How did I Continue

Team, when I first started Sheila's, I expected immediate and unmatched sales and growth; the reality was far different, though. I was a huge flop. The day I launched my website, I was so excited to add my link to my social media accounts, but I was instantly blocked, and it took me over a year to figure out why and how to correct the situation. Team, from that moment on, everything seemed to go against me. I would go months without a single sale. The only people who bought anything from me were my sisters Shebbra, Martina, and Shenae. I don't know if they were buying out of their liking of the products or their love for me; either way, they provided me with hope in my darkest moments. Team, I compounded my lack of sales with overbuying. I overused my credit cards and savings to buy things that weren't even selling, which put me in debt with no real signs that my store would be a success. I would often sit and cry at my situation. I went from an 800 credit score to the low 500s in under a year, I went from not caring about the cost of anything because I was completely debt-free to penny-pinching at the store. Team, I'm telling you guys all of this to say that none of those dark times derailed me for long. After I'd have my cry, I'd sit down and rethink my approach. I also began to understand that the expectations and overbuying were mistakes, but the mistakes were also statements of my belief in what I was doing and my belief in my inevitable come-up. Team, sometimes believing in oneself comes with lofty aspirations and huge mistakes. Team At my lowest, I still felt the overpowering allure of belief. I believed so much that I decided to link my store to my biggest cause: the eradication of hunger, as I truly believe that no one should ever go hungry. I did that, and that one thing would unknowingly give me the strength and determination that I needed to keep going. Team, it added more purpose to my journey. So, I kept going, and although things are better, it's still an uphill fight—a fight that I embrace because it's bigger than myself. Team this is for my mom legacy, the hungry, and for those who are battling cancer. Team, come be a part of my journey, come be a difference maker with me. Come shop with me, okay? Good. One more thing before I go, Team it's okay to have expectations of people when you're first beginning something because it gives you hope, but it's not okay to resent people when hey fall short of those expectations because ultimaty its on you and not them to see your project through to success. Okay?