Sometimes Living is Doing the Work
I’ve been really hard on myself because my social media schedule hasn’t quite been what I wanted it to be. I created content pillars. I had a plan and it worked for a while. I saw a spike in engagement and felt like I was finally building consistency.
But life has been life-ing.
I had one of the most social months of the year. From building community with my entrepreneurship group LA in Common, to hanging out offline and IRL with my griefy business friends, to launching a mentorship cohort within the Greeting Card Association for new makers like me — all while trying not to abandon myself in the process. Mental health, movement, and joy had to stay a priority. That meant some things fell to the wayside.
Like the fact that I haven’t spoken to my core newsletter audience since I launched in March 2024. An absolute no-no. (Yes, I’m ashamed. Yes, I know I’m wrong. Yes, that draft is still sitting in my Squarespace dashboard collecting dust.)
Or the fact that I’ve been meaning to update my brand deck for the new wellness pillar I’m adding — because when people say your past skills will help in entrepreneurship, they are not lying. I’m not just the maker of the cards. I’m also the creative director of all these damn decks. It’s decks on top of decks on top of DECKS. As my sister would say, send help!
But here’s what did happen:
Business Wins!
🕊️ I hosted an impromptu Instagram Live inspired by Clipse’s The Birds Don’t Sing — and it became my highest-performing content to date. With over 2,000 views and strong engagement from both existing and new friends it reminded me that when I show up at the intersection of grief, hip-hop, and healing, people listen.
🧠 I pivoted from launching my Movement + Mocktails program to hold space for a discussion on what grief does to the body. Over 70% of the people who engaged were already following Sorry For Your Loss (Cards), which showed me that the conversation deeply resonated with my core audience.
📈 I posted more this month than I EVER have and saw a major boost in visibility — with most of my views coming from new people. Even when I felt like I was falling short, the brand was still expanding.
🌐 My website brought in dozens of new users in July, mostly from Instagram. And the engagement rate? Well above average for wellness brands — which tells me people weren’t just clicking, they were connecting.
📝 Created a blog page that wasn’t even on the July bingo card. Because even when the plan shifts, the purpose doesn’t.
🎙️ Was a guest on a leading grief podcast, and I can’t wait for you to hear it!
🤝🏾 I had a call with a brand about a potential wellness partnership that could be an exciting new lane for Sorry For Your Loss (Cards).
🌟 I attended the Greeting Card Association’s Louie Awards — where we were a finalist. The Oscars of the greeting card world. More on that soon.
Personal Wins!
🎶 Saw one of my favorite artists, SiR, at the Hollywood Bowl
🌿 Took myself on a solo date to Anima Mundi’s Moon Garden — a secret garden tea lounge filled with soft magic
💪🏾 Upped my weights: 90 lb lat pulls, 45 lb chest presses, 50 lb single-arm rows
✨ Divorced myself from the scale and started tracking how I feel instead of what I weigh
🖋️ Added a new tattoo to the canvas
📚 Hosted another Reading Rhythms party — a party where bookish people come together to read and socialize
So what’s the point of it all?
We set goals. Sometimes we meet them. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes the goals move. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t making progress. As we kick off National Black Business Month, I hope we’ll all be a little gentler with ourselves — and celebrate the wins, both big and small.
Because even when it doesn’t look like growth, it still is.
