, minister or businesswoman. A wife who learns and cultivates her purpose is a supreme win for me. THE LESSONS The lesson to be taken away from my journey as a Mompreneur is that willingness to be a sacrifice for your God-given purpose is mandatory. It will catapult your life into new dimensions. When you're walking in your Kingdom purpose, it becomes your passion. He commands the universe to assist you in every area of your life, and it's the best feeling in the world. Knowing the Most High has your back in every role and is increasing your business because you are giving Him the glory through it, is a true testimony. While living in your passion, you operate beyond breakthroughs. His hand in your purpose becomes more profound and you no longer fight battles! To connect with Coach Bibi visit: www.bibibrown.com | IG: @coachbibibrown Be inspired by Coach Bibi on the "Ms. To Mrs." App available for free at Google Play and iTunes 678.631.6772| info@bibibrown.com
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"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."Â - CHRISTINA MERRIWEATHER THE START I've had an interest in being an entrepreneur for several years, but I didn't fully activate my business plan until my first daughter was born. I began to think about the legacy that I wanted to leave behind to my girls and it became increasingly important for me to show them that they have options. They can either go out and look for someone to employ them or, they could create their own paths. I think that what made my entrepreneurial journey unique is that one of my daughters was born with congenital heart disease, so we spent a lot of time with doctors, specialists, and therapists to help her with her growth and development. It became apparent early on that she would need a lot of support. I began thinking of a strategy for how I could increase my sales and create more products and services online, that would generate enough income to allow me to transition to working from home. So in many ways, I shifted my business model to accommodate my daughter's needs. THE DOUBT When I was in the process of creating my first printed product, it took me a year and a half, no kidding! It definitely should not have taken that long, but I had just returned to work full-time. While juggling that and being a new mom, I found myself exhausted at the end of each day. I became very disappointed with myself and started to doubt if I even had what it took to run a business. At that point I had spent hundreds of dollars getting my LLC and a couple more hundred hiring a designer to do my page layout and I was doing nothing with it. I felt like a failure. THE PROCESS Around the time I had my 2nd child and a month into my second stint of maternity leave, I decided to refocus. I realized that the most significant challenge I had the first time around was that I only worked on my business, so long as I had free time. I needed to build the process of working on my business into my schedule whether I was at home or work. I also needed to push myself to actually launch my product instead of trying to perfect it to death.
So I shared the concept of my product, which was an all-in-one planner and journal, with a girlfriend of mine who was hosting a vision board party and she wound up placing an order for 25 of them as parting gifts. Talk about pressure. She paid me up front for 50% of the order, so I had no choice but to deliver.  THE WIN After that initial order of my planners that my friend bought for her vision board party, I went on to sell almost $1000 worth of planners in less than 30 days. I was overwhelmed by the support that I received from my colleagues, friends, and family who really believed in me and what I was doing. That motivated me to move forward and work on my second print project that will be released in the next month. THE LESSON The biggest lesson I've learned as a Mompreneur is that you CAN have it all, but only if you are willing to get crystal clear about who you are and what you truly value at this stage of your life. Once you do this, you then have to become intentional about living out each of these values in your life. Create your own path and stop worrying about what others believe you should be doing as a mother and business owner. To connect with Christina visit: www.twentythirtyenterprises.com christina@2030enterprises.com | IG: @theofficiallife_designer
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"On the other side of through."
- ALMASHEA' C. SPOTSER
THE START Most of us have some version of a list that outlines how we want our life to go. For me, my list looked a little like this: graduate from college, get my dream job, get married and then have kids. My list was pretty spot-on, and I had an impressed yet uneasy feeling about myself; Impressed because I was hitting the mark and checking off all of the boxes. The uneasiness came because I was now getting ready to have my first child and I wanted more for not only myself but for this new life. This idea of doing something beyond myself was about to take on a brand new meaning now that motherhood was weeks away. I was a strong leader and boss lady in my respective career, but I wanted to be THE boss. At five months pregnant on a normal insomniac night, I decided that I was going to create a diaper bag line. Not just any bag, but a bag that could be used for baby, work and travel; all without a mom having to compromise her style. I had no idea how, but I knew I was going to do it. I was getting ready to birth more than a baby. I was getting ready to birth a brand. That brand is AlmaRose. THE DOUBT The thing about doubt (now that I have an up and running business) is that it still lingers. The idea that uncertainty goes away once you have a tangible good or product is unrealistic. It's the way that you handle the doubt that is what makes the difference. A moment of doubt for me came at a time when I no longer had the safety net of my career. Due to a family move and a decision to support my family as a mother and wife, my career took a backseat. Earlier I spoke about what my list looked like. Honestly, that list never included being a Mompreneur because that very idea was centered around doubt and it was scary! I thought, "I won't have the money. Nobody is going to buy my product. The sky is falling what am I going to do?" The best way to work around doubt is to use it as fuel to keep going instead of letting it paralyze you. Think about what can be done. I had a new baby, was in the process of moving, no "job" and the emotional support that I had for my business from my household was dwindling. I was literally out on a limb by myself with a little human who was depending on me.
I'm going to be honest; I failed more than I care to admit. One of the worst things you can do is to allow your doubt to be magnified by anyone who wasn't assigned by God to lead your vision. I took my vision back. THE PROCESS My first idea for a design was sketched on a Brawny paper towel; talk about using what you have. Just as Jimi Hendrix couldn't read music, I didn't know the first thing about sketching. However, I did have the will to find the people to help me get what I needed. In the beginning, the process was a lot of me trying to find someone who could interpret my design vision within a sketch that would then transfer over to the actual product. Once I had goods in hand, partnering with the right people, attending the best trade shows (within my budget) and doing the footwork to get the brand out there to as many moms and moms-to-be possible was (and still is) necessary to the process. The struggle of the process had a lot to do with brand awareness. In my case, it was less about needing the funds and more about getting people to know and trust the brand enough to purchase. One of the things that I do to get over this struggle is to tell at least ten new people a day about the AlmaRose Brand. These people could be anywhere: the grocery store, carpool line, at the gym. It doesn't matter. It's important to not minimize the basic benefits of grassroots marketing. Word of mouth goes further than many realize because we have the help of social media and technology. Yes living in a tech world is great, but don't take human conversations and connections for granted. THE WIN This may seem so simple, but the best wins for me are when I get emails or comments saying how a customer loves their bag. When thinking about the start, doubt, process, setbacks... there is nothing more rewarding than someone who genuinely loves their AlmaRose Bag. I created AlmaRose with Moms in mind first. So when a Mom loves it, I feel as if the mom stars align. That creates the ultimate win for me. THE LESSON The lesson that I want other women to know is that even on the worst day, there will be someone looking at you and will find inspiration. Your success feeds the motivation of people you don't even know. Hold on to that to help remind you of the value of what you are doing. "On the other side of through" is something that my mom tells me all of the time. Maybe your "through" is establishing the LLC, creating the website, writing the book, but there is something that is holding you back. Go through the process and know that on the other side something beautiful will be there waiting for you. To connect with Almashea visit: www.almarosebags.com IG: @almarosebags | acs@almarosebags.com
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"As long as you have passion, faith, and are willing to work hard, you can do anything you want!" - STAR DIMERY-LORING THE START I am a Registered Nurse with an undergraduate in Business Admin istration, wife to an amazing husband, mother of two, and business owner (Indelible Milestones Event Styling).My interest in being an entrepreneur started in young adulthood It was not until my mid-thirties, a few babies, and an established career, that I started to pursue entrepreneurship. May 2015 Indelible Milestones (IM) was launched. Indelible Milestones, when it comes to unforgettable events with custom style, we are the answer. We encourage our clients freedom of expression while guiding them to create a beautiful finish and wonderful experience. We give you the best of our core! Indelible Milestones takes pride in being able to embrace the latest trends while adding a customized personal touch to your events. With knowing that each event comes with goals, objectives, and budgets; helping you achieve your event goals is our highest priority. We create unique events that compliment your style and budget. THE DOUBT After all the fun and enthusiasm of starting a business wore off, the work began. I needed balance. As a full-time nurse, wife, mother of two, and business owner, I could not give everything 100% of me and keep my sanity... if you know what I mean? With my quest to find balance, the first thing I thought about giving up was the business. I wasn't making much profit from the business, but I really enjoyed what I was doing... it was my outlet, my passion. So it took some soul-searching, strategizing, and simplifying. THE PROCESS After deciding to move beyond my thoughts with starting a business, I took action. After borrowing about $300 from our personal savings account, I went down to the local City Hall, filed for a business license to get things started. I first began with just dipping sweets treats for local clients and months later began styling dessert bars, which progressed to styling small events for 20-30 people. Now, my company styles and coordinates events for 200 plus people!
