5 TIPS FOR THE NEW ENTREPRENEUR

They always tell you to “Go for it!” or “Just do it!!”  

Becoming an entrepreneur can be one of the hardest things in the world to do. While it is rewarding and exciting, it is one of the scariest things I’ve done to date- this is coming from someone who’s pushed whole humans out of her body. Your excitement is on level 10, while your fear is on level 10.5. “Can I really do this?” you ask yourself. What if I fail? What if I make a complete fool of myself? Can my dream and plan, really finance my needs in life?

Encouragement is vital and warm words are always welcomed; especially from those who’ve experienced what you are about to endure. Their present status is inspiring. You say “If she can do it, I can do it”. They make it look so easy. From make-up artists, to comedians, to painters, and event planners, these people are literally living off of their dream! How could you not be inspired to at least try?

The problem comes when you actually decide to do it. No one tells you that your anxiety levels burst. No one tells you that ‘friends & family’ DON’T EQUATE TO CUSTOMERS/SUPPORT.  They don’t tell you that you may have to lose everything, just to get where you’re trying to be. They never mention the fact that becoming and entrepreneur, is the craziest thing that someone could ever do!

So you would really sacrifice a bi-weekly paycheck, for and uncertain pay day, with an uncertain amount? What if no one buys? What if no one supports? How am I gonna feed my family?!

As a self-published author, here are a few tips I've learned along the way.

      DO YOUR BEST: After all that’s really all you can do. Always put your best foot forward and know that your work is not in vain. When you do your best, it will attract the right type of people

     

    BE CONSISTENT: How can you expect a profit or a good return, or even support from people if you’re not consistent? One day you do hair, but because no one booked you today, you give up and quit. Once you gain your confidence back, you’re magically a hairstylist again.  It doesn’t work this way. Although things may get hard or discouraging, you have to remain planted in your purpose. If you are an entrepreneur, then BE AN ENTREPRENEUR every day of your life. Your persistence and consistency will take you farther than you know.

    FOCUS ON THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU, NOT THOSE WHO DON’T: This step is easier said than done! You will have friends and even close family members who will not support you. You will have people that pledge their support, but will not follow through. It is tempting not to say “Aye, I thought you were gonna support me?!” Especially when these people are near and dear to your heart. Word of advice: FAMILY & FRIENDS DO NOT TRANSLATE TO CUSTOMERS!  They just don’t. It’s hard not to take it personal, but try to focus on those that actually take the time to support you. Be thankful for them; appreciate them. No need to waste energy on people who will not help you grow.

    STAY IN YOUR LANE & FOCUS ON YOUR OWN JOURNEY: Some people will achieve success BEFORE you, QUICKER than you; this happens more than not. IT IS OKAY. Stay in the game. Your journey will not be the same as some people- it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes people can focus so much on other people that can’t even focus or invest into their own dream.  You can’t sell your bouquets from keeping up with the florist down the street. That’s never gonna increase your revenue or clientele.  Focus on you, because you’re awesome!

    QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: In this world of social media, it’s hard not to try and keep up with your peers..their followers, their likes and shares. You see them produce something weekly, and suddenly you feel the need to do the same. The problem comes when you realize, YOU ARE NOT THEM. What may be a successful formula for someone else, may be horrible for you. Internationally known singer, Sade ONLY creates an album, when she has something to say. Imagine if she competed with other artists! It’s quite possible that her albums would be empty, with no substance, because ‘she just needed to put out an album’. Create the best, not the most. Don’t water your work down, in order to stretch it to the length of other’s work. It’s not worth it.

      GOOD LUCK GUYS!!!

    PURCHASE MY FIRST BOOK OF POETRY, HERE:, 

PAIN, FOR THE SAKE OF PROGRESS

Have you ever found yourself too comfortable to grow?  I think at some point, we all have. Destiny, sometimes, seems too big to obtain, and at times too far to reach; at least without a little help. We hide in our 9-5’s, we get comfy in stagnant relationships, and at times, our gifts wither away.

I am finding that God, or the universe, (or whoever YOU call this higher power), will sometimes FORCE us into destiny, because if we continue at our own pace, we will never get there.  Reflect on your life. Are there any instances where you can say “I didn’t succeed in this, until I failed at that”? Maybe you lost a job, maybe you lost a possession, dealt with eviction..and it wasn’t until you were forced to be broken at the bottom, that you were able to trek to the top.  Maybe there is opportunity in opposition. I have heard plenty of entrepreneurs say that they would have never committed themselves fully to their craft, if they hadn’t been faced with some type of opposition. Which in turn, worked out..in the end.  In the middle of a thing, it is hard to see a happy ending.  So we rarely see the good in anything that makes us feel bad.

Maybe we should change our perspectives on what we call opposition or pain. Maybe these hard times are nothing but canals to the better. More less, they are routes to the front yard of destiny.  So before you spend any more time, wallowing or grieving for the place in which you were comfortable, perhaps you should take this time to see the hidden opportunity within the pain.  Newly divorced? This could be the perfect time to go back to school, like you always said you wanted to do. Recently fired? This could be the time you need, to perfect your craft and present it to the world. Evicted? Maybe this is exactly what you needed, to relocate…to leave that dead place.. or that dead relationship.

I’m not saying we can’t feel, or experience pain. You should always allow yourself to feel. What I suggest is that above the loud sounds of weeping, resentment and pain, you try to hear what the future could be saying.. and step, accordingly.

Love & Light

CAN'T PLEASE 'EM ALL

Hopefully you’ve learned by now, that you can’t please everyone. You can rock your fur, but then PETA would be pissed. You can rock your plus sized halter top, but then someone would complain that one of your stomachs wasn’t tucked in (insert angry emoji here__________). You can do your comedy, but then someone would complain about the sex joke. You could rock your natural hair, but then someone would insist that “natural ain’t for everybody”.

I have never understood why people felt the need to always voice their opinions; especially the negative ones.  Just because you think it, doesn’t mean you speak it.  I keep a lot of my thoughts to myself…hence the migraines, I guess.

You can shape your life around what you think may please everyone…your religion, your style of dress, the language you use, and there will still be someone with something to say! I have seen the most seemingly pure people be criticized for the most miniscule things like their finger nail polish, or their favorite song. I have seen people who never bothered anyone, be bashed for simply ‘doing their own thing’.  WHERE DO THESE CRITICS COME FROM?  Most of the time, they come from behind a keyboard. You’d think they have such expertise in, well everything- fashion, hair, religion, life, sex, money, beauty, culture. When really, a lot of them just excel in typing (not to be construed as grammar, we’ve all seen the errors).

The sad part is, a lot of us will edit who we really are, in an effort to be accepted by people who have no intention on accepting us anyway.  Some people just don’t like you. Period. If you lost 10 pounds, converted religions, dyed your hair, and learned how to play 2 more instruments, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, WOULD STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.

Do you know that no matter what you do, or how you do it, there will always be an itchy scalp, velcro strap shoe wearing, chapped lipped critic somewhere near?  It’s true!  So before you photoshop the real you, in an attempt to gain acceptance, or to quiet down the naysayers, how about you just do you? Yes, there will be critics and haters, but it comes with the territory. What doesn’t come with the territory, is a watered down version of yourself, who’s afraid to step on the toes, of people who could care less about your feet anyway…..

Do you, you do it best.