Speak Less & Boss Up
Women of color are doing the damn thing! I am so proud to see so many of us doing different business ventures with amazing opportunities and doors opening.
And not just women of color . . . Women in general are making boss moves in silence. Not only are we opening businesses quicker than McDonald’s franchises are selling burgers, but we are leading the CEO chairs, too.
“As of June 1, 33 of the companies on the ranking of highest-grossing firms will be led by female CEOs for the first time ever.”
Beyoncé had it right . . . (Who Run the World, Girls!)
To be honest, I believe social media has played a large part in the entrepreneurship revolution. We all follow those accounts where the business owner makes ‘ish’ look sweet. Even Shark Tank makes it look simple. Don’t fall for it, honey. Entrepreneurship is hard work. It takes dedication. Passion. Sacrifice. And that is just the beginning.
Women who are diversifying their income portfolio and winning financially will usually move in silence and show you the aftermath and/or they will show you the struggle from the ground up. The late nights, the bags under their eyes, the unfiltered version of how they look without the glam.
Check out my home girl (in my head) Issa Rae, who took a year-long hiatus from our favorite HBO series, Insecure. Many would assume she went on a long overdue vacation, to have a baby, get married, travel the world, or just take a much-needed break. Nope! Home gurl was moving in silence!
Not only did she part with Atlantic records and start her own label, Raedio, but she is now the new voice of Google Assistant. Can we say kudos to her?! #teamwinning in securing the bag.
This shows us how important it is to never rely on one income. This is for you
9 to 5ers as well. We can get so caught up in having a “secure job” and then
don’t have a plan B for that day when layoffs happen. Then panic happens.
Diversify your income!
Another queen of moving in silence to secure the bag is Queen Bee herself, who dropped a whole damn surprise album, self-titled Beyoncé. Five years later and the album is still rocking the industry. Beyoncé created a visually stunning album that she directed, performed in and produced under Parkwood (hers) and Columbia. #securing the bag.
Following in the path of Issa Rae and Beyoncé, here are some ways for you to move in silence to secure those coins:
Network with a Purpose:
When you step out, have an agenda and a goal in mind to accomplish for the evening. Also, note that the loudest person in the room is probably the most irrelevant. Remember the silent ones are the ones you want to look out for. Remember the movie The Intern, with the weird dude who wore all black and sat with headphones keying away at his laptop?
Indirectly Promote:
Social media and I have a love-hate relationship. I hate it but love it at the same time, because it gives you the opportunity to connect and network. While you move in silence you can also be dropping hints on what you are about to launch. Indirectly give your followers a taste. Show them the truth, the late nights working, the mistakes, the orders that came in wrong, etc.
Say Buh-Bye to Girls’ Night and Hello to Boss Brunch:
Okay, honestly, I just made up the Boss Brunch, but wouldn’t it be totally awesome? To get together with a group of women and empower each other over pancakes and cocktails? To share the good, the bad, the ugly, the HELP ME vents? Way more productive than girls’ night (even though we can all use those at times).
Plan:
All major moves take strategy and planning. Don’t rush into anything trying to get ahead of the curve. Move at your own pace. You will know when you’re ready to launch.
Do
more, speak less. There’s a problem if you spend more time talking about your
business than working for it. I know you have those friends from whom you’ve
been hearing the same story about this and that for years with no product in
sight. Let it go, sis! We don’t care unless you have the goods to back it
up.
Support Others:
Listen, it’s okay if you have a dream and passion, but your time to shine is not this second. Support others, surround yourself with those who can help you get where you want to be. Put your pride and ego in your back pocket and ask the dreaded question, “Hey, I’m looking to _______. Is there something I can help you with? Or, would you mind if I tag along with you to your next event and offer my assistance?” Free is never free. You may think you’re giving up your time to help someone else build their business, but this is already the wrong thinking. You’re not; you’re investing your time in getting hands-on experience on how to build your business. Plus, you get a front-row seat to what your audience likes and doesn’t like. Not all money comes in green.