Don’t laugh but one of the hardest business decisions I’ve ever had to make was actually the smallest thing that had the greatest impact.
Let me take you back to when I first started my business.
In those early days I was learning as I go with dreams of building a global brand, but not everyone was on board the ‘Carli Train’. For so long I was told that I couldn’t and wouldn’t make it and that black women don’t really have success in the field I was in, let alone one coming from a country from the Caribbean. Basically I had to ‘know my place’ and ‘settle’.
Sadly, I believed all of it.
I was a newbie in business, what the hell did I know? These people were around longer than I was so surely they have more experience than me and knew what they were saying…..right?
Their words remained with me so I did what I thought was best: I hid in plain sight and kept myself back. I blended in instead of trying to stand out because ‘why bother trying, I’m just going to fail anyway’
Until one day I was outright told that if I truly wanted to be successful I should have a ‘lighter skinned’ person be the face of my company. That was the thing that sent me over the edge.
MY COMPANY!!!! ARE YOU INSANE??? The company I’m working so hard to build? How could I let some random person take the credit? That was my ‘oh hell no’ moment. Worse yet that ‘advice’ came from another Caribbean business woman. Someone who I believed should have been more supportive.
That was the wake up call, the proverbial ‘slap in the face’ that I just had to receive.
You see, after hearing all of this nonsense over and over, the hardest decision I ever had to make was simply to show up as myself. It really took me a while to embrace my uniqueness but honestly…but when I did….let me tell you…. THINGS STARTED MOVING!!.
That’s when people started noticing and listening because I was just being me;
That’s when the and emails came to be featured;
That’s when I started making lists like the 99 Limit Breaking Female Founders and Top Marketers to follow;
That’s when Forbes came knocking and television stations wanted to talk to me;
That’s when everything changed for the better.
I realized that the very things that were supposed to support my failure as a business owner were the very things that propelled me forward. People loved my ‘Trini’ accent, my Caribbean life and did not see my skin color as negative. As a matter of fact, they wanted to know more about me, my business and my life.
When people ask me how I’ve done so much and come this far, this is the story I share. I need my West Indian business women to see what’s possible and I hope that my story can be an inspiration for them to achieve greatness.
Here’s the thing, in business, If you don’t make hard decisions, you’re making a decision to stay small and we cannot have that.
I made up my mind that no matter how scared I felt, I was determined to try, not just for me and my family but for other Caribbean business women who heard the same crap I did.
So I ask you…..what is that one seemingly small but extremely tough decision you need to make?
Is it to stop offering that one product or service you love because in as much as you love it others aren’t paying for it? Maybe it’s finally get rid of that one clients who’s jumping on your last nerve because what they’re paying you isn’t worth the stress……or maybe……if you’re like me, its to stop hiding and finally just show up
It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed, scared and frustrated when you’re faced with a decision that pushes you out of your comfort zone but as a wise woman once said: Ignoring a decision is a decision; Procrastinating on a decision is a decision; Being in denial about a decision is a decision and doing nothing is a decision.
Stop waiting hun.
You can do this.
I believe in you!
If you’re finally ready to show up then I’d love for you to sign up for Dare to Be Seen, the FREE Five Day Challenge ON DEMAND. For Five days I’ll be mentoring you to help you overcome those fears so you can finally build a brand that gets seen and heard. Go at your own pace and I’ll be holding your hand every step of the way. Click here to join.
