What Is The Spirit Diet? (Part 4)

I launched my company and i had a great start and attracted amazing clients.

however i had a nagging urge that my idea could more lucrative and more importantly, it could have amazing social impact if done correctly.

i found a void in the market and several pain points in my own community that i could fill.

i asked around and eventually, arranged a meeting with a friend of a friend. I wanted a neutral person to hear my ideas and tell me what they thought from a business perspective.

He loved my ideation and he encouraged me to do a business plan and get an investor.

Could it be that simple?

NO lol

I had NO IDEA how to get a business plan done and although he thought I should try and open a juice bar; at that time, I felt like that was a huge undertaking.

I had never really considered myself business savvy but throughout my life and in many situations I excelled or did above average with little effort. So I figured I could figure it out but I did not feel that business was my strong suit.

I put together my first business plan and I sat down with my first potential investor.

(This is me and my sister on my way to the meeting. My life was about to shift. I had NO idea)

The meeting was at Soho house and I showed up with like 4 too many people. I immediately knew that I was batting outside of my league.

(Apparently at The Soho House, you can literally only bring yourself and an imaginary guest unless your Bey, Jay, Obama or this guy)

Most entrepreneurs would probably do anything at a chance to pitch an investor like this out the gate but I wasn’t ready. I was underprepared and lacked full understanding of what I was doing.

I felt “dumb”, which for me is a feeling seldom felt. I tend to be your run of the mill know-it-all. my ego took a big hit.

I didn’t even take my sad lil excuse for a business plan out of my bag. I just winged it and hoped for the best.

In hindsight, this meeting went exactly as it needed to go.

(Spoiler Alert: It always does)

He asked me how much I was asking for and I told him

$350,000.

I could barely get the words out. It seemed so absurd to ask anyone for this type of money.

He didn't bat an eye at the number and what he said next surprised me.

He told me to come back to him with my biggest dream.

It’s funny, I thought I was already dreaming big. I had been a “big dreamer” my whole life but I later realized in many ways my dreams were limited. i was boxed in.

After the meeting. I was so embarrassed. I sat with myself and I had an honest conversation.

There was a huge learning curve and starting my business entailed way more than I anticipated.

Are you willing to take on this this task? I asked myself.

I needed money but I didn’t only want funding, I wanted to have a real plan and real understanding so I could obtain enough funding to bring into fruition what I see in my head.

I wanted to expand my knowing. I realized how big the opportunity I have is and I wanted to get it right.

In 2016, the same investor invested in another woman and it made the press. She raised 7.7 million dollars.

He show me the article and explained to me how hard it is for black women to get funding.

Statistically, i had a .2% chance to raise $30,000. White male entrepreneurs were raising an average of 1.3 million.

Great. Another Hurdle.

In the last few years I did more work than I ever thought I could do in pursuit of something.

I attended webinars, got certifications, watched lectures and read books.

I also lost everything that wasn’t put here to stay and I let go old ideals, habits and thought patterns to make space for new experiences, people and levels of awareness.

What I realize now is that I had to grow into the type of person who could effectively do what I was asking God and the Universe for.

At times I forgot that this is God’s plan and my when I ventured out on my own, those plans were derailed and detoured leading me back to my true path.

Every time I fell down, I got up stronger and each time I “failed” I learned something valuable.

“For even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned so it evens it up for me” -Jay-z

Which brings us to right now.

Throughout all of this my ideas evolved and expanded and eventually became a bigger version of my original idea which was customizing health & wellness products for my clients.

Peel the vision back further and this is a GOD-expansion of the hair vitamin idea I had in my early 20’s.

“God Can Dream A Bigger Dream For You Than You Can Dream For Yourself”

I offer you this as you redefine, re-demonstrate and/ or refocus who YOU are and what YOU bring to this experience.

Beloved,

Stay relentless in your pursuit. Seek what you see in your mind and know to be true in your heart

follow what you feel in your Spirit.

Let nothing and NO ONE deter you from chasing your dreams.

Never shrink in fear.

Keep Expanding in LOVE.

this is a journey not a race.

your journey is yours

this journey is mine and glory to god that i get to share it with you!

bless up!

with love,

Rodiah

P.S I didn’t let the internet or other people rush me.