My Big Leap of Faith & A Lifetime of Learning

I never thought this day would come but it’s officially here, guys. Your girl is officially a self-employed entrepreneur! After some months going back and forth over whether or not I could do this and make this my full time job, I finally decided to take a leap of faith and pursue entrepreneurship without restraint. *breathes out sigh of relief*

Guys, I’m not going to lie, this is scary! Since the day LoveBrownSugar was created, it has been a huge part of my life. I’ve seen it grow from just a handful of followers to now a sizable and loyal group of fans (whom are irreplaceable really, I love you guys). It’s like my first child. And after a few years working in the media industry, I’m now officially ready to take this site to the next level by devoting 100% of my time and energy to it. It’s scary just typing it, let alone thinking about it! But to actually be living it, is beyond my wildest dreams. 

I’ve always kept it one hundred with you guys from the day I started LBS. You’re on this journey with me like my cyber besties and so in the interest of sharing my life’s goals and aspirations as well as the tough lessons that have gotten me where I am now, I want to share 4 important intangibles I had before taking this big leap and pursuing my dreams full time. I’m hoping these tips help inspire someone out there who is on the fence about their career or any important decision in their life:

1. Education

Graduating from UPENN in 2009

Whether you’re 9 or 59, pursuing your dreams is about becoming knowledgeable on the industry of your choice. Education is so very important! I can’t stress enough to you how my education has prepared me for what I’ve been able to accomplish. The amazing thing about the world we live in is that the quest for education never really ceases. There is no way you can ever know everything. So there are lifelong opportunities to learn. Whatever your passions, hopes and dreams are, education can help get you one step closer to accomplishing them. Just to give you guys some background, I started out in undergrad as a business school major. Most of my classmates went on to pursue careers in Finance, Accounting and Consulting among other things. What did I do after graduation? I started working at BET Networks and then went on to be an editor at Honey Magazine and UPTOWN Magazine. Complete disconnect right?? Wrong. 

Each position I took gave me opportunities to use my educational background in business, even though there were no direct parallels. My concentration in Marketing at business school really helped give me perspective on the consumer’s mind and how brands operate. This then gave me an understanding of how to position products and entities I represented (even myself and my own brand LoveBrownSugar!) in the digital landscape. I also learned to do alot of analytical work in business school. Researching trends, sifting through data, drawing conclusions. All of that helps me now as I’m figuring out what direction to take my brand and the ones I consult for. It all makes sense now, but if I had taken my education for granted, I would never know how much it could benefit me when pursuing my passion. No matter what stage in life you’re at, whether you’re a working Mom, fresh-out-of-college or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, there are always new opportunities to learn. Don’t ever think new knowledge will go to waste.

2. Experience

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I’ve been out of college now for 4 years and within those 4 years I’ve amassed some substantial years of work experience. Each position I’ve had and project I’ve worked on has prepared me for this step. Yep, that's me in the picture sweeping up confetti after a cover shoot for Honey Magazine. Back then I was an intern and I did what I needed to do to progress in my career. If I didn’t have the background, if I hadn’t been able to learn from the brilliant people I have, I wouldn’t be prepared to branch out on my own. Be courageous, but don’t jump the gun! Make sure you have enough experience and skills to pursue your next step.

3. Passion

When the money isn’t flowing the way you think it should, when the hard work seems daunting, the only thing that will truly keep you motivated is your passion for the field you’re in. This is why, for me, it makes no sense to spend years and years working a job or a position that makes you miserable. Now understand sometimes you have to do what you “have” to do so you can eventually do what you “want” to do. But having a passion and vigor for your work makes life so much better. You do something you’re passionate about, and you’ll never “work” a day in your life.

4. Faith

No risk, no reward. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs have had to make decisions that, to others, made them look crazy! When it comes time to take the big leap, faith has to be at the forefront of your decision. You have to know undoubtedly that you’re making the right decision and that despite what might go wrong, things will work out for your good.

What are you passionate about? Has your passion been manifested in your education and career?

Change is inevitable. But, making change happen when you want it to can be hard. And when you want to make a real change, you need to learn something new. Because education is the key to change. Kaplan has spent 75 years re-writing the rules of education. Because they believe that education is not one size fits all. A system focused on the needs of individuals can give students the power to change their lives. Kaplan wasn’t satisfied with the status quo, and you shouldn’t be either. To jumpstart your change, we encourage you to watch Kaplan's video series, Visionary Voices, to hear the latest insights on emerging trends from notable thought leaders; participate in Kaplan's ADVANCE: Career. Education. You. group on LinkedIn to connect with professionals committed to life-long learning; and connect with students, alumni and educational professionals at StudentAdvisor.com, Kaplan's one-stop-shop for the latest education news, reviews, and advice.

I'd love to hear from you and learn how education has given you the power to change! Leave a comment below and be entered to win a $100 VISA gift card on behalf of LoveBrownSugar!

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 3/7/2013-3/31/2013. Be sure to visit the Kaplan Brand Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!