Hey, momma.
I wanted to share with you a bit about my own journey over the last decade in the online space. To help you know that you’re not alone, and hopefully encourage you to keep going even when it feels too hard.
The first year I branched out and tried this online thing, I was all over the place with no real clue what I was doing – I just knew I was suffocating in my corporate job. I began working in an MLM (which i f*cking hated by the way, not because I hate MLMs – I actually am a supporter of most of them – but because I had been guilt tripped into joining by a so called friend at the time. And the products were well known in the industry but super lacking in quality, in my honest opinion.)
I also took several courses through SkillCrush and learned graphic and web design. From there, I started taking on freelance projects for crap money on Craigslist listings and freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork. Basically I’d take on anything I felt I had the skill for in hopes of having a great end product for my portfolio. I also put those skills to use and built a beauty product testing and review blog that got Pinterest famous for a hot minute – until my grandma passed and I lost all motivation to keep creating new content. The content lived on without me doing anything new (that’s the beauty of Pinterest, whoop whoop), and I eventually closed that Pinterest account and shut the website down. I learned ALOT – including when to let things go when they no longer feel good, even if it looks successful from the outside.
That first year – those first few months in the online space – can only be described for me as a rollercoaster. The highs were amazing and I believed the world was my oyster. And then the nerve-wracking lows would kick in with my inner critics beating me down, and the doubts would take over when something didn’t go as planned. The unexpected twists, like losing my grandma and sinking into a deep depression and a car accident that still has me traumatized at the thought of driving in snow ever again – all of these things tested my resilience and determination.
Since that first year, I’ve rebranded myself so many times that I lost count. I’ve made dozens of websites. I’ve started microbusinesses in as little as 10 minutes that saw success, and other projects that I worked on for several weeks before launching that actually never made a penny.
I’ve learned new skills. I’ve achieved some of the highest and most sought after certifications in the personal development space. I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the online world, both as my mentor and me as theirs. I’ve spent well over 6 figures on my own personal growth.
For all the budding entrepreneur mommas stepping up into the arena – just be ready for a ton of trial and error. No one gets it right the first time, and you will change your mind a million times. It’s called personal growth for a reason!
There will be moments where you seriously question your decision to dive into the business world (and sometimes even your sanity). If you haven’t doubted your entire business existence at least once, count yourself exceptionally lucky.
In the entrepreneurial realm, successes often cozy up with what some might label as “failures.” I’m going to let you in on a little secret – failure isn’t really real. It’s not a thing. As my grandma would say whenever I told her I was scared of failing a big test or getting a big fat F on a paper I worked my a** off on, “Failure is not a motherf*cking option”. What others see as failure, I see as growth. Anytime something doesn’t go the way I planned, I consider it a pivot point, and ask myself if 1) I want to continue to feel disappointed in myself or 2) if I want to try something else to get a different end result.
The trick here is in how you navigate these challenging times. I encourage you to think of your failures as your own pivot points. They are the litmus test for your business’s endurance. Don’t let temporary setbacks crush your spirit. instead, see them as golden opportunities for growth and improvement. You pivot, you learn, you do better. It’s all a cycle.
My own entrepreneurial journey has taught me a curious truth – the toughest days as a business owner are often followed by a massive shift or significant business scaling. Initially, it threw me off balance, making me question if this really was my chosen path. I’ve realized, though, these tough times as a confirmation that I’m on the right track, and I choose to see them as sign to keep pushing forward.
I’m a true follower of that old cliche “everything happens for a reason, and every setback is a lesson in disguise”. Even if your struggles aren’t broadcasted on social media (and thank God for that!), rest assured they’re part of the game. Embrace them, learn from them, and leverage them as stepping stones toward your goals.
As an entrepreneur, understanding that the way others talk to you says more about them than it does about you is key. Embrace a mindset of blessing and releasing negativity, keeping your focus on the bigger and better days ahead. The challenges you’re grappling with now will become part of the success story you’ll look back on and proudly say, “Holy sh*t, I actually did that!”
Behind every small business owner is a real person – a mother hustling to provide for her family, a father breaking generational curses, a wife, sister, daughter, and friend. These individuals are human, with real emotions and feelings, caring about your opinions more than they might let on.
As for me? I am definitely real. I am not an AI bot. I’m a mom of 3 littles on earth and 5 angel babies. I’m married to a wonderful man who tests me, drives me, and grounds me. I’m a daughter with a very complicated family history. And I know I was placed here to end the generational money traumas that have plagued my family for decades, and to help other mommas do the same.
And if you like what you read here, please stick around. I love putting out real and raw content. I choose to be faceless for now as I work through my own bullying trauma, but also to protect my other existing businesses and clients. The content I put out here and anything I promote will always be done with honesty and integrity.
I truly wish you infinite abundance on your entrepreneurial journey, wherever that may lead you.
xo, A