Archive for October, 2023

Hello Queen,

I recently attended a fantastic event with some remarkable individuals, primarily women who are passionate about branding with a touch of “woo-woo.” While waiting to chat with the company’s owner, I struck up a conversation with a young lady about her brand aspirations.

I mentioned that I’ve been an entrepreneur for 35 years, and she confided in me about her dreams of becoming one herself. The conversation took an interesting turn as I realized there was a generational difference in our understanding of branding and business.

She described the company she currently worked for but expressed her desire to venture into entrepreneurship because she disliked the idea of an office job and the daily grind. This is where I believe we need more honesty about entrepreneurship. It’s not all sunshine, chilled glasses of rosé, and bubbly celebrations. It often means countless hours of relentless hard work, with no clear finish line in sight.

Entrepreneurship can be a journey of highs and lows. Some days you’ll find yourself overwhelmed with tasks, while others may be surprisingly quiet, but you’ll never be entirely free from work. I understand the allure of freedom, but it’s essential to know that this kind of freedom comes at a cost, both in terms of time and financial investment.

I shared my entrepreneurial journey with her and suggested that she might consider exploring opportunities within her current company that align with her aspirations. By gaining experience, saving money, and climbing the corporate ladder, she can ultimately launch her own business when she’s financially secure.

Now, if she were working a job with minimal growth potential, my advice would have been entirely different. However, considering her position within a massive global corporation—where people wait for years to land such a role—it only makes sense to leverage this as a stepping stone.

Here’s the crux of the matter: Entrepreneurship isn’t a refuge for those who despise their current jobs. It’s more like an innate calling—an irresistible urge to create, innovate, and make the world better. I couldn’t envision myself confined to a corporate environment. The same applies to countless entrepreneurs who act from the heart with a deep-seated passion to bring positive change.

If you’re contemplating entrepreneurship as a romantic escape, it’s crucial to recognize that it’s far from a fairy tale. Success in this realm is possible, but you must understand that by saving, learning, and building your vision while working, you’re laying the firm foundation upon which your entrepreneurial dreams can take flight.

In essence, your job serves as a classroom, where you can master the ins and outs of every aspect of your industry. Use this time to develop your operational skills, understand your finances, and when the right moment arrives, soar confidently into the world of entrepreneurship.

Chat soon,

Monica Wisdom

 

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Hello Queens,

I hope you are well and thriving. Another memoir is heading our way and I wonder if I am interested in reading it.

Jada Pinkett Smith is a complex tapestry of experiences, a multi-layered persona that never fails to astound. Her recent revelation about her seven-year separation from Will Smith, while still being married, has ignited a flurry of discussions. Some may say, “Who cares?” as we’ve seemingly heard so much about their relationship. Yet, beneath the surface, there’s something that feels unspoken as if there’s more to the story.

At first glance, you might wonder why she’s sharing this deeply personal tale with the world. It’s a fair question. After all, what drives someone to reveal such intimate details? But let’s be honest; most of us haven’t yet delved into the pages of her book to find the answer.

Having briefly crossed paths with Will and Jada and knowing people who’ve worked with them, I can vouch for their character. They are good people. However, like many of us, their lives are not without complexities. The key difference is that they live under the constant scrutiny of the public eye, navigating their personal lives and careers on a grand stage.

When you observe their dynamic, you can’t help but notice a pattern. We often hear about their relationship from Jada’s perspective, while Will remains guarded. He rarely speaks about her outside of family or work contexts. There’s a protective shield he puts around her, and vice versa, well, most of the time.

This raises questions. Does Jada ever feel that her voice won’t be heard unless it’s intertwined with Will’s? It’s crucial to remember that she’s a talented actress. In the past, she was the “it girl.” She was the leading lady. But when she became Mrs. Will Smith, her career seemed to take a backseat. Is there an underlying resentment?

I’m not here to gossip, but I’m examining this situation from the perspective of countless women who have relinquished some of their autonomy in pursuit of a traditional marriage, driven by ideals rather than reality.

In the world of relationships, we find couples leading separate lives, inhabiting different corners of the house or even different cities. Some are best friends rather than romantic partners. Marriages are forged for reasons ranging from convenience, and security, to power. Love, while paramount, is not without its struggles. Even Michelle Obama once confessed that she couldn’t stand her husband for the first ten years of their marriage.

While I might still find myself in the midst of not caring, I believe that Jada is contributing to the broader conversation initiated by Michelle Obama. It’s a call for honesty in relationships. The romanticized notions of “couple goals” and “black love” have pushed us farther away from the raw, unfiltered truth of what marriage truly entails. It’s a pact, a promise shared by two people. Disney’s magic has painted it as a fairytale.

The truth is that relationships can be arduous when the chemistry is off. The question that lingers is whether Jada is contemplating her identity outside of the shadow of Will Smith. She sacrificed so much to be with him, to live within his concept of marriage. Perhaps this book marks her journey towards personal freedom, truth, and inner justice. It could be her way of feeling worthy enough to have her voice heard. And maybe, it’s her exploration of who she is when she’s not defined by someone else’s identity. Especially someone as powerful as a Hollywood icon. Somewhere along the way, the castle he built for her might have started to resemble a prison.

