Hey Girl Heyyyy! HAPPY NEW YEAR! We made it...All gas and no breaks is how I'm kicking off THE BROWN GIRL INITIATIVE with a phenomenal special guest who happens to double as my biz bestie. Allow me to reintroduce this young woman once again...Tyra Johnson-Brown is on the block! (The virtual business guru you didn't know you needed, til now!) This blog has a big chunk of my heart as I write this because I reached out to Tyra when I first debuted my brand in 2018.
Tyra's business profile was simply authentic, and I felt completely comfortable with her after we communicated for my new business which was skincare at that time. Tyra seemed to have this real genuine personality and it clicked with my own personality. Later, we found out we were both from the DMV area! Our conversations became more about life than business. And the rest is history as they say!
In many ways Tyra reminded me of myself but in a more delicate manner. I loved how she was very precise, business savvy, and professional. Mostly, I thought she was someone I felt connected to on a personal level. We'd share business experiences of course but we formed an unexpected friendship in that we both had many things in common! We thought alike on so many levels and began to talk more and more, sharing business and our own personal stories.
One major factor about Tyra that I liked instantly about her was the fact of how genuine she was from the beginning. It was nothing fake or phony about Tyra. She and I had that same fire and determination to be better than we were the day before. We had that same energy and we both really enjoyed swapping stories and supporting one another. I don't look at Tyra and think to myself " She didn't post about my business today, so why should I post about hers?" Tyra and I want to see one another prosper and become successful entrepreneurs. I often post about Tyra on my Instagram platform to get her name and business known to the masses. I believe in her vision and her purpose! I love how we vibe off of each other's success and even failures.
As most people know...Entrepreneurship is not easy. There are days when Tyra and I both feel like screaming and giving up. (Mostly me!!!) But Iron sharpens iron. We keep each other encouraged and empowered. Does this mean we always agree on everything? Of course it doesn't. But we really are a great support system together and we try to uplift ourselves when those rain clouds appear...Sisterhood is not just a word to toss around when it's convenient. True sisterhood is protecting and fighting for the greater good at all times.
I think the problem with women of color in business is that ugly 'C' word. COMPETITION.