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Every person’s entrepreneurship journey is not a walk in the park; for most of us, it is a leap of faith and requires a sacrifice or two, or 10. Some entrepreneurial journeys take time and processes before a person is even able to begin building their business. I’m talking about leaving a job that you’ve been in for many years, telling your partner, children and family that you are quitting a job to build a business, sometimes with nothing to go on but an idea. And let’s be honest, people will look at you and say, “Are you out of your mind?”

The answer is no. You are not out of your mind for wanting more than a nine-to-five, living paycheck to paycheck, working for someone else and struggling to establish a financial future that will not only serve you but that will also provide generational wealth. Not even in a global crisis. In fact, I believe that crisis can be the perfect time to make the jump and establish your business and even make profit.

Back in January when the news of the coronavirus (aka COVID-19) began to spread, I noticed that my business started picking up significantly. I realized that I had to do something major to take care of not just my family, but my clients as well. With the implementation of #SocialDistancing, I knew it was important to churn out more product and in a short period of time. How could I do it? Consistency.

I had to be consistent with marketing and promotion of the products and their success. This meant setting sales goals, working longer hours, being relentless about what I want and what I am capable of, and being diligent with social media. All I knew was if Madam CJ Walker could do it with her business at the time of the Spanish Flu, I could do it today.

The world right now is experiencing something unprecedented. It is not just the health pandemic that is such a hard reality to face, but it is the magnitude of its impact that really has everyone devastated. COVID-19 has brought on so much loss and tragedy, and it is hard to be optimistic at times, especially as a budding entrepreneur, when businesses are being forced to close their doors. Let me first say, for anyone who is frustrated by this pandemic, your feelings are valid. Everyone has a right to say “I am not OK, right now” without being judged or targeted. We are grieving, we are transitioning, we are recovering and it takes time.

There is a lot to consider and adapt to that we are not used to having to think about in such a pressed time frame. I, as a mother of six, had my children to think about: making sure they are well, safe and continuously provided for them, ensuring they are not forced to become a statistic of a circumstance that is beyond their control. I knew that things were going to change soon, with all the widespread news surrounding COVID-19, and I needed to prepare. So I set a goal to make $1 million dollars in 100 days, and I did it! And you know what? If you set a goal — no matter how big — you can do it, too.

For some of the world, trying to grow a business in a pandemic is too much, and that is OK. No one is required to come out of this with a new income, more business, more clients or a new “dream.” If you are like myself, and are interested in propelling your business and creating a plan of action to help avoid the financial impact of this crisis, the attitude of determination is one of the things that will keep you going.

I, as a cosmetology professional, knew how the shutdown could affect my industry, where essential workers are being determined by local governments and what may seem necessary to some may not be necessary for others. There are dozens of posts on social media either coercing people to be productive or shaming them for it, when truthfully the best advice is to allow people to do what works for them.

What worked for me was deciding that I wanted to defy the crisis in a sense; I decided that I wanted my company to blossom rather than crumble under pressure. So I set a goal, wrote out my vision and got to work!

Here’s the thing: I am no stranger to struggle, hard work and making something out of virtually nothing. I grew up in foster care and have experienced homelessness, living in shelters with a small child. I decided to go into business for myself, creating a hair care line, Arcani Coil Care, in 2017. Although many have told me this was far-fetched and would be too difficult to accomplish, I knew that I was destined to build this business and give back to my community.

My products include vegan-based temporary hair colors, a men's beard care kit, children's curl mousse, edge control products, leave-in conditioners, lock cream and more. It was not a simple journey but I was committed. Commitment generated results and those results drove me to set bigger goals. Not only making sure my children and family were OK, but also my employee and their families had job security during this pandemic.

Jerricha Hoskins

Writing since February 2022 · 1 story contributed