Starting a business can be one of the most rewarding things someone can do. As a financial advisor, I work with business owners regularly—and understand the challenges that can go into doing so, particularly for entrepreneurs of color. These challenges however do not necessarily define those individuals or their businesses.
As an entrepreneur, it can be very easy to fall into patterns of overworking. You make your own hours and you want to succeed, so why wouldn’t you just work all the time? The answer is simple: it’s not good for you. And if you’re not good, your business won’t be either.
We often find ourselves intrigued by articles and posts that describe the habits of successful people. It’s a valuable practice to reflect on the origins of your definition of success and assess whether you’re actively living in alignment with it.
Entrepreneurship was never meant to be a frantic race. Whoever came up with this idea of hustling harder, chasing the bag or grinding until you’re completely burnt out got it all wrong. In fact, hustle is often the result of desperation; a reaction to fear, scarcity or trying to force something before it’s ready. For us soul-led women
Hustle culture teaches a specific path to success: constant grind, endless pursuit of more, hyper-focus on outcomes, and ideas that we must work ourselves into exhaustion to be valued and feel successful. Hustle culture is a collection of expectations of overwork, productivity, effort, and success which are informed by exploitative capitalism, patriarchal hierarchies, ableism, and white supremacy.
As a first-generation Jamaican American growing up in a non-diverse community, I often struggled with my identity and my confidence. I constantly asked myself: Who am I to step into a space with confidence and not compromise who I am at the core?
As a young child growing up in a Jamaican household, I wanted to embrace my roots. But the world around me often sent a different message.
