"Showing up" doesn't have to be a loud action. It can be a quiet commitment to honor the greatness inside. As an entrepreneur, there are 50-11 million opportunities to take action, decide, and choose the next step. It can be overwhelming.
Is this the right decision? (Maybe)
Could I be making a mistake? (Maybe)
When all I want is a definitive answer! (LOL)
And I don't know about you, but I have to make that decision EVERY DAY to show up, to say yes to myself, to throw my hat in the ring. Sometimes, it goes my way, and sometimes it doesn't. And it recently went my way when I got accepted into the Buy From A Black Woman Accelerator Program.
What I'm Expecting From The Accelerator Program
Logistically, this program is going to cover topics that will allow me to execute marketing and communication plans while giving me access to become a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) through the National Minority Supplier Development Council after the successful completion of the program. And that's great! It will help my business grow, allow me to bring value to more relationships, and work on more significant projects.
But that's not the juicy part. The juicy parts are the intangibles, the accountability partner that keeps me engaged (shoutout to Black Girl PR!), the opportunities for connection and collaborations, and the space to show up fully as my Black girl self without having to edit my words, smile politely, and network all "business-like."
While week two is already taking me to task, truly understanding what my business assets are and are not has been illuminating. I look forward to a more profound understanding of my business.
The Realities of Business
One thing I could never have predicted when I started my business 11 years ago is that it is never-ending. Understanding my business is not one and done. Just because it was one way last year does not mean that it is the same this year. And that's a good thing. It means I am building a business to support myself and the people I work with. It is responsive to the environment and does not force people and situations into a cookie-cutter mold. When you shop small, when you shop Black, you support people who are impacting their communities, providing opportunities and providing experiences others can't.