Pay Attention to What Pays You (Sustainability for Entrepreneurs) by Briantria Smocks

Briantria Smocks is a devoted researcher, visionary strategist, producer, and gifted educator. She is Editor-in-Chief of Levi&Toonk and CEO of Smocks Media Group (SMG). Also a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Bri enjoys lounging with her family, reading a juicy book, and getting lost in music.

With all the learning courses and modules available for business professionals today, it can become overwhelming and daunting to sort through which options may be the best fit. I found it to be a tedious process once I became an entrepreneur in 2019. As it was not my first career choice, I sought out any and every space that offered complimentary sessions, prime networking, group feedback, sample coursework, you name it.

About a year into my business, I had begun to realize how crucial it was (and still is) to seek out resources that were in alignment with either where I was at the time or where I was headed. Thankfully, that was around the same time that I'd heard of the Invest In Progress grant on the Hello Alice platform. I had gone from applying to all types of funding sources in the first year to only applying to that one opportunity at the start of the year. It had become more valuable for my schedule as a mother, wife, and community advocate to save time by being strategic and intentional. It then led me to understand what I was offering and who my audience was. I could see my confidence growing by leaps and bounds.

The BOSS Network was actually my first entrepreneurial introduction to authentically betting on myself, void of self-judgement and what I thought everyone wanted to hear or what the correct way was to do something. Earning the cherished award of being an inaugural grant recipient also made me aware of the idea that what I was building would only be just as powerful as my network and self-belief.

What I really needed the entire time was far less one-size-fits-all and more specific, unique support. Thankfully, I have garnered several dynamic strategies through experiences like my training with Global Kinship Center and with a cohort led by Emmy-winning producer Kibi Anderson. Now, in my seventh year of business, I am comfortable being patient, delegating tasks, completing deliverables, sharing my progress with transparency, and saying no to spaces not conducive to my industry. I've had much better results by building a bond with my community and developing the areas of mine that are blind spots.

So if you're someone looking to expand your toolbox so you can focus on building capacity for your business, I recommend three actions:

1) Find Your People
That could look like going to in-person events around your preferred subject matter that will be guaranteed to leave you with either a connection or a new context for your professional development.

2) Speak Up About Your Wants and Desires
You may be surprised to find that there are scholarships for a lot of programs and even mentors who offer discounts, incentives, or special funding. Many times, it's because they want to see you win.

3) Stay The Course
A lot of the entrepreneurial journey is about consistency and embracing what comes up along the way. One of my greatest professional development opportunities has been the accidental, unplanned ones, despite setbacks, hard lessons, and difficult feedback. These have been moments when I've become open to my own expansion in a way I've never been before.

I encourage my fellow Black women entrepreneurs, especially those who come from poor, impoverished, or working-class families, to press forth and connect your way to your goals.

Always be willing to learn and then prepare yourself.

The journey may look extremely different from what you imagined.

No matter what, dream on!

With joyful excitement,

Briantria Smocks, M.Ed.

Editor-in-Chief, Levi&Toonk

Chief Executive Officer, Smocks Media Group

Instagram: @brismocks