Today, I spent some time reflecting on the entrepreneurs' conference that I attended a couple of days ago and how impactful it was on my mindset as I gear up for the rest of the year. The event, hosted by Ramon Ray at the Fashion Institute of Technology's (FIT) Haft Center in Chelsea, was vibrant and full of energy, exactly what I needed as I prepare to network with intention. Meeting like-minded individuals was incredibly valuable.
The seamless onboarding set the tone for the day, and receiving a copy of Glenn Lundy's new book "The Legacy Titles: 12 Proven Principles to Scale Your Business 800%: A Parable for Success" was a pleasant surprise. Ramon Ray himself was a bundle of energy, welcoming everyone as if we'd known each other for years. The connections I made there, especially with Jamai Wrai (a youth mentor and S.E.L. educator) as well as Dr. Tanjie Brewer (a Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, Author & Fashionista) , were significant.
I also met an entrepreneur by the name of Deborah Clark, Creator of the Juneteenth Coin as well as another entrepreneur named
Santasha Wynter who created BoldRich Candles, a curated selection of hand-poured, virgin coconut soy-based candles. She even had samples of her candle on the back of a plastic-sealed business card, which I thought was very effective in selling her product.
The roundtable discussions, especially the one with Amilya Antonetti and Glenn Lundy that spoke about the importance of a positive mindset resonated with me deeply. I was also very inspired by Darrell Stinston’s authenticity message, which reminded me of the power of being true to oneself in business and at home.
Seth Godin’s keynote left a lasting impression, highlighting that the journey is just as important as the destination. His experiences from the dot-com era resonated with me and underscored the importance of adaptability in this fast-paced world. Really hearing his perspective on how the internet has changed but the lessons behind consistency and preparation are still more relevant than ever had me excited to know that there's still space for someone like me to make my mark within the world.
We then had lunch which was a great opportunity to dive deeper into conversations with other entrepreneurs, sharing challenges and opportunities as well as tips to look forward to. Returning back from the break, we immediately got right into a speech by Porshé Mysticque Steele's insights on becoming an author of a book as a means to establish authority encouraged me to consider my own.
At the end, Ramon gave away a few awards to the key speakers that came in today, as tokens of appreciation for all of the time spent building with each other, which was very admirable. Before we left, he gave us some incredible advice: he said that the entire program was planned from his idea utilizing as many favors that he could leverage, but some things he had to pony up and pay. One person I noticed that working overtime was Che Brown who was not only the official photographer of the event, but also a CEO & Speaker as well.
Ramon understood that there were certain people who chose not to show up and that was fine, but he was aware of what he was building for the future. He reminded us that against all of the odds that could be placed in front of him, seeing this through was the ultimate goal and that if he could do it, we could do it as well. That was an incredibly honorable and honest takeaway that he could've left us with and it was appreciated.
Looking ahead, I plan to put into practice the lessons learned at the conference. Building genuine connections and being open to new experiences are priorities as I continue to forge my path in the entrepreneurial world. Thanks to Ramon, I now am in my #ZoneOfGenius