Where do we begin? This year’s Sistahs in Business Expo ATL was nothing short of amazing; the love, the fellowship, the sisterhood. It was an experience you had to be there to feel.
From Bundles to Bantu knots they came in full force and represented a culture we are glad to be a part of. The support was inviting. As we traveled from table to table speaking with the vendors just to ask a few questions, we gathered from each “sistah” that they felt accepted, they felt support, they felt like they were amongst family.
To walk into a room and see women that looked like each other going for their dreams was rewarding. This was nothing but pure motivation. As a WOC this is what representation means. To see women going hard showed us we better not give up because it will happen. Respected celebrities made their way in to let us know that the beginning is just that THE BEGINNING!!
Is it hard? Are there long hours? Will there be times you feel like giving up? To answer those questions, YES! Once you reach that point the only place to go is UP from there! The message to us all was plain and simple right in front of our faces. NEVER GIVE UP!
As Bevy Smith came in to drop some jewels about being an entrepreneur, we could do nothing but soak up knowledge. It was gem after gem. Just when you didn’t think you could get any more then comes YandySmith- Harris with a pair of shoes we just had to get a picture of. Her story a little like some of our own let us know it’s possible and to continue striving it will happen. It’s a mindset and you cannot let negativity get in the way of what you want. We were all so full after seeing and hearing from those ladies; we didn’t know how we were going to make room to take in the strength of Miss Quad Webb.
Full is an understatement those ladies served up so many dishes the people were floored. Each of these women look like us. There were so many ladies in the building who dropped so many jewels and for that, we could all appreciate being in their presence.
We took cards from each of the vendors tables because you never know who the next Bev is, the next Quad, the next Yandy. You just never know, and to have a piece of their start would be remarkable. We can say we met her when or we saw her when. We are rooting for all of them. We cannot wait for next year’s SIBExpo so we can see old and new faces along with familiar faces.
We need to get as much knowledge as we possibly can. Never stop learning. You can learn from anybody no matter what level they are at in life. The SIBExpo is one of a kind and we were honored to be in the midst of it all. This event was running like a well-oiled machine. It didn’t miss a beat. It went on without a hitch. From SIBEXPO founder and CEO, Mrs. Aisha Taylor Isaah, to Brittany Miller and Helen Bohanna of Brittany Miller Brand; they made sure a beat wasn’t skipped. Watching in awe is all anyone could do.
We met ladies who embodied the words strength, courage, and wisdom. You could just sit and listen to their stories all day. The vibe was something anyone could get use to and as we just kept seeing melanin enter the room; one, after the other, after the other. This is home, this is peace, this is love, this is something we enjoyed being a part of.
It was good to see us in a POSITIVE light. We all love leaving an event feeling inspired and that’s exactly how we left. We left inspired and we aspire to one day be able to say we knew some of these ladies in their beginning. Guests, host, so forth and so on, also left with a little turnt up! DJ Kinakeen understood the assignment; she got us all bouncing our shoulders as we shopped, and we had the chance to “Wobble Baby, Wobble Yeah” out the door!
Until next time, continue to strive for greatness, continue to shine like no other, my sistahs, and continue to live laugh and love. See you next year at SIBEXPO ATL!