I put myself on the cover of a magazine!
Initially, I grappled with the idea of being labeled as self-centered, vain and narcissistic. The naysayers would certainly have plenty to say! “She nuff eeeh?” I thought long and hard about it and then decided to “just do it!”
I have worked hard AF for many years to build a foundation promoting confidence and boldness. Has it been an easy journey? Nope. Did I make mistakes? Many. Have I become a better person? No doubt. And am I still learning? Absolutely. I wonder if this is what Oprah felt when she launched ‘O ‘Magazine? Hah!
So here I was planning an event called thinkBIG and yet I was subconsciously doubting and limiting my own self. The irony of that wasn’t lost on me because it’s something I see too often. It’s the internal battle that we experience between where we want to be and where we are, and the things that hold us back preventing us from stepping out.
I wrote about FEAR in my last blog (you should read it if you haven’t already) and as life would have it, I came face-to-face with the emotion shortly after. However this time I was armed and ready.
I don’t believe in happenstance or coincidences. I believe that my steps are ordained and the people I meet along my life’s journey are intended to either teach me or be taught by me. When I met Rebecca Minkoff just over a year ago at Beaches Moms Conference at Beaches, Turks & Caicos, I had no idea that a few simple words from her would have been the catalyst for such a timely message in my life.
“It’s not that I didn’t have fear, but I did it anyway.”
Rebecca Minkoff
Her words of encouragement and plenty more advice in her first book Fearless, have been exactly what I need to springboard me into my next level. Her appearance at this stage of my journey couldn’t have been better timed – thank you Rebecca!
This is the first issue of The BossMom Magazine where we celebrate and showcase incredible women who are raising future generations and building the infrastructure for their children to do the same. I am honoured to be in the company of some pretty amazing BossMoms and I thank each one for trusting me and my team to bring this vision to reality!
I’m grateful for the success of the recent staging of the 2nd annual BossMom Conversation, where we explored the notion of thinkBIG as the mantra we all need. The first staging of this online event was last year when we were still early in the pandemic and not yet knowing what life’s new normal would have us experience! This year, we had four great speakers whose messages of Own Your Badass – Judy McCutcheon, Reach for the Stars – Orly Marley, Build on a Solid Foundation – Peta-Gaye Samuda-Palmer and Fear Less – Rebecca Minkoff, hit home for the momtreprenuers who were online. For many of us, our businesses have been challenged, some of our relationships have been tested, and we’ve maybe even questioned our life’s purpose. But now that we’re more than a year in and we’re still standing, I think if we’ve discovered nothing else about ourselves, we’ve learned that we really are stronger than we think. We are BossMoms!
Now that we’ve proven this to ourselves, I believe there is no better time than now to change the narrative from merely surviving, to doing things bigger and even better than ever before. Since the pandemic, we each have a different story to tell. For some it may involve loss and for someone else it could be gain. But one thing is for sure, we’ve all experienced some form of change and I believe that that’s supposed to happen. Change is the thing that takes you from one level to the next. Personally, I’ve grown. I literally felt myself maturing over the past year. (I also, felt myself aging, but that’s another story – literally.) The things that used to bother me, don’t bother me as much anymore. I’m following my heart more and listening to my instincts more than ever before.
So… the BossMom Network was created to make connections for mothers-in-business who share the common goal of developing their businesses while simultaneously parenting their children. I went into business 16 years ago with nothing in my arsenal but a baby boy for inspiration and a desire to be successful. No business plan, no experience, nothing. Some of the mistakes I’ve made were necessary for my growth and development, but some of them could have been avoided.
“Today, I want to help other mothers-in-business to put ‘structure before passion’ so that we can truly embrace the beauty of being in business.”
Michelle Gordon – B3BossMom
The BossMom Network welcomes Momtrepreneurs at various stages of motherhood and at any phase of their business life.
As mothers, we know that we are a strong influence in the lives of our children. But as moms-in-business, do we really know the impact and significance we are making? There is a common thread that runs through the fabric of every BossMom I know – it’s an inability to settle for what we know can be better. Our children are learning some #bossmoves from us.
The pages of the BossMom Magazine are filled with stories of women who know their value and believe in themselves. We push beyond limits and think bigger than we’re expected to. And every once in a while, we look fear in the face and say… well, get out of my way! Rebecca’s words play loudly in my ears “It’s not that I don’t have fear, but I did it anyway.”
“My children see me going through the rigours of momtrepreneurship. And as they have gotten older, we have developed a profound sense of respect for each other. They are young and wise, and they inject a fresh and insightful perspective to many of the projects I do. They know that I value their opinions which very often influence the decisions I make. When a project comes to fruition, they witness first-hand the results of my sweat and tears, and our pride is collective. As a BossMom, it is an extraordinary feeling to know that my children are proud of me.”
I invite you to read the stories of the BossMoms in this issue of The BossMom Magazine, and I look forward to your feedback. Please read, enjoy and share!
Michelle 2day 