Embracing My Inner Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur is a title that took me some time to embrace. It seems in conflict with my other title, artist. The whole art vs commerce thing. But I’ve come to realize that being an entrepreneur helps me be a freer artist. Consider ways to bring people to my work. Expand my income sources so that I can continue to make art. Allows me to not depend on systems and structures that weren’t built with me in mind and continue to undervalue my talent. What if I controlled how I value my work? That’s what entrepreneurship helps me to consider.
But I also avoided the term because for many years my father was an entrepreneur. At times a successful one, but most times, it was a struggle. And we, his family, felt that. But as much as I tried to fight it, he passed his love and quite frankly, his need to be his own boss to me. He saw it in me before I saw it in myself. He was my there’s-no-cap-on-your-income-or-potential cheerleader.
Five years ago last week, he passed away. I didn’t realize Entrepreneurship Month was a thing. But now that I do, oh how this month has me thinking heavily about his business inspiration.
My manager calls me entrepreneurial. It’s her way to let folk in Hollywood know that I tend to think and move differently. Because I’ve also realized that Hollywood benefits from its artists, its writers, to not be entrepreneurial. Meanwhile, I’ve seen how entrepreneurship encourages me to evaluate opportunities differently. Strategize around my work differently. Make and release my work differently. Negotiate with more gusto. It has helped me be a more successful artist. Period.
I currently run an independent production company, HONEY CHILE. And Honey it is testing my entrepreneurship! And we’re dedicated to centering Black women 40+ in front of and behind the scenes?! And we’re run by ALL BLACK WOMEN?! We got folk excited, confused, scared… all the things.
So this new baby is forcing me to get creative. Forcing me to step out of comfort zones… And just like an entrepreneur, I’m not afraid to fail in pursuit because trying is where the magic happens.
I’m an entrepreneur. Always have been.
