CHAPTER 9: THE HUSTLE AIN'T FOR THE FAINT AT HEART!

Excerpt from the book "Her Hustle is Holy^TM: The Glow-Up Guide to Starting a Business—God's Way." Click here to purchase your copy!

You’ve heard it all before—GO BIG OR GO HOME. NO RISK, NO REWARD. PUT UP OR SHUT UP. DO OR DIE. FISH OR CUT BAIT. SINK OR SWIM. And looking back, that’s exactly the mindset I carried when I walked away from my nine-to-five and launched my model and talent agency from the ground up. Go big or go home wasn’t just a motto—it was now my mandate. Even scripture echoes the same: YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW (Galatians 6:7). Either your deeds please and reap from the flesh, leading to destruction, or your deeds please and reap from the spirit, leading to eternal life (Galatians 6:8). It’s your choice. Yet somewhere along the line, we gave that truth of reaping and sowing a negative spin, as if it only applies when we mess up.

But shouldn’t that apply when we do good; shouldn’t we expect good things in return? Expecting good isn’t careless—it’s Kingdom-minded.

When I launched my agency, the risk of failure was first and foremost on my mind. While I had exposure to the business through my son Adrian’s modeling gigs, I had no experience running a business, and certainly not a model and talent agency. Chiiille, I even had the nerve to quit a well-paying job with a major utility company that provided excellent pay, generous benefits, top-tier perks, and executive-level career opportunities. But accounting jobs come a dime a dozen; I could always find a job, but I trusted that God was calling me into something else—something greater. I stepped out on faith and launched my agency.

"*****"

Biblicalpreneurship ain’t for the faint of heart! You can’t build any business without counting the costs—emotionally, financially, physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually. It impacts every area of your life—every step you take and every move you make—it requires wisdom and intentionality. Depending on your background and experience, some ventures will stretch your faith more than others. When I stepped into the model and talent agency space, it was a bigger gamble than when I launched my tax and accounting firm. But hey, with both businesses, I poured my heart and soul into them and pursued my purpose with everything I had. That’s just how I roll!

THE 4-1-1 ON RISKS

Let’s talk risks. At its core, risk means the potential to take a hit or suffer a loss. It’s the possibility of your grind getting disrupted, your goals getting blocked, or your cash flow acting funny. In biblicalpreneurship, risk shows up in anything that threatens your progress, shakes your confidence, or makes you wanna holla, throw up both your hands, and quit. The question is: can you handle it? Can you hold up under pressure? Oh, my bad—was I supposed to sugarcoat it? Risks don’t wait for your comfort to catch up—either you rise, or you retreat. You got it in you, Sis—rise to the occasion!

Let’s talk about personal risks. Everybody talks grind. Nobody talks about the toll it takes on you. It’s time to get straightforward about those personal risks folk seldom talk about in the hustle game related to YOU.

Your mental, physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual health are all on the line when you step into the hustle. These are the ones I promised we’d get into. It’s heavy, so are you ready? Then, let’s press in with eyes wide open, ears receptive to hear, hearts ready to receive, and hands ready to act.

Personal risks are the internal costs you take on when you pursue something bigger than yourself, and that includes biblicalpreneurship. Starting a business isn’t just a professional leap—it’s a personal one. It stretches you in ways you didn’t expect—testing your time, your patience, your relationships, your finances, and your health. This is a whole life reset—so unpack it thoroughly.

The pressure can be heavy, and if you’re not anchored in God, it’s easy to lose yourself in the hustle. As co-CEO of your life and business, your well-being is the backbone of your success. If you break down—mind, body, soul, or spirit—so does the business. Plain and simple: no YOU, no business.

"*****"

Sis, let's find a way to keep you going strong in the hustle game as you face the inevitable personal risks that comes with it. What you don't know can literally kill you—like it tried to kill me!

To read more about the top personal risk factors, how to mitigate them, and how I survived the launch of my first business, Brown Sugar & Spice Talent Management, click here to purchase your copy of the book "Her Hustle is Holy^TM: The Glow-Up Guide to Starting a Business—God's Way."