These thoughts are not merely gossip or idle musings; they reflect the broader reality that many of us lead dual lives. The one the world sees and the one that stares back at us in the mirror.

So, when I wonder why Jada is sharing her story, it’s not because I don’t care about her marriage stories. Instead, I’m genuinely curious about what she’s freeing as she unveils her truth and journey. I hope she wholeheartedly embraces herself and recognizes the audacity to be fully Jada Pinkett, without the Smith.”

If you are interested in reading Worthy by Jada you can check it out HERE.

Chat Soon,

Monica Wisdom

Hey Queen,

I hope you are doing well and thriving.

As women entrepreneurs, online visibility is more crucial than ever in today’s crowded digital landscape. Among the countless AI-generated content and personas, authenticity and sharing your true self have become vital. However, there’s no need to dive into true confessions; instead, you can make a significant impact by sharing bits of your real life in an engaging way.

The key here is to curate what you share and how you share it. Remember that once something is on the internet, it’s there forever. Be mindful of the path your story takes, including who it involves, who it’s about, and why you’re sharing it. These considerations are essential to ensure that you never regret the stories you tell.

Let’s be clear; I’m not suggesting sharing your deepest, most personal truths. We all have sensitive matters in our lives that should be handled with care. What I’m advocating is authenticity in your online presence, whether on social media, in your speeches, or any platform where you share your story. The distinction I’m making is between maintaining a persona and embracing your true personality.

Yes, you can present a polished image, but authenticity embeds honesty. It’s about sharing the actual happenings in your life, not creating fairy tales. There are methods to convey the essence of a story without disclosing every single detail. Exceptional storytellers share in a way that has a profound impact while preserving the power and essence of their story, without becoming overly confessional.

I had to learn this lesson myself. When I initially shared my story, it was often from a place of deep pain, which didn’t resonate with people and sometimes pushed them away. I discovered how to tell my story from a position of strength and reserved the intricate details for more intimate settings, like healing sessions.

The idea is to connect with your audience, not merely confess. The goal is to provide people with an understanding of who you are, what you stand for, and the journey of your life. This doesn’t necessitate divulging every minute detail of a particular circumstance. Whether it’s a 90-second social media clip or a longer format, every story should have a beginning, middle, and end. People are more interested in how you emerged on the other side than in the exact tunnel you traveled through.

With Love,

Monica Wisdom

The Story Maven & the Host of the Black Women Amplified Podcast.

 

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Hello Moguls,

As women entrepreneurs, we crave a life of freedom and ease. However, we’ve been conditioned to believe that we must grind endlessly until we reach a certain point when everything will miraculously become easier. We associate this with having more money, better credentials, and more experience.

But the harsh truth is that this relentless hustle-and-grind mentality is taking a severe toll on our lives, impacting us mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s time to reconsider this way of life, not our goals and aspirations, but how we go about achieving them. There is a path to success that doesn’t require us to do it all.

The concept of being a multi-passionate entrepreneur is fantastic, especially when you have a team and another income source supporting your business. However, we’ve shifted our focus from quality to quantity, and we’ve become trapped in a never-ending cycle of managing all our multiple entities, yearning to escape the reality we’ve created.

Let’s be clear; you’ve created your current situation. Yes, you’ve manifested it. Manifesting isn’t just about attracting new cars and parking spaces; it’s about the energy you claim as yours. This includes your complaints, fears, and challenges. All of it contributes to the way you operate in business.

Consider this: you’d operate entirely differently if you felt secure in your ecosystem. But when you have too many irons in the fire, you’re constantly anxious about neglecting something.

We often hear about work-life balance, but what if we aimed to become “un-busy”? It’s a concept I just coined, but it makes sense. What if we could achieve our goals and aspirations but simplify how we do it?

Is it possible to have just one offering instead of ten and still make the same income? Absolutely. It’s like the difference between a boutique and a department store. One offers high-quality products, while the other caters to everyone. The key is understanding what you have the capacity for. Do you have the income, revenue, space, and technology for a full-time staff like a department store, or do you have a desk, a computer, and Wi-Fi? Get clear about where you are before focusing on where you want to go.

In our last post, I mentioned that we’d discuss brainstorming. It’s a crucial part of any development process. All you need is a pen and some paper. Write down your chosen subject at the top of the page, ask yourself a question, and jot down all the answers without editing yourself.

As you strive to streamline your efforts to achieve your goals, increase your personal time, and attain the freedom you desire, ask yourself, “What else can I do to reach my goals?” When you answer these questions, you’ll begin your journey towards time freedom and release the pressure of trying to do it all.

The “all” is the part we need to streamline to start living our dream life now, rather than postponing it for later.

In our next post, we’ll delve into what streamlining could look like for you.

Best wishes,

Monica Wisdom

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