THE WIN All I can say is... "Thank GOD I did not give up when it was tough." As I reflect back over the last three years, yes, I have had many sleepless nights, and financial setbacks, but when I look and the numbers and the growth for Indelible Milestones from start to now, I raise my hands and say, "Thank you Lord." I am a firm a believer that numbers do not lie. Our sales increased 98%, new clients are up by 64%, and our income is 128% higher than last year. THE LESSON The lesson I learned along the path of entrepreneurship is, never give up. Follow my passion and be passionate! To connect with Star visit: www.indeliblemilestones.com IG: @Indelible_Milestones FB: Indelible Milestones Event Styling
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"When you’re juggling a full life and have to fit in business, you need to be motivated by a passion that is encouraging you to keep going." - OLIVIA ANDERSON
THE START Before children, I had an exciting and successful career in advertising. I kept it going for the first three challenging years of Motherhood but when I became pregnant with surprise identical twins, I was too sick to work. I always knew I wanted my own business and so when our twins were born the idea appeared. In Australia, there were many breastfeeding pillows but none for bottle feeding two babies at once. So I went about designing the Twincredible feeding pillow, and an idea was born! Some of the best ideas come from an unmet need and are very simple. The first six months with twins are very hard; thousands of feeds and maintaining a good schedule is key to save time and your sanity. So a product that really helps a family in this crazy time is very loved. THE DOUBT I work totally alone most of the time. I have a great manufacturing agent that helps me with the pillow production out of China, but the rest is me. Ideas, strategy, marketing, distribution, sales, customer service, administration. Everything. It’s liberating when you achieve goals but it is also lonely, and you continuously doubt yourself. I have great mentors and friends who I bounce idea’s off of and vent my problems to, but at the end of the day, it is only me backing myself and maintaining the momentum. Sometimes I have to commit large sums of money to move on to a new run of pillows and to expand overseas, and I always doubt whether it is the best choice for me and our family. I tend to act quickly so this helps me get over any unknowingness pretty fast. I back myself and my intuition; so far it has paid off. THE PROCESS When I started designing the Twincredible feeding pillow and developing the prototype out of China, I was at home with two-year-old baby twins plus a five and 7-year-old (all boys!). It was hectic. I took it slowly for the first 12 months but found it a great creative outlet for me to think about something else other than Motherhood.
I remember what I loved and what I was good at before I had children and that is very important. Over the next few years of launching the product onto the Australian market, it was still a part-time business run from home in my spare time. This enabled me to “softly” launch the product, communicate well with individual customers and work out logistics on a small scale. I ironed out problems quickly and was very responsive. So far I have had not one unhappy customer and word of mouth from twin families is my greatest asset. Working in the area of “Mum products” people understand if it is a school holiday or I have children home sick from school and I have to reschedule things. I am lucky like that. I have also created a blog called “Flat Out Mum” about our entire life and people understand I have four busy boys and I run a business also. THE WIN For me, the very best part of my business is the positive customer feedback. I get emails in the middle of the night from tired twin mums thanking me for my product and explaining how it has changed their hectic days. This is the ultimate reward. Sales are steadily growing and the profits are there too but helping people is what drives me. When you’re juggling a full life and have to fit in business, you need to be motivated by a passion that is encouraging you to keep going in the times you question everything. My next step is to expand Twincredible overseas and help twin families all over the world make their day with newborn twins a bit less chaotic. The biggest surprise has been another “side business” Flat Out Mum events where I do fun events just for Mums, including our annual Bali Retreat! To learn more about Olivia visit: www.twincredible.com.au and www.flatoutmum.com.au
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"Everything is going to be alright!" - NEWNEW NORTON
THE START My journey, like any journey, had a unique start. Being diagnosed with cervical cancer and given a .01% chance of ever having a baby was the introduction to my entrepreneurship. Although I was only 19, my family consisted of 4 brothers, two sisters and 15 nieces and nephews; So not being able to add to the gang wasn't something I wanted to settle with. Luckily, growing up, my mother was a nurse and my father a Rastafarian, giving me the best of both worlds and I took to medicinal teas. I don't know if you know about medicinal teas, but they are powerful yet disgusting. However, it allows me to write this chapter sharing that I am not only cancer-free but now a mother of two. THE DOUBT The doubt may be a little more relatable. Around October 2014, I remember sitting at my desk, working as the Rehab Coordinator at a Physical Therapy Center. I had been in the healthcare field for many of years now and this year they decided that flu shots were mandatory. There are seldom things I look to conventional medicine for, and Flu shots are not one of them, especially with a baby on board. So with the pressure coming from the "authorities" at work, causing me a lot of stress and tears (that we will blame the pregnancy for)… I QUIT. I didn't have a backup plan, or any real first plan either. I just knew that the energy at my corporate job gave me the blues, and it was directly affecting my pregnancy. The first two days of being jobless, I quite enjoyed. I binged watched Scandal and lay in my undies all day. Life was great! But day 3 reared a new set of emotions. What was I going to do? How was I going to pay bills? What if I made the wrong decision? What if my business doesn't leave the ground? Where do I even begin? I even questioned my pregnancy. Was I REALLY suppose to have her? NOW? I'm NOT READY. DOUBT DOUBT DOUBT!! THE PROCESS The Process was everchanging. Wait, let me rewrite that. The process IS everchanging. Here I am trying to BE great. I just had this baby naturally, I quit my job and started my own. Yet, I was constantly overwhelmed and met with tears that I could not explain.
Doctor appointments, learning how to build a website, feeding baby and trying to remember to feed myself; all things that were once second nature became new again. And to be honest, I didn't know how to deal. I tried throwing myself into work, often neglecting other priorities, but never felt full. It was a constant battle in myself. But wait, here comes baby number two and I'm not sure I've got the hang of baby number one. I've got this plan and b abies were not apart of it. Not this soon. IM NOT READY! It wasn't until things were starting to get rocky in my relationship that I really had to take a step back and assess the situation. What is really happening here? Low and behold, I was going through Postpartum Depression, and had been for the last two years or so, which would explain the frustration and fleeting yet detrimental thoughts of harm. THE WIN The ultimate moment of peace came from my daughter. After spending about 10 minutes locked in the bathroom, I came out and my daughter said to me "Don't cry, everything is going to be alright!" The most simple yet profound words to date. Here I am, thinking my emotions were tamed, and she just blew my cover. These were the words I sang to her often, in my best Bob Marley voice ofcourse, and without knowing the true effect, she shared what she assumed would help and it did. It was that moment I realized, she was right. Everything will be ok. I can have goals, schedules and plans, but if I don't hit my deadline, I will still be alright. If I don't wash all the dishes tonight, we will be alright! If my clothes get piled up, or emails go unanswered, it will be alright. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT! THE LESSON So this split second in time that had me feeling like I could be a mom, a business owner, and everything else I was called to do.....but first I NEED to focus. I must stop trying to BE everything because I AM everything. The moment I stopped trying to do what I thought was expected, I was able to focus on myself. I was able to realize what works for me and what doesn't. I was able to fill my cup so I can actually pour into others. It all started with me meeting my mat once again, but not as a yoga instructor this time, as a student. This is what works for me. Facing those fears and doubts head on and embracing them allowed me to grow. Now, I am able to create a realistic schedule that I use more as a "guide." I don't beat myself up when things aren't done and I make sure to make time for myself. Doing all of these things has helped me to hone in on one thing at a time. Trying to do it all is stressful and quite unnecessary. Take it one step at a time because you deserve it. You deserve to be treated with kind actions, loving words, and peaceful moments. You deserve to be everything and nothing at all. You deserve that green smoothie AND that glass of wine or donut or ice cream, or HELL, all three!! It's ok to have those questionable moments where you feel like its just not working the way YOU planned. Oh, but GOD has the master plan for you, and if you just push forward… EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT! *Cues Bob Marley * To connect with NewNew visit: www.NewSecrets.net IG: @New.Ceo | Email: newnew@newsecrets.net
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"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -Â CELESTE CARR
THE START Just a year before I gave birth to my beautiful and brilliant daughter, Destiny, I began to pursue entrepreneurship. I published my first book in 2014 and began speaking and creating workshops around the book but I stopped after awhile due to a lack of commitment and confidence. Fast forward a few months later, I found out I was pregnant with Destiny. How ironic is that?! Not by coincidence at all. Funny how God works! With my baby girl on the way in March 2015, I became a Mary Kay consultant for the 2nd time. I was always passionate about entrepreneurship and empowering women to embrace their beauty, inside and out. So I was active as a beauty consultant in my business until a few months after she was born. It was now February 2016 and it was a struggle for me to do motherhood and business so I quit. I decided that I would work from home as a virtual assistant since I had plenty of administrative experience. I landed the wonderful opportunity to work with a well known sought after women business success coach and speaker for 7 months! Time flew by and my baby got bigger. My dreams of being a women empowerment coach, author and speaker started to slowly dwindle away, getting lost in my newly acquired mommy title. In February 2017, I received a generous offer to come back to work as an executive assistant for a busy CEO of a local credit union. This was the job I previously left when I had my daughter so I can be a stay at mom. Now mind you, I had no intentions of going back because I really wanted to be at home with her. Destiny, at the time, was one and a half. So I decided to proceed with the opportunity. We were in a financial bind then so we could definitely use the money. God blessed me with an amazing private home daycare for my daughter. The transition was rough at first but got better along the way. Fast forward to June 2017, my dreams began to start stirring in my soul, causing me to hear the incessant rumbling of my vision awakened in me again. Almost like when Ezekiel heard the rustling sound of the dry bones coming back together in the valley in the Bible. Even I had gone back to work, got back on our feet financially, I wasn't satisfied.
