What 5 Years of Showing Up Online Looked Like Behind the Scenes

Five years. Saying it out loud feels surreal.

From the outside, Herald Beauty looks like curated content, polished events, TV segments, brand partnerships, and “wins.” But behind the scenes of showing up online for five years straight? That story is layered, messy, emotional, and deeply human.

There were wins I dreamed about features I manifested, rooms I prayed to walk into, opportunities that felt like validation after years of grinding. Moments where I thought, Okay! maybe I really am doing what I’m meant to do. Those moments mattered. They still do.

But they’re only part of the story.

What people don’t always see are the quiet moments: editing content late at night when doubt creeps in, posting through exhaustion, questioning if my voice still mattered in an ever-changing digital space. There were days I showed up because consistency was expected—even when my heart was heavy and my energy was low.

There were losses, too. Not just business setbacks, but personal ones that changed me forever. Grief has a way of reshaping how you move through the world. After losing my dad, showing up online looked different. Some days it felt impossible. Other days, it felt like the only place I could still connect, still pour, still breathe. I learned that you can be heartbroken and still purposeful. You can be grieving and still building.

I’ve had content flop. Ideas ignored. Pitches declined. Algorithms shift without warning. There were seasons I questioned whether continuing was worth it whether the effort matched the return. And yet, every time I thought about walking away, I remembered why I started: to create space for Black women to feel seen, informed, confident, and empowered in beauty, wellness, and life.

Behind the scenes of five years is also growth. Learning to set boundaries. Learning when to say yes—and when to rest. Learning that visibility doesn’t always equal impact, and that quiet seasons can still be meaningful. I stopped chasing perfection and started honoring alignment.

There were moments of reinvention and changing direction, expanding my voice, allowing myself to evolve publicly. That’s not easy. Growth in real time means letting people witness your becoming. It means risking misunderstanding. It means trusting that the right audience will grow with you.

Five years of showing up also meant community. Messages from women who felt less alone because of something I shared. Conversations sparked. Doors opened not just for me, but for others. That’s the part that keeps me going. The ripple effect you don’t always see immediately.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: consistency isn’t about perfection. It’s about commitment. About choosing to show up honestly even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially when it’s uncomfortable.

As Herald Beauty turns five, I’m proud. Not because it was flawless, but because it was real. Because I stayed. Because I adapted. Because I kept showing up, even when no one was clapping yet.

This milestone isn’t just about celebrating a brand. It’s about honoring resilience, evolution, and the courage it takes to be visible year after year. And if you’re in a season where showing up feels hard, I hope this reminds you: the quiet moments matter just as much as the wins.
They’re building something, too.