To give you some background on how I got to where I am now, I want to explain how I initially got started.

It’s long y’all, but I promise it’s a good read.

After beginning my college career as an undecided major in the business school at my University, I found it difficult to figure out where I belonged and what interested me most. After taking the prerequisite courses for my business school which entailed the entry level classes of almost every major offered (HR, Accounting, Risk Management, MIS, Finance, and Marketing), I realized that I didn’t fit the mold of a college student, nor did I seek the path that any of these majors had to offer. I felt like I was waisting my time and ability being in school, but because I had already spent two years of my parents hard earned money on an education, I decided to create a path for myself here.

During my Sophmore year (I am now a Senior), I came to the realization that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I decided to declare a double major in Finance and Marketing so that I could learn both the analytical and creative sides of business. I found an internship with a local start-up in Philly that was owned by a young black man, and I began working closely with him to gain insight on how to start a business. Most of what my internship consisted of was going to networking events with my boss, that were usually centered around black entrepreneurs connecting with one another. At every networking event I’d be sure to network myself, despite having no clue on what type of business I wanted to start. I met people who had the most amazing and useful businesses, but they didn’t have the platform to reach the community they were looking to benefit. After seeing all of the potential black entrepreneurs held, I decided I wanted to start a business that would benefit black entrepreneurs to help build our communities for the better.

I jumped the gun on starting a business, and created a legal business through Legal Zoom that same year, which so far has cost me almost $1,000 and counting. I also purchased the domain I wanted from a third-party seller for $1,000, all of which completely wiped out my savings at that point as well as my food money for a couple of weeks. I’m still unsure if these were smart business decisions considering my lack of financial stability as a college student, but I trust God’s timing with everything so I’m praying I will get a return on my investment tenfold in the long-run.

After handling my legal obligations business wise, I decided it was time to start putting my business into action my Junior year, so I competed in a business competition ran by my university. The top prize for each track (undergrad, graduate/faculty, and social impact track) was $20,000, and the grand prize winner received $40,000, meaning there was a potential for someone to collectively win $60,000. I entered this competition with all the faith in the world in my business. I was paired with a mentor to guide me through the competition (who despite how helpful he was, was a white man that convinced me to change my model from focusing on just black people to minority people in general despite having no perception of the perpetuated anti-blackness from some non-black POC that could in turn lead to my business servicing people that won’t even service us, but I digress), and I spent countless hours working on my 20+ page business plan, as well as a pro-forma financial statement, and a slideshow pitch deck. After attending multiple workshops and meetings with my mentor, I felt extremely confident that I would win the business competition, if not at least place. I turned my attention away from getting an internship for the summer (which would’ve likely led to a full time offer beginning my Senior year) and completely focused on my business in hopes that winning would lead to a summer full of entrepreneurial endeavors… Well reality hit fast when I didn’t even place. And not only that, but in the very detailed comments the judges left on my business plan, I was completely ripped apart. Among other things, a lot of judges commented on my lack of experience to run this business, as well as a few judges who inquired on why my business didn’t include white people (cause y’all know the support of anything non-white is often seen by white people as a vehicle to support anti-white). Oh, and to clear things up, I go to a Predominantly White Institution (and regret it every other damn day), which clearly wasn’t the right playing field for a business centered around POC. I picked my chin up off the ground after weeks of dwelling in my failure, and decided I wasn’t going to give up…

Which brings me to today, writing my first blog post. After spending the summer networking, an amazing entrepreneurial black woman killing it right now encouraged me to start a blog so that other people who can relate to me could follow my journey, learning from my mistakes as well as my successes.

I have many layers that have made me into the black woman I am today, so I decided to create a blog incorporating all of my experiences with entrepreneurship, love, health, and everything in between to show to infinite dimensions of black girl magic.

So stay tuned! I’m applying some serious pressure and I don’t plan on letting up anytime soon.