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"I Am.” - MARGARET DRUMGOLE
My name is Margaret Drumgole, and I am an entrepreneur, coach, wife, and mother. THE START 2007 began my journey as a mompreneur. I was a single mother to three awesome sons. My oldest son was born with Hydrocephalus and Dandy-Walker Syndrome. My 2nd son was born with no issues, and my 3rd son was born with Sickle Cell Disease. During this time I was working what I thought was a great government job, however, life hit me when my employer informed me that if I missed any more time due to my sons being sick I would lose my job. I did everything in my power not to miss another day of work, but that dreaded day came when my 1st born had a shunt malfunction, which caused me to miss three days. I was terminated from my job, although I had a doctor's note. Here I am without employment, a single mother, and I had to turn to my mother and welfare to help me. During my darkest time, I met a wonderful guy named Dewayne. He shared visions about entrepreneurship and the benefits the boys and I could experience from it. I thought to myself what did I have to lose. I hated the welfare system, and I desired to have my own independence again, but in a different way. I didn't want another 9-5 where I had to worry about taking off time due to my sons being ill. I wanted freedom! It's those strong Whys, I ventured off into mompreneurship. THE DOUBT "Don't do it, it's a scam, are you crazy, you will never make it!" Those were some of the words I heard from my closest friends and family. They felt that I should find a job and take care of my sons, but deep down I knew entrepreneurship was my best option. Throughout the journey, it was my mother and Dewayne that brought my products and gave me referrals. With only having two people in my corner, I began to question my confidence in getting my business going. Was this for me? Should I be doing this? I do have three sons to feed! What do I do? Do I have what it takes to be successful? Maybe everyone was right. I felt so alone and afraid, but I'm so thankful I did not give up.
THE PROCESS The way I started to believe was through reading. I would read about successful people and their trials and tribulations. In conjunction with reading successful stories, I began to embark on self-development classes. Fear, self-doubt, low self-esteem, worry, and depression; I had to release. As personal transformation began to take place in my life, those negative feelings and thoughts were replaced. Courage, boldness, confidence and strength entered my world. Additionally here are some steps I did: 1. I created a vision board for everything that I was trusting God to bless me with. The board included pictures of the home I desired, the cars, motivational sayings, how much money I wanted to make monthly, etc. 2. I built a wall of "I Am." I Am Powerful, Bold, Good Enough, Boss Lady, Strong, and more words that I needed to speak into my life. 3. I wrote down my top 3 passions. THE WIN GOD began to open many doors for me, as I started meeting millionaires that would eventually mentor me. I learned how to work with the cold market (people you don't know) to build three successful businesses. As my companies grew, my warm market (family and friends) began supporting me. I'm so thankful to share that I have not worked a job since 2008. My family has been off of welfare since 2010. I welcomed another son and got married to my best friend/supporter. Not only is my family debt free, I also love showing others how they too can live their dreams. Individuals and families have been transformed with their health, image, finances, and freedom. Being a mompreneur has allowed my family to travel to places that would have just been a dream. Life is sweet, and I'm so thankful that I didn't give up on myself or my sons. THE LESSON 1. Always, put GOD 1st! 2. Let your family be your #1 Why. 3. Create a Vision Board and put it where you can see it daily. 4. Write down your top 3 passions and outline how you can achieve your goals. 5. Make sure your circle of friends and family is very supportive. 6. Know that you are successful and failure is only a failure when you give up. 7. Give Back! Once you reach levels of success, teach others to do the same. 8. Remain Positive! To connect with Margaret email: Marghugdrum@gmail.com www.Fashionmeets5.com www.Revitalizingu.Idlife.com www.Revitalizingu.WorldVentures.Biz
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"He who controls your emotions controls your mind; he who controls your mind controls your spirit; he who controls your spirit controls your destiny." - LAURINDA ANDUJAR THE START The journey to Mompreneurship started long before I even knew it. I was that person that reported to her 9-to-9 faithfully for almost 27 years. I missed birthdays, first steps, first days of school and many other significant firsts in the lives of my beautiful children all for the sake of being responsible; while feeling there had to be more. I would sit comfortably on the sidelines in a sea of blissful ignorance. I was ignorant to who I was and what I had to offer the world. There were many times that I would volunteer to help others build their dreams. I would offer up my expertise for free and they would gladly devour it. I was insecure, and I would not allow myself to see what others saw in me long before I knew what I had. What I had was potential. Potential that would lay dormant until a catastrophic event would cause a shift in my very being. A shift so unnerving that it would shake me to the very core. THE DOUBT I like many of you dealt with a little demon called doubt! Doubt told me there was stability in building someone else's dream. Doubt assured me that I would receive a steady paycheck, have insurance for my children and would be able to keep a roof over my head because I was indispensable. So why venture out? I was safe. I mean I could build my legacy instead of the next person's, but doubt assured me that there was safety in being complacent. THE PROCESS The process ...ah, now this is where the fun began. I would get these gentle nudges from people telling me how passionate I was. They would constantly remind me that I had so much more to offer. I would often hear phrases such as" you are a born natural," "This is what you were built for" ....and low and behold I started to believe it. I started taking certifications to hone my skill-sets. I began to seek mentorship and mentor others in my spare time. I connected with the community and corporate partners in my downtime and began to volunteer.
Each time I ventured out I acquired another skillset that would thrust me into my future and I was excited about it. I then received an unexpected phone call…."Hello Laurinda, your role is being eliminated." THE WIN The win for me was the moment I got laid off. I was so unmoved that it was eerily scary. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I was super calm and unbothered. That moment for me shifted my life forever. I took two months of downtime. Every day I woke up and told myself that I would never allow anyone to have that much control over my future, my family, and my mental well-being. Prior to the layoff, I had not noticed all the skillsets that I had acquired that helped me create future leaders. I had not noticed how many people were waiting for me to step out on faith. I had not noticed that I had people on the sidelines waiting for me to succeed. I had not noticed that I HAD BECOME A BRAND! THE LESSON The Lesson that I learned was that each of us is born with an innate set of skills, a purpose, and passion that we couldn't shake if we tried. I had the natural gift of gab. I was the person that others looked to as a trusted advisor. I could get people to come out of their shells. I could get people to reflect on their decisions and want to change. I learned that I was a transformational leader and by sharing my struggles and triumphs I could incite action in others. I learned I created leaders who lead others. The doubts that hindered me from following the process which ultimately led me to open two businesses, taught me many valuable and life-changing lessons! I was enough! I was powerful. I was brilliant and most importantly I was a brand. Being a Mompreneur has shown me an entirely different world. I have ventured down roads that have opened me up to new technology, marketable skills, and the desire to learn more, while to creating multiple streams of income. I am still writing my story as I type this and every day is a new chapter thatI am excited to write. What is your story? What is your passion? Most importantly what are you waiting for? My story led me to found SheBlinked LLC and Heal the City Inc. I can't wait to read yours! To connect with Laurinda email: SheBlinked314@gmail.com Facebook.com/ThePashunatePoet IG: @sheblinked_llc Linkedin.com/laurinda-andujar-6ba12920
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"Be a woman with a prayer life and a plan, trust God in all things, and remember that your kids are watching."
