Gwen Jimmere lost her job. Not only was she now unemployed with a young son who needed her, but she also just finalized a lengthy divorce from an abusive spouse that left her with only $32. It was not what people would call the “right time” to start a business, but Gwen saw it as an opportunity.
Gwen had the choice to either find another job and save up in the hopes of someday transitioning to operating her side hustle into a business or to take a leap of faith and start NOW with only $32 in her pocket. Spoiler Alert: She took the leap of faith and now has a wildly successful business (Naturalicious).
Today, Gwen Jimmere is the first black woman to own a patent for a natural hair care product. In our interview with her, she tells her story about how unexpected circumstances forced her to choose between taking the easy road or going down the path merely directed by her faith. This road less traveled was driven by her wisdom on making the dream happen, finding motivation to overcome self-doubt, and operating from a place of service.
Here are some of her tips from episode 21 on My Dream Big Club’s podcast:
1: Surround Yourself with Like-minded People
Being an entrepreneur can be lonely, Gwen admits. Surrounding yourself with other ambitious and driven individuals can inspire you to keep pushing on. Gwen says that it’s not enough to add positive people in your friend group, but you also have to get rid of negative influences. People who will drag you down with a glass-half-full mentality won’t help you to succeed. You are a product of the people you surround yourself with.
2: Lean into Social Media Groups
With the ongoing Corona-virus pandemic leading to a shortage of bottling products, many small businesses were struggling to find containers for their products.
Gwen was one of many small business owners facing this sudden issue. However, with the ties that she had made on social media with other business owners, Gwen was able to amass enough resources to continue business as usual. She attests this feat to staying active on social media and treating her competitors as friends rather than enemies. By being an active participant rather than simply lurking on social media, she made important ties to people who were able to help her in a time of crisis. We are making those same ties with our My Dream BIG Club Facebook group.
3: Waiting is not a Wealth Strategy
We’re waiting for the next paycheck. Waiting for the next job. Waiting for the kids to grow up. We’re waiting because we think it’s the smart thing to do, but really, waiting is just comfortable.
Stop waiting, Gwen says. Waiting is not a wealth strategy. The term wealth isn’t just financial, emotional fulfillment is also delayed when you wait to start your dream. Not only are you delaying your own wealth and happiness, but all of the potential clients you could have in the meantime are missing out on your service. If Gwen had waited to start Naturalicious, 12,000 retail stores would be out of her product, and the over 70,000 women who have used her product would never have been able to experience the transformations that allow them to live their best lives. So stop waiting and start doing. Take the leap of faith and believe in yourself.
It’s easy to make excuses or say that it’s not the right time. The “maybe if I stay here a little longer” or the “maybe I just need to save a little more” excuses might seem like strategic thinking, but it’s really what’s keeping you from success. If you don’t take the risk now, you might never start.
It’s time to stop waiting for the “right time.” Start Now!
Click here to listen to MyDBC Podcast Episode 21 and catch up on other episodes.