Did you know that Philadelphia's population is 44% Black and Hispanic, but only 2.5% of Philly businesses are Black-owned? Black Girl Ventures decided to do something about it! We established a chapter in the City of Brotherly Love to support existing Black women-owned businesses in Philadelphia and to provide resources and training to aspiring Black women entrepreneurs.
BGV Philly Change Agents with BGV Founder Shelly Bell, BGV Head of Strategic Partnerships Tiffany Spearman, and staff members from BGV partner the Venture Philly Cafe
As we settle into the new normal of the coronavirus quarantine, we reached out to our BGV Philadelphia Change Agents Tiara Durham, Neferteri Strickland, Marian Dossou, Tanya Morris and Robin Gillespie to see how they were coping. Their advice on trusting the process - in your personal, professional, entrepreneurial, or spiritual journeys - will keep you focused and motivated in pursuit of your goals during these tumultuous times. Here's what they had to say.
"The journey or process that leads you to your next move is worth cherishing." - Tiara Durham
Tiara Durham, BGV Philly Venture Board Lead, is a business strategist and marketing expert working at the intersection of healthcare and technology. For Tiara, hindsight is 20/20, as she's been able to connect the dots and grow from every experience. "When I look back on my journey, I am always amazed by the lessons learned along the way, and the tiny miracles that shaped the woman I am today. This is what it means to trust the process!" Tiara told us. "The journey or process that leads you to your next move is worth cherishing. Enjoy your journey!"
"My entrepreneurial journey is like a dance [...]. The process is my dance partner, and trust is everything." - Neferteri Strickland
Neferteri Strickland is a technology guru and creative passionate about building and connecting markets to ideas and resources to drive positive change. She is the Founder of Teachersand. "My entrepreneurial journey is like a dance, and the success of my performance doesn't just rely on my abilities. The lighting, music, and energy of the audience are all part of a delicate balance," Neferteri told us. "Similar to developing a routine, the process is my dance partner, and trust is everything." We love that metaphor!
"Trusting the process and the manager of the process (God) has been my saving grace."
- Marian Dossou
Marian Dossou is the Founder of KakeMi 90 Second Cakes. She reminds us that in entrepreneurship, there is no map or rule book. "'Trust the process' is actually a personal mantra of mine. I started my company, KakeMi, in 2016, and the journey of developing a food product from scratch has been difficult and full of adventures. It took me a couple of years to finally accept that my entrepreneurial journey was my own and shouldn't be compared to another," Marian shared. "Trusting the process and the manager of the process (God) has been my saving grace in continuing to grow my company and celebrate my journey every day."
Tanya Morris is the Founder of Mom Your Business, a community of mompreneurs equipping female entrepreneurs with the necessary tools, resources, and opportunities to ensure success. With firsthand experience of the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey, Tanya believes perseverance is critical. "As an entrepreneur, the process is the most crucial part of the journey. My process has had peaks and valleys as a consultant, working full time and now full time leading Mom Your Business," Tanya shared.
"Trusting the journey through slow to no revenue and continuing to create through it all. That's what makes it all worthwhile." - Tanya Morris
Robin Gillespie is the Events and Outreach Coordinator at the Business Center for Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise. She also has a background in communications and fitness. "Trusting the process is a must for entrepreneurs," Robin said. "Stay positive, set goals, work hard to achieve them, and you will be sure to learn all the lessons you need along the way."
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