- LATTANNISHA M. ROBERTS THE START I became interested in entrepreneurship in 2009 and got serious about it six years later in 2015. I knew what I wanted, I just didn't know how to get there. I was blessed enough to have a supportive husband who was willing to take care of the kids so that I could pursue my dream of being an entrepreneur and business owner. Because of self-limiting beliefs, I didn't think I had what it took. I didn't have the look, the funds, or the knowledge. At least those were my thoughts. Would starting a business work? Would it really pay the bills? I come from a family of individuals who were hard working; they didn't believe in anything that didn't look like that. For a while, neither did I. My coach played a huge role in the mindset shift that I experienced. Once I got over my own self-doubt, I had to come to terms with feelings of inadequacy in my role as mom. This was a struggle for me although my husband and children were aware. I struggled with feelings of not being present. Over the years as I grew, and as my children grew, it became easier. They're older now (ages 13, 11, and 7) and can understand when mommy's working on something big or has a deadline to meet. Nine years in and a CEO, I understand the sacrifice, and they do also. They understand the late nights, the weekends locked in my home office, and that mommy has to work. What made my journey unique for me was the growth I experienced, and the rate at which that growth took place. I grew as a woman, mother, wife, and entrepreneur. THE DOUBT I didn't begin to really doubt myself until I established what is now L. Roberts Consulting Services in 2016. As a writer, I've written proposals, letters, resumes, etc., and never missed my mark. Every proposal was awarded, every individual I wrote for received favorable results. When I made the decision to start my business, in the days prior, I was filled with all kinds of doubt. What if I fail? What if I can't deliver? What if I can't come through for the clients? What if this? What if that? I was afraid to fail the people I served, and my husband and children. There was a period when because of doubt, I honestly didn't know if this was something I wanted to continue, and really wanted to walk away from it all.
Until one night my oldest son said, "You're not quitting. You can't quit, I won't let you." At that moment, I knew that quitting was no longer an option. THE PROCESS The process for me started with personal development, increasing emotional intelligence, and changing how I viewed the world and people around me. I had to do the internal work first, and I did that. As you can imagine, this process was sometimes a hard one because I had to deal head-on with the root cause and harsh reality of those self-limiting beliefs. I struggled lots in the beginning simply because of my mindset. Outside of dealing with my own mindset shift and personal development, my husband made the process as easy for me as he knew how. He rose to the occasion of taking care of the house and kids to allow me the time and space to do what I'm passionate about and run a business. I wouldn't have been able to overcome the challenges of juggling it all without him. My work/life balance was also out of whack. I'd literally work for 14 hours, try to sleep for 6-7 hours, and somewhere in between try to fit in faith and family. That wasn't working for me or them. There didn't seem to be enough hours in the day. I had to work hard to balance it all, and I still struggle with it today, however, I am more intentional with my time. THE WIN Winning for me is the smile on my kids' faces. Hearing them tell me they're proud of me. When they tell me they're proud of me, nothing else matters, other than continuing to make them proud. Winning for me is my kids believing in themselves and believing that they can do anything they put their minds to. I win every time I can make it happen for them. That's the sweetest spot....their smiles. THE LESSON In no order of importance, the following is my list of lessons learned on my journey of being a mom and entrepreneur: 1. Philippians 4:13. I say it aloud each morning and repeat throughout my day. 2. Balance is everything! Learning to balance faith, family, and work is still a struggle for me at times, but I'm intentional about my time, and this helps me to better prioritize tasks and life in general. 3. Communication is key. My husband didn't know that I needed time to work unless I told him. He's not a mind reader, and I couldn't expect him to just know when I needed time to work. 4. Trust the process, no matter what. 5. My kids didn't expect me to be Superwoman, although I expected it of myself. 6. They (my kids) are watching. I want women to know that they can do and have it all, and still be a great wife and mother. Starting and building a business doesn't make you a bad mom, it makes you a woman with vision. Use your support system if you have one, and remember that if God gave you the vision, He's made the provisions. To connect with Lattannisha email: info@lrobertsconsultingservices.com www.lrobertsconsultingservices.com • Instagram: @mrslmroberts
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"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -Â CELESTE CARR
THE START Just a year before I gave birth to my beautiful and brilliant daughter, Destiny, I began to pursue entrepreneurship. I published my first book in 2014 and began speaking and creating workshops around the book but I stopped after awhile due to a lack of commitment and confidence. Fast forward a few months later, I found out I was pregnant with Destiny. How ironic is that?! Not by coincidence at all. Funny how God works! With my baby girl on the way in March 2015, I became a Mary Kay consultant for the 2nd time. I was always passionate about entrepreneurship and empowering women to embrace their beauty, inside and out. So I was active as a beauty consultant in my business until a few months after she was born. It was now February 2016 and it was a struggle for me to do motherhood and business so I quit. I decided that I would work from home as a virtual assistant since I had plenty of administrative experience. I landed the wonderful opportunity to work with a well known sought after women business success coach and speaker for 7 months! Time flew by and my baby got bigger. My dreams of being a women empowerment coach, author and speaker started to slowly dwindle away, getting lost in my newly acquired mommy title. In February 2017, I received a generous offer to come back to work as an executive assistant for a busy CEO of a local credit union. This was the job I previously left when I had my daughter so I can be a stay at mom. Now mind you, I had no intentions of going back because I really wanted to be at home with her. Destiny, at the time, was one and a half. So I decided to proceed with the opportunity. We were in a financial bind then so we could definitely use the money. God blessed me with an amazing private home daycare for my daughter. The transition was rough at first but got better along the way. Fast forward to June 2017, my dreams began to start stirring in my soul, causing me to hear the incessant rumbling of my vision awakened in me again. Almost like when Ezekiel heard the rustling sound of the dry bones coming back together in the valley in the Bible. Even I had gone back to work, got back on our feet financially, I wasn't satisfied.
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"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -Â CELESTE CARR
THE START Just a year before I gave birth to my beautiful and brilliant daughter, Destiny, I began to pursue entrepreneurship. I published my first book in 2014 and began speaking and creating workshops around the book, but I stopped after awhile due to a lack of commitment and confidence. Fast forward a few months later, I found out I was pregnant with Destiny. How ironic is that?! Not by coincidence at all. Funny how God works! With my baby girl on the way in March 2015, I became a Mary Kay consultant for the 2nd time. I was always passionate about entrepreneurship and empowering women to embrace their beauty, inside and out. So I was active as a beauty consultant in my business until a few months after she was born. It was now February 2016 and it was a struggle for me to do motherhood and business so I quit. I decided that I would work from home as a virtual assistant since I had plenty of administrative experience. I landed the wonderful opportunity to work with a well-known women business success coach and speaker for seven months! Time flew by and my baby got bigger. My dreams of being a women empowerment coach, author and speaker started to slowly dwindle away, getting lost in my newly acquired mommy title. In February 2017, I received a generous offer to come back to work as an executive assistant for a busy CEO of a local credit union. This was the job I previously left when I had my daughter so I could be a stay-at-home mom. Now mind you, I had no intentions of going back because I really wanted to be at home with her. Destiny, at the time, was one and a half. So I decided to proceed with the opportunity. We were in a financial bind then so we could definitely use the money. God blessed me with an amazing private home daycare for my daughter. The transition was rough at first but got better along the way. Fast forward to June 2017, my dreams began to start stirring in my soul, causing me to hear the incessant rumbling of my vision awakening inside of me again. Almost like when Ezekiel heard the rustling sound of the dry bones coming back together in the valley in the Bible. Even though I had gone back to work and got back on our feet financially, I wasn't satisfied.
THE DOUBT I always struggled with belief in myself and my worth since I was a little girl. When the enemy knows what's on your life, he will try to keep you bound and broken to the point where you sleep on the brilliance and boldness that's on the inside of you. I went back and forth in my mind and in my actions a lot last year. I thought maybe I'm not good enough to have my dreams come true. Maybe I wasn't good enough to be wealthy and walk in my purpose. I heard the voices of people, sometimes the ones that were the closest to me, saying that I don't have what it takes. That got so ingrained in me that I started to believe the lies. I began to shrink my significance. I also had a fear of success. I knew that if I really got serious about my goals and stayed committed to them on a consistent basis, I would be successful. But I also knew that it was going to take much sacrifice, hard work, and determination to accomplish my goals. But I wasn't ready to take this on at all. I felt really overwhelmed and defeated by my home life. I often used my motherly and wifey duties as an excuse that I couldn't somehow "be about my business." THE PROCESS Finally, in November 2017, I decided that enough was enough. I was tired of making excuses and not being consistent and playing small. I had a dream earlier that month that it was my 32nd birthday and I was in the same place where I was at the age of 31. I woke up with a keen determination that I was not going to let my 32nd come in like that and be in the same spot financially, physically, mentally and emotionally. I invested in a business coach so I can get started more strategically with my business. I believe that the process is where we get pruned to produce good fruit in our lives. I knew that in order for me to make motherhood and business work together, I needed to get strategic about my everyday lifestyle. I started with time management since I knew I needed to make the time to work on my business. So I figured out some chunks of time where I could "plug and play" some business tasks and personal development. I figured out that I could either stay up for a few hours after my daughter went to sleep or get up a few hours earlier before it was time to get ready for the day. I set aside to make sure my house was clean. I used the slow cooker more. I set times where I got some alone time with my husband and daughter individually. I also made time for self-care. THE WIN In March 2018, I launched my personal development brand for mompreneurs and working moms with a dream! I realized that I didn't have to compromise my family life to pursue my dreams. I understood that it is possible to do both simultaneously. THE LESSON It is important to embrace the journey and trust the process. Know that your visions and dreams will manifest if you stay consistent and don't give up. To connect with Celeste visit: www.maximizemama.com maximizemama@gmail.com • IG: @maximizemama
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"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - TOSHA DANIELS THE START The love of celebrating my birthday, memorial moments and special occasions has always been important to me; Whether a holiday, graduation, wedding, anniversary or any other festive event. I soon began to realize that I had an eye for the big picture and embraced it. It was all about the "look in the moment", the presentation, the color scheme, the clean lines and the overall WOW FACTOR that sets the tone. It was in 2010 that I began to seriously internalize that I wanted to make this reoccurring vision a reality. I began searching and jotting down names to call my business. I actively started working to build a platform where I could profit from my passion. While parenting a 9-year-old, planning my wedding, maneuvering in a doctoral program and working a full-time job, I somehow found the time to start writing my business plan. Not long after that, I began taking small jobs for friends, which soon led to referrals and just like that FiveThreeMoments (FTMEvents) was born. THE DOUBT When you are thinking about or even are in the beginning stages of starting your own business, it can be tough to maintain boundaries or the right balance between your personal time and your workspace. Navigating the life of a mom, wife and student was already overwhelming without adding my own business into the equation. My most important and influential role is that of a mother and at the beginning of starting this business, my then 9-year-old daughter was getting her feet wet with soccer games and was heavily involved in many activities in school. I vowed that I would not miss any of her milestones and that I would be present for every step in her life. I joined PTA, cheered for her at soccer games, made cookies and brownies for the bake sales; I planned to be there. Choosing to start a business at this impressionable age did not seem like the best idea. I spent a great bit of time in the beginning just trying to create work-life balance as a Mompreneur. However, no matter how tough things got and how the regular family routine had to change, I stuck with the vision and found creative ways to make FiveThreeMoments Events move forward.
