Entrepreneurship has changed.

There’s a version of entrepreneurship people love to celebrate—the wins, the partnerships, the sold-out events, the highlight reel. But there’s another side that doesn’t get talked about enough. The quiet, heavy, “figure it out anyway” side. And lately, that’s the side I’ve been living in.
I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 14 years, and I can honestly say… I’ve never experienced a season like this.
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There was a time when I could confidently pitch a brand, share my vision, and secure sponsorships for the events and initiatives I believed in. Not easily—but consistently. There was alignment. There was investment. There was a belief that what I was building mattered.
Now? The landscape feels completely different.


With the shift in corporate priorities and the dismantling of DEI initiatives, so many of us—especially Black women entrepreneurs—are feeling the impact in real time. Opportunities that once felt within reach are now harder to access. Emails go unanswered. Budgets disappear. Rooms we once had a seat at suddenly feel closed off. It’s not just business it’s emotional. Because when you’ve built something from the ground up, when you’ve poured your time, your energy, your creativity, your heart into it… it’s hard not to take it personally when support starts to dwindle. It makes you question things. It makes you pause. It makes you wonder, “Is this still sustainable? Can I keep doing this?”


What makes this season even heavier for me is that I don’t have my dad here to lean on. There are moments more than I probably admit where I just wish I could call him. Or sit with him. Or get one of those hugs that somehow made everything feel like it was going to be okay. He gave the kind of hugs that grounded you. The kind that reminded you who you were, even when things felt uncertain.
And in times like this, I miss that more than anything. Entrepreneurship can be lonely. And when things get hard, you realize how much those small, steady sources of support meant.


I know I’m not alone in that. There are so many Black women entrepreneurs right now navigating this same space—trying to stay visible in a time when visibility doesn’t always translate into support. Trying to continue creating impact while also figuring out sustainability.
It’s not easy. But it’s real. What I’m learning in this season is that resilience isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like sending one more email. Making one more ask. Showing up one more day, even when you’re tired. Even when you’re unsure. And sometimes, it looks like leaning on your community in ways you may not have had to before.


Because the truth is, we weren’t meant to do this alone. So if you’re in a similar space feeling stretched, uncertain, or just tired—I see you. I feel you. And I’m right there with you. This journey isn’t always pretty. But it’s still purposeful. Even on the days I wish I could get one of my dad’s hugs I remind myself that everything he poured into me is still here. Carrying me forward. One step at a time.