How many times have you encountered a setback and felt like the world was falling apart? Most of us would recall such instances without difficulty. Yet, how many of us have turned these setbacks into setups for something greater?
Not a Setback, but a Set-Up
We all have a tale of resilience, growth, and accomplishment. It’s about how you use those setbacks to create a setup for success.
In August of 2021, I left a comfortable corporate role as VP of Business Development at an Experiential Marketing firm in Tampa, to start my own impact-focused business development firm. Armed with a mere $3000 in the bank and a dream, I stepped into the unknown.
The end of 2022 and beginning of 2023 almost broke me, I wanted to quit, and I was in the hole over $3000 a month. People would come up to me and want to celebrate how well my business was doing, but the reality is I was just pushing forward continuing to show up how I could. What they saw was my highlight reel and had no idea the struggle that was happening behind the scenes.
But where there is heartbreak, there is breakthrough.
After 4 months of struggle, we experienced our first $20k month. Today, Queenly Consulting is a thriving six-figure business that employs four other amazing women!
Life Lessons as Business Lessons
The journey to this point wasn’t easy or straightforward. There were periods of life where every step forward seemed to come with two steps back. But the setbacks didn’t deter me; they were stepping stones towards growth and success. The mindset I have has been developed over year of experience, knowing that there are seasons of life and they always change. The three critical concepts that catalyzed my company’s rapid growth were: clear vision, compelling messaging, and strategic partnerships.
There aren’t business lessons learned in an MBA classroom or an executive training course. They are concepts and lessons learned through the university of life. Seventeen years ago, I was a pregnant high school dropout with no visible future. But, with a determination to succeed, I established a clear vision for my life, a mission to see it through in every season, and started setting goals. With every failure and heartbreak, I learned to recalibrate, reevaluate, and realign my actions to match the vision I held for myself.
The Power of Communication
Throughout this journey, I also learned the importance of communication and messaging. We walk through life crafting messages to convert others into lovers, friends, or advocates. We all want to know what to say to make someone do what we want.
Business is no different.
It isn’t about what you say; it’s about how you say it. “Clarity is Kindness,” is a mantra I adopted. It’s about creating a conversation that connects before correcting and considers the timing and intention behind every dialogue.
The Power of Partnerships
Success often attracts both praise and envy. You’ll find people who cheer you on and those who hope for your downfall. This harsh reality is as true in business as it is in personal life. Still, this should never discourage you from seeking community and building strategic partnerships. These alliances have contributed to 95% of my business growth.
These are people with businesses complimentary to mine who specialize in things that I don’t and we all agree to choose healthy collaboration over cut-throat competition because we know there’s enough at the table for all of us to eat.
When you step into your purpose, you have to know that it takes a village — you know like raising a child.
The Importance of Community
When you align with people who understand your journey and share common goals, you create a support network that encourages, mentors, and supports you through the highs and lows. The community I built has been so pivotal. They were there for me during the initial uncertainties of setting up my business, and they supported me through my personal trials, offering both practical help and emotional solace.
Whether you believe in the power of prayer or sending positive vibes, surround yourself with people that will actually pray or keep you in their thoughts, not just say they will. It makes a difference.
Overcoming Life’s Challenges
Life has a way of throwing curveballs. Some of you might be dealing with broken marriages, domestic abuse, financial instability, even battling the aftermath of sexual assault. You might feel that your dreams are too big for your current circumstances or that all you have walked through disqualifies you for anything better than what you have.
I am here to tell you that it’s not true.
Life, in all its challenges, prepares you for the promise hiding in your heart. Despite being a high school dropout, experiencing rejection, and dealing with multiple personal challenges, I found a way to succeed – there is nothing more special about me than you.