THE PROCESS It is said that the "journey of a thousand begins with one step". I also believe that it is one step at a time. Although I didn't have all of the answers I simply started with the information and tools that I had. Being a hands on and a very visual individual, the concept of Instagram as a place to share pictures and tell visual stories was appealing. I started telling the story of my business by simply posting pictures of different items that showcased my eye and talent. Maybe an item I created for a tables setting, or decorative arrangement that caught my eye. Soon after, I started asking friends for referrals of web designers, print shops and for other resources so that I could start looking at how I could get my name out there other than IG. This process alone was stressful with high prices, having meetings and folks not seeing your vision. When I decided to pay for a web design service, I still had to learn how to maintain the website or commit to pay maintenance service fees which was a monthly expense. I finally began to get inquiries, which led to FiveThreeMoments Events planning moments like house warmings, baby showers, Pop-up Wedding, birthday parties, a graduation ceremony and these opportunities led to more referrals and before I knew it, my business was in full swing. THE WIN It was months into working, planning, parenting, and creating before I realized that I was actually living out the work life balance dream. Balancing everything that I thought would hinder me from embarking on this inevitable journey. I was still the awesome wife and employee and I was still supermom. It was working and I was winning! Here I am years later and I am doing what I love and if I can say so, doing it well! I get enjoyment out of providing professional service with love, care, attention to detail and most importantly, individualizing it for the client so that "their moment" is all and more than they could imagine. Making that vision a reality in such a unique way that my client cannot help but to spread the word to others. These are the rewards that small business owners and momprenuers live for and celebrate.  My ultimate sweet spot is that after a long day I get to come home to my loving children! THE LESSON "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - Arthur Ashe Having a business large or small with children is more than a notion, it must be intentional, but IT CAN BE DONE. No matter what you are up against there is always a way to do what is in your heart to do. You don't have to have all of the answers, but remember that if you do what you can, you'll find the answers, support and resources that you need. I am able to do what I do with the help of my village. I have the reinforced support to handle all of the day-to-day hustle and bustle of business and parenthood. No matter what ....just do it, work your vision, seize your moment. To connect with Tosha visit: www.ftm-events.com fivetm53@gmail.com • IG: @eventsftm
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“God would not give you the gift if he wasn’t going to give you the resources to master it!” - KHLOE ROSE
THE START Countless nights I would stay up watching my mother do hair. It was the 90’s; the era of basket weaves, roller sets, finger waves, and pompadours with the gold hairspray and colorful jewels. I scrutinized each move she made. Several times I cut off my sandy red ponytails mirroring her gestures. Unknowingly, I was setting myself up for the future. When I was in the fifth grade I persuaded my Aunt (who was only a year older than me) to let me braid her hair. So, we hustled up enough money to buy some hair, and that’s when it all began. Throughout middle school, I would do hair for free. I built my speed, mastered my technique, and bettered my craft. By the time I was in the 8th grade I was a beast. When I got to high school I was no longer doing hair for free. It was a talent. Something I was good at. Something no one could ever take away from me. But I never saw it that way. To me, it was a hustle. The money was quick, and I didn’t have to wait two weeks for a check. Although hair was what I knew, I always fantasized about being a dentist. THE DOUBT Fast forward, with only two semesters remaining before graduation… I dropped out of school. Again! I had failed myself again. I had failed my daughter again. As I reflected on my life; it was going nowhere, FAST! Every two years I was at a different company repeating the same cycle. Elevating until there weren’t any other opportunities available. I hated my job and would sit at my desk day in and day out praying to God to show me my purpose in this world. I was a single mother working two jobs, and I was exhausted. In a world full of possibilities, I was just existing. THE PROCESS I was overworking dead-end jobs and I understood school was not for me. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but I did know that I had a God-given talent and it could put me in a position to be self-employed. I went back and forth with myself about going back to school. I put my resignation notice in at my full-time job, stepped out on faith, and out of my comfort zone. I went back to school, but this time it was for cosmetology.
However, it was no walk in the park. While in school, my significant other went to federal prison, my mother was diagnosed with lupus, autoimmune disease, my grandmother (whom I was very close with) passed, and my significant other of nine years decided to throw the whole relationship away. All this happened within 3 months of each other. I was devastated. I was lost. I was confused. I was livid. Everything in my life was spiraling out of control. I could not catch a break. I gained 30 pounds. At times I felt like I was losing my sanity. I began slacking in school. For six months I went to school sporadically, then I stopped going altogether. THE WIN I remember walking in school one day and the administrator handing me my progress report saying, “you’re not going to be anything, at the rate you’re going.” Life doesn’t get easier. You just get stronger, so I trained my mind to be stronger than my heart. It was too late to fold and I had come too far to give in or give up. Moreover, I knew my daughter had both eyes on me. I utilized every resource that was presented to me. I watched my teachers the same way I used to watch my mom late nights on the couch. I was like a sponge, absorbing every little bit of knowledge. No matter how big or small. On the weekends I would fly out to take branding classes and seminars with Beauty Moguls such as Ming Lee. I went to school for 10 hours a day and worked overnight. I would sleep in my car during breaks and in between time. I was tired but determined. Two weeks later I graduated. Three weeks after graduation I was licensed. While waiting to receive my license in the mail, I reinvented myself. I was no longer Mariah Harris. I am Khloe Rose of Khloe Rose Hair Artistry. I have worked next to international and celebrity stylists as well as some of the best makeup artists and hairstylists in Florida.... and my journey doesn’t end here. THE LESSON I want to be able to show people that even though it looks hard, it’s not really as hard as you think. You just have to have that mindset to put yourself out there, believe it and go for it yourself. Remember, don’t worry about what other people have to say, just go for it. That has led me here, to a place where I’m able to travel and speak about my products. I would’ve not been able to do it if I listened to what people were saying. To connect with Khloe Rose email: thekhloerose@gmail.com IG: @thekhloerose
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"Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." - MISHI BOOKER
THE START I started working when I was 13 and balanced multiple jobs in my early 20’s to pay my way through college. My mother raised two girls on her own and planted some invaluable seeds in us both. I have always had the hustle in me. My journey as an entrepreneur started with a few failed attempts. Most of the businesses failed because they were money driven and not passion driven. I wanted to be an entrepreneur but didn’t really know what that meant or how to start. I also wanted to make additional income but was lacking the passion behind my ideas. I have a Masters in Social Work and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and for the most part, I have kept my “work” separate from entrepreneurship. I was lost for quite some time. While pregnant with my son I started my blog: melaninmommy.com. I needed an outlet to process my feelings with the hopes of helping at least one other mom. I had a lot of anxiety about becoming a mother and did not enjoy being pregnant. After my son was born, I read to him daily and quickly became disappointed in the lack of diversity in children’s books. This was a defining moment for me. The pain I felt associated with motherhood was transitioned into creative expression. Becoming a mother wasn’t how I imagined it, but it allowed me to connect with my passion and catapulted me into a creative space I'd never experienced before. My parenting style is heavily influenced by the fact that I am a therapist, so despite being resistant to the idea in the past, I was ready to blend my “work” with entrepreneurship. I immediately developed a business plan around writing a children’s book series and also offering my clinical services to begin conversations about diversity in schools, train teachers, provide parent workshops, and self-confidence enhancing activities for children. My first book was released in Fall 2017. I love being a mother, mostly because I feel I am good at it (most days). I also love working with children as I strongly believe it is our responsibility to nurture our future. THE DOUBT With many unsuccessful attempts at entrepreneurship, I became confused and frustrated. There were many times I thought I wasn’t good enough to run my own business.
I told myself there was just too much to learn and I wouldn’t have enough time. I thought it was impossible to balance being a wife, mother, working full time, and run a business. Eventually, I gave up. I accepted entrepreneurship wasn’t for me. I stopped trying to find a good idea and asked God to show me my purpose. When my passion was revealed, the money came along with it. The moment I stopped forcing ideas, I became more focused. I made my goals a priority and let go of the excuses I had been telling myself for so long. I was suddenly energized about my business. It became easy to carve out time to work on my business because I was passionate about it. THE PROCESS The hardest part about getting started is, well, getting started. I spent a lot of time writing in my journal. I flushed out a lot of ideas and had some tough conversations with myself. I did a lot of research before I got started. I immersed myself in the world of children’s books and read as much as I could. The writing part was easy for me. I love to write and when I get on a roll, my thoughts flow freely. I conducted some market research and solicited feedback about my book from parents and children. One lesson I learned the hard way was the importance of contracts. My first illustrator ended the project early because she had other commitments. This set me back immensely. Those old feelings of doubt came back with a fury. Balancing it all, all the time, is simply impossible. Over time I have learned to be okay with everything not getting done. There is bliss in acceptance. I often stay up late or wake up early to work on projects. This can become tiring, so self-care is important to me. My body literally shuts down when I am stressed and I can’t afford to be out of commission, so self-care is always my number one priority. The best form of self-care is saying no and setting boundaries. The spa is also nice. I am blessed to have a supportive husband as well. I have no problems extending timelines or taking a day off to spend time with family or friends. I make my own timelines which is the beauty of entrepreneurship. THE WIN I found a second illustrator fairly quickly after the first one backed out. This was a blessing but I was discouraged about starting over. I had done so much work with the first illustrator and I didn’t have the energy or the resources to start over. The illustrator I have now exceeded my expectations. The original artwork lacked the impact I wanted for my first book. I dodged a bullet although it came at a price. I will always remember to protect myself legally. This experience also reminded me of the significance of failure. THE LESSON If there is one thing I want women to take away from my journey as a mompreneur, it would be to find your passion. Entrepreneurship is more than a great idea. It’s the perfect moment where an idea and the heart connect. Avoid rushing the process and be open to failure. Failure is an opportunity to grow and try again. To connect with Mishi visit: www.MelaninMommy.com or email MelaninMommy@gmail.com Social media: @melaninmommy • @heycarterbooks
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"What God intended for you goes far beyond anything you can imagine." - MYEISHA HAMILTON I turned an adult at 18 years old and for the next 14 years, I was a woman about her own mission. I am a professional Corporate America girl, a serial volunteer, an entrepreneur (of two businesses) and a socialite. I obtained my bachelor’s and master’s degree and several certifications to assist with my continued advancement in Corporate America. At the early age of 15 years old, I was diagnosed with endometriosis and told that I would never be able to naturally conceive, so I was content with the fact that I may never be able to have my own child(ren); but I was unsure of the man that God designed for me and what his thoughts would be when it came to children. On my 30th birthday, I had a conversation with God and I let him know that I was content with being single. So, I delved into the goodness of life: family, friends, traveling, entrepreneurship and even acquired a dog. BUT GOD … He had better plans for me and my purpose in life then BOOM - I became a mom at the age of 34. How it all Started: At the age of 33 I met and started courting a man and we share the same interests, desires and dreams. We were both professionals by day and entrepreneurs by night. We were both driven, focused, positive and motivated. At that point of my life, these were attributes that I desired in a potential partner, so we connected and courted for 1 year. During our courtship, he let me know that he had 2 children that he simply adored. I love children as well but I was unsure if children were a desired component in my established lifestyle. Why, doubt, WHY: In my situation, doubting was never an issue with the kids, it was ME. I was standing in my own way to acknowledge and accept the responsibilities as a corporate girl, volunteer, board member, socialite, entrepreneur, girlfriend AND mom. All of those titles scared me, especially the mom, one. It was more like an internal battle. There was a fear of growing, advancing and thinking that these new additions to my personal life would hold me back from reaching my full potential. As a woman that enjoys the many roles that she has acquired with dedication, hard work and networking, I did not want to jeopardize a reputation that took me so long to create and build … SELFISH, right? An unknowing moment.
The Process – Oh, that part: It took me almost an entire year to accept the fact that the man that I am in LOVE with had two children and one mother. Due to selfish reasons, I could not see the forest for the trees. This would be a personal lifestyle change, and I had to make sure that the responsibilities were something that I wanted to take on. But I did and after 1 year of exclusively courting each other, we decided to make it official to the world. Once we became an official couple, it was time to meet the kids. Meeting the kids was different for me, so I wanted to meet them where they would be comfortable. We met at Monkey Joe’s..... what kid would not want to go and have fun?! I brought along my niece and nephews and they became instant best friends. And then this happens: One day I woke up and I’m in this place. I’m in a place where everything feels right. My heart is calm. My soul is lit. My thoughts are positive. My vision is clear. I’m at peace with where I have been, at peace with what I have been through and at peace at where I am headed. As Wayne Gretzky says, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take,” and so I took the shot and the kids accepted me as another adult figure in their lives. Once I was able to get over my doubts and fears and completed the initial meeting, I was able to transparently intertwine the kids into my busy life. So there it is, at the age of 34, I became a MOM. The Lesson: Everything that I did was calculated in terms of making sure this is a decision that I, myself made. As a woman who has a nurturing aspect of life, I always think of others before myself and enact the values that I espouse. With this transition and new lifestyle, I ensure that I lead with credibility and presented myself with dignity at all times; upholding the morals, values and principles that my grandparents instilled in me. When I let go, something magical happened. I gave all my doubts to God, which gave Him room to work!!! I have learned to simply let things arise and unfold naturally instead of formulating expectations and worrying. Things usually turn out just perfectly. Here we are 5 years later, together and 4 years actively in the kids’ lives. I have been able to use the gift of children to continue excelling in my life as a now MOMPRENEUR. Everything that I went through, prepared me for exactly what I asked for: An excelling career, entrepreneurial efforts to continue helping my community, a serial volunteer, a dedicated board member, genuine friends and an amazing family (married #fabwife and kids #blendedMom). I am currently living the happiest life that I could have ever imagined for myself. Let’s stay connected and follow our hashtag and our social media page. The family is very active and we love connecting with other blended families, just like ours. To connect with Myeisha email: myeisha.hamilton@yahoo.com IG: @themrspreneur Hashtag: #westsidecltlovestory
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"Do not be weary in well doing, but in due season you shall reap if you faint not." - SHANEKIA BING
THE START In the beginning, it was very challenging and hard. I can remember it was something I knew I was passionate about, but it wasn’t something I was sure about fully pursuing. I was very focused on being on a mother at the time, not realizing that I also needed my life. I had to be me outside of being a mom, and that was a hard pill to swallow. My kids were always so dependent on me and I was always there for them, so I didn’t feel I needed to pursue what I’m doing now. THE DOUBT I am a hairstylist, and I felt hesitant that people wouldn't even listen. When I started it was myself and two daughters. I was styling someone else’s hair and she was my only client for three years. I wanted her to have that one-on-one experience and although other people inquired about becoming a client, I took this time to make sure this was a passion I should completely pursue. In my experience, I'd felt that people wouldn't listen to my beauty advice and/or would revert to traditional hair care practices. While helping my client's hair go from broken and damaged above her shoulder to mid-waist length, I birthed my products. I prayed about it. Initially, I didn’t have anyone to help me, I started creating my products and going after my dreams. THE PROCESS I started seeing how shampoo could be drying to one’s hair. With this client, she suffered from dry scalp, had flakes really bad and I could never get her fully moisturized. I knew her moisture balance had to be equal to her protein balance. My oldest daughter is a sickle cell anemia "SS" patient, which is one of the worst ones. Her problem was the dryness also. I had to come up with something that would have a balance of moisture and protein to suit everyone. Having the urge to research, I was dodging clients and realizing that I could actually create my own line of products. I started listening to Prophetess Tera Carissa, and she kept giving a word that God said: “follow your dreams and follow your heart, he’s already put it inside of you, use what’s in your hands.” I ordered my first bottles, and once they arrived, I went into business mode.
I started designing my labels, took it to my local printer and my business went up from there. As I started growing, I transitioned from one look to another look to the look I have now. I realized not only was I transitioning, but my business was transitioning and we were growing together. THE WIN I’ve been to previous expos but it was nothing like the Black Experience and Expo in Atlanta. I received a revelation while attending as a beauty vendor; it was like I was meant to be there! All naysayers were irrelevant. It was an AH-HA moment. This was my time, I can’t go backward. This is my time, I have to be consistent and focused. Galatians 6:9 reads: "Do not be weary in well doing, but in due season you shall reap if you faint not." I live by that because I understand now that times will get hard and frustrating .....sometimes it may seem unbearable, but God will give you the strength. With His strength, you will be able to keep moving and stay focused. Push everything to the side and allow God to bring your gift out. You have to walk in that blessing to get to that promise. THE LESSON The biggest lesson I've learned as a Mompreneur is that you CAN have it all, but only if you are willing to get crystal clear about who you are and what you truly value at this stage of your life. Once you do this, you then have to become intentional about living out each of these values in your life. Create your own path and stop worrying about what others' believe you should be doing as a mother and business owner. To connect with Shanekia visit: www.nekbing.com • IG: @SheShesWorld4
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"Life is like a roller coasterthere are ups, downs, twists, and turns but eventually you'll begin to coast". - YOLANDA AYO THE START My journey as a Mom interested in entrepreneurship began in 2006 when I heard the sound of my daughter's heartbeat from the womb. I was literally driving back from my doctor's appointment feeling emotional yet full of love for this human being growing inside of me. I knew I'd go to the ends of the earth for my baby. There were so many thoughts running through in my mind. Entrepreneurship was one of them. This was one of the first times entrepreneurship popped into my head. THE DOUBT Let me take you back a bit. In 2000, I began my career in the healthcare recruitment industry. It was a role that I enjoyed and was very successful in. What I loved about my position was being a resource for others; guiding the career of numerous healthcare professionals. It was great! Even though things were going well, as the years went by, I began to feel stagnant. I'd sit in my office looking out the window thinking about life, asking myself, "What is next for me?" I've always thought about entering the retail/fashion industry, especially once I had my children, but I was fearful. Fear literally took over my mind and spirit. It actually flooded my psyche with uncertainty. Uncertain about my ability to run a business and the possible financial strain it could have on my family. I felt guilty wanting to add another layer to our lives, one that could potentially shift the dynamic of my household. Had I thought about it even deeper, I would have realized that this thing called life is filled with uncertainty. It's all trial and error. THE PROCESS 2017 was the year I had a breakthrough. After nearly 17 years of service, the doors of the medical search firm closed and I was left feeling broken. The thought of entrepreneurship kept dancing in my mind. This was my time and moment to start exploring. Unique Finds For Kids was an idea I had written down years ago in one of my spiral notebooks at work. I figured it will be a place where parents and grandparents can find quality, sustainably-made, everyday wear and specialty pieces.
Without any business or retail experience I felt uncertain (there goes that word again). I began taking classes and attending networking events while keeping an open mind throughout my journey. I had an eagerness to learn, connect, and build. THE WIN The sweet moment that felt like the ultimate win took place on August 2017, the day I registered my business. I'm happy to finally say that I am a business woman. Unique Finds for Kids is here! The road ahead is long but there is beauty in hustling for myself and for my family. Most importantly, my children get to see the "Mompreneur" in me. It's amazing what will happen when you build the courage to pursue your dreams. It warms my heart to hear my daughter say, "Mommy, you are Magic", or when my son says, " Mommy, I'm proud of you." My eyes also well up with tears when my husband says, "You can do it!" THE LESSON To the individuals who are contemplating entrepreneurship, go for it! We have one life to live, so live it! Align yourself with like-minded individuals, who you can lean on during this rollercoaster ride. My support and inspiration come from family, fellow business owners, friends and my mentor at Shanbhag Enterprises. Trust me! Don't let fear hinder you from your dreams. Its never too late to explore new interests. We are entitled to changing the narrative. Once you open yourself up to the idea of change, opportunities will present themselves and connections will be made that will be beneficial to your growth as an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Influencer Cheryl Woods says it best, "Walk into every room knowing that you belong, stop declining your seat at the table because you feel inadequate or unqualified. The more you take a seat at the table, the more qualified you become." It's going to take time, hard work and dedication, lots of research, patience, and development. It's going to require wearing many hats. Wear them! Work it! Don't be afraid to embark on a journey of your own. As for me, my journey continues….. To connect with Yolanda visit: www.UniquefindsForKids.com IG: @UniqueFindsForKids Email: hello@UniqueFindsForKids.com
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"Don't wait for opportunity to knock. Create a door to let it in!" - ANGELIQUE J. HAMILTON
THE START Being a mom has so many aspects of being an entrepreneur: you are a leader, a visionary, risktaker and CEO for your family. My journey into Motherhood required me to serve as the family's chef, counselor, teacher, advisor, planner and the list goes on. My interest in becoming an entrepreneur came from my mothering experience. Personally, my family life was taking a toll. My husband and I were experiencing a transition in our professional careers. During this time, I was also pursuing graduate coursework full-time on and off. To top it off, I had kids at every level of school at the time with a full load of extracurricular activities. The stress from our careers toppled with our family's schedule proved too much for us to bear. In biblical terms, it was not my "season" to launch a business. I had to put the dream on the backburner for awhile until I could prepare fully to do so. I continued to dream of starting my business as a consultant and coach. My goals were far greater than my dream of becoming an entrepreneur. My main aspiration to change lives and make an impact on the world is one of the main reasons I sought to become a Mompreneur. THE DOUBT For years I have doubted my ability to become an entrepreneur. I knew I had the education, the passion, and the skillset to establish a business. Yet, I second guessed if I could really do this. I had a fear of failure. How could I manage my 9-to-5 career, my children and a business? My doubt was partially rooted in reality though. I understood I had limited resources to launch a business venture. I was not connected to any entrepreneurs in my professional network to glean information from. I was learning that being an entrepreneur was a scary and big step for anyone to surpass. The statistics of failure was high. It is incredibly undaunting to not know where the path of entrepreneurship will lead you. I have always had faith in God that He would direct my steps and order my actions. I for some reason gave myself little credit to make my dream happen. Being a positive person, I had to counter the negativity. So, I developed a multi-year plan to turn my dream into a reality. When you have a dream, sometimes it is best to keep it close to your heart. You will hear so much negativity and noise from others to not pursue your dreams; it'll knock your spirits down. I am not one to listen to opinions. Some of the most brilliant individuals have thought to be delusional or misguided when they have shared their dreams. I believe I am in good company with those dreamers. What I did have was my faith, motivation and encouragement from my kids and husband to keep pressing on!
THE PROCESS With my family as my personal cheering squad, I knew I could not fail. I knew that starting a business was the stepping stone to their future legacies. I marked 2018 as my bounce back year---the best year ever. It was the kickoff to start the process. I created a business plan and a marketing strategy. I poured through business periodicals, tutorials and webinars to gain a knowledge base; to help me better understand the business enterprise and being an entrepreneur. Balancing a business along with family obligations is equally difficult. I had to learn to delegate and ask for help whenever I needed it. The word "NO" became my best friend. I started connecting with other women entrepreneurs to create a sense of community; a support system is a boost you need for your spirit. You need accountability partners to keep you accountable to your goals, share your wins, losses and just someone to talk to. Having a strong support system helps you as you navigate along the entrepreneurship path. My purpose has helped make the process and path to entrepreneurship much easier for me. THE WIN I found my other purpose is serving and mentoring others to discover their true gifts that will help change the world. My joy has come from this purpose. The other bonus is that I get to include my children and husband as a part of the business. I know I have found my calling as a Mompreneur. A huge weight has been lifted off of me. This is the biggest moment in my life to step out beyond my comfort zone. The normalcy and routines are gone. Now, I can create opportunities for myself, my family and for causes greater than me. This new path feels great. I thank God for opening up the doors that I thought were closed. I have been relentless in the pursuit of becoming an entrepreneur. I have discovered that entrepreneurship is a marathon. You can't sprint to a quick finish. I am in the race for the long haul. I am enjoying learning so many new things about myself. The spark that fueled my dream is definitely my children. I plan to keep the spark ignited by making my family proud. THE LESSON My experience as a Mom definitely impacted my life in a way that I would have never imagined. It's changed the way I manage my family, my career and now my business as I pursue entrepreneurship. The advice I would give to anyone starting a business is that it's not for the faint of heart. You are going to have many challenges and disappointments. Don't let it discourage you. Your friends and family will not understand why you want to start a business. Overlook the negativity, pessimism and never allow what someones say to hinder your dreams or influence your goals. This is your life and you have only one chance to live it. Maintain a positive mindset, keep your faith and remain dedicated to your purpose. Just remember your "WHY". It will keep you focused on becoming the Mompreneur you are destined to be. The greatest gift you can give to your children is giving of yourself! To connect with Angelique visit: www.hrchiquegroup.com IG: @theculturechicceo • ajh@hrchiquegroup.com
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"All it takes is everything you've got." - ELENA BORNEMAN
THE START Even as a child, I'd always envisioned myself as an entrepreneur. I was not quite sure what that looked like for me down the road, but the spirit was nurtured early. My father was a financial advisor and commuted to New York daily, so economics, business, and world affairs were always topics of discussion. Any questions I conjured up in my mind, were met with answers deeply woven with history, global business, and the impact that technology would have in the future. My dad never let a question go unanswered. Every day after school, I watched the process of entrepreneurship as my grandparents worked hard in the residential alarm security system business that they owned. As a matter of fact, my grandparents and parents owned quite a bit of real estate. My foray into business began before I even hit double digits opening lemonade stands, dessert companies, and even a childcare service. Becoming a single mom early in my journey led me to encounter many shifts, from where I lived to the markets that became my focus, to the network I've developed, and the opportunities that were strategically created. It was challenging raising and providing for my twin daughters on my own, strategizing their academics to bring them elevated levels of success and feelings of accomplishment. Yes, as a parent that was my duty, but doing it alone took a lot out of me. Experiencing fatigue and burnout from my role as a Vice President of Bank of America, as well as business consulting jobs, and fitness specializations coupled with life's unexpected constant transitioning, my counselor noted that helping others could make us feel better. After a 90-Day volunteer challenge with a group of obese females aiding them to healthier physical lifestyles, as well as deeper emotional healing, I knew I'd found my calling. THE DOUBT To me, doubt comes into play when barriers seem unbreakable, my budgets are tested, or experiencing mitigating factors outside of my control. Skills I've honed are adaptation, evaluation, and execution. Plans don't always go as planned. Thanks to my role as a business and strategic operational plan developer for non-profits, I became a "fixer" and dream maker for young entrepreneurs and big corporations. Being able to evaluate a situation to see when and
how it needs to be adjusted has been a strong suit that prohibits doubts and fears to be anything but short-lived. For example, when opening my 7,000 square foot wellness facility, Bodeology, I initially welcomed the idea of having such a grand space with the notion of having a salon/spa partner. Guess what? That did not happen, which meant the budget I'd planned for went out of the window. So of course there were doubts running through my head of whether or not I'd be able to afford the space and if I needed to postpone the whole opening for a few years down the line. As adaptation had taught me before, I reworked my numbers, reconfigured my ideas, and continued forward. Soon, as I knew it would, that doubt was all but erased from my mind. To help answer some of the most common questions that I get from clients, as well as help others on their holistic journey, I decided to write a book. As I began that process, uncertainty crept in to make me feel as though writing a book was too daunting of a task for me to undertake. Soon after I began the process, I found out I was pregnant. Here I am in my early 40's, with twins heading to grad school and juggling a business without any immediate partners. I had to put it down. However, looking at my flourishing business, I realized that people need my help more than ever. I have had to overcome my skepticism for the greater good of helping people get back to health. You see, Bodeology is a brick and mortar manifestation of my purpose, drive, and expertise. Bodeology is a center that allows me and my staff to transform lives through educational workshops, innovative resources, fitness classes, health services, and workshops. I motivate clients to set and achieve lifelong wellness goals, using my own story of injury and stress, forcing me to take a holistic look at how the Western world does healthcare practices. To date, I have expanded my business tremendously, with franchise opportunities to propel my brand and vision. I've developed ancillary business to diversify aligned revenue streams, increased opportunities for partnerships, and more. I believe that health in totality is the key ingredient to a prosperous life and a thriving world. And in holding that belief to be true, I am thrilled to say my book will be out late summer. THE PROCESS My process has evolved since day one and continues to do so a decade later. Early on, I became a certified fitness trainer, then I became a licensed massage therapist. I specialized in learning about sports injuries and the lymphatic system before becoming an expert in holistic healing. I am a 20year yoga instructor veteran who is also a subject matter expert for the National Federation of Professional Trainers, which allows me to teach Continuing Education Units. I've built a network of colleagues in holistic medicine, along with starting a non-profit called, Wellness for Women. As it stands right now, I'm the first black woman to own a business in Downtown Gainesville, Florida. Also, I'm the first black woman to have opened a wellness center or a yoga studio in the city. Opening this center was one of the biggest challenges I've had to face. As a mompreneur, I place a high value on doing business with people who do what they love versus what they are paid to do. You can easily see the difference in the quality of work that they produce. I have found it a challenge to find people who are accountable and self-motivated, and lost a great deal of investment money as a result of this process. As a single mother of twins, I do not have the luxury of messing up or wasting time. The saying, "Time is money," is real.
Now juggling franchise and brand expansion opportunities, a growing baby bump, being the rock of my blended family and penning my first book about holistic journeys, the process of becoming a successful mompreneur has become all the more challenging. But it won't stop there because my mission doesn't stop there. I'm expanding my woman's health and wellness focus (reproductive health, fertility, hormonal balancing, vaginal health) by certifying as a Sexuality Coach through the Dr. Rachael Institute by Dr. Rachael of the Emmy-Award Winning talk show, The Doctors, which is quickly leading to my second book. In an effort to really connect with as many people as possible, I am planning conferences, retreats, and special focus weekends. This will help bring the words of my book to life and into practice once individuals see that they have the support of a community of others who are also on the quest to better, holistic health. THE WIN More so than the money, the sweetest moments are in the outcomes of the work that I do. Each day I receive clients who have the goal of taking their lives back through wellness. We assess their situation, develop a plan, do the work, and their lives change…that's a sweet spot. Witnessing a cancer patient who has been through hell and back with extreme treatments, coming to me to make a difference and they can fully recover …that's a sweet spot. Clients come to me literally as a matter of life or death. And it's beautiful to offer the choice and journey back to life. When a developer who has heard about my brand comes from another city to visit my facility, falls in love with what my team and I are doing and what we stand for…that's a sweet spot. When someone walks in off the street displaying curiosity about our programs, then immediately phones a friend before leaving to come take a look right away…that's a sweet spot. When I have a team player or a new colleague who is able to realize their dreams in my space…that's a sweet spot. My wins are most rewarding watching those around me win in health, attitude, and in life! I also think it is important to note that my father's focus on innovations in technology when I was a girl have remained a priority, which is why I have invested in the best client management and human resource systems, and can virtually run my business from anywhere in the world. I have no plans on stopping progress any time soon. I encourage you to keep pushing. Maybe you are already a mompreneur, or perhaps just thinking about it. Keep pushing! No matter what you have to offer, someone needs it. I welcome you to come see me and my team in action! Come to my home, Bodeology. Let us help you reimagine health the way it was meant to be. I have invested over $200,000 to have a center that merges relaxation, detox, yoga, stimulating herbs and oils, and natural skin care to help you live your best, healthy life. Bring a friend so you can experience Bodeology together! Bodeology.com, and social media (@thebodelogy on Facebook and Instagram) give you a peek at what we're up to and services, such as the most popular detox program, will have you planning your trip in no time. I hope to connect with you soon.
THE LESSON I remember when I was in Corporate America, before taking the leap of faith to open Bodeology, I met a couple in their 80's who had been married practically their whole lives. Anytime I have the opportunity to talk to couples who have been married for ages, I always ask their secret. Of course, some couples joke around with their response, but this wife had one of the most profound answers. She said, "The only difference between staying and leaving is staying." I take that personally in my relationships but also in my quest to make a difference. If becoming a mompreneur is your vision, just stay and allow it to happen organically. I didn't just quit my job to chase after my dream. I took the necessary steps to help ensure my success; Through a strategic planning process, that included exit planning, personal health, research, budgeting, resources, and network. Along the way, my job of being a mother came first. Nothing, not even your children's opportunities can be left to chance. My twin daughters' education and fulfillment took precedence over everything, which was also very hard work. They graduated as academic scholars from Georgetown University totaling a half a million dollars in funding. I am proud to say that while growing Bodeology and continuing my own education, both of my girls flourished. Currently, they are beginning their Master's programs at Harvard and MIT; Which means a relocation to Boston while running a business, preparing a new child to enter into the world and planning a wedding! Success as a mother and success as an entrepreneur feels absolutely amazing! I've got so much to look forward to, I know my dreams never have to stop. They evolve with me, they evolve with the times, the environment, and my needs. They even evolve when I am expecting a new baby after 22 years. There is no end to dreaming. I am very well known and quoted for saying, "All it takes is everything you've got." To connect with Elena visit: www.Bodeology.com Facebook/Instagram: @thebodelogy