After spending the long days of summer with my youngest two children, we are all preparing for the new school year and the beginning of a new chapter in my life – full-time DIVApreneurship! This is something I have been working towards for years now and I am thankful for the opportunity to dedicate myself completely to building my business and, most importantly, being more available for my family.

DIVApreneurship: Just What Is It?

One resounding question from family and friends when they learn of this journey is “What exactly do you do?”. First, I have to explain my definition of being a divapreneur

Definition of a DIVA: a woman who is driven, inspiring, victorious and called to action in her personal and professional life

Definition of an entrepreneur: a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.

Put those two together and you have a phenomenal #DIVApreneur:

A DIVA who organizes and operates her business (full or part-time) while collaborating with and sowing into her personal and professional circles to inspire others to be the best they can be in all areas of their lives.

(Psst! There’s a shirt for that – our #Divapreneur tees  are available through The Divatude Collection)

They get that, but at the end of the day definitions won’t pay the bills or provide financial security for my family. In the coming weeks and months, I will be sharing just how I am doing just that and give insight on what works, doesn’t work and lessons I am learning along the way. As part of my divapreneur journey, I will be sharing the good, the bad and the ugly. My intent is to be as transparent as possible to encourage, motivate and inspire others that may be on this path or contemplating it. This includes my income goals and how I am meeting them.

Preparing For Full-Time Divapreneurship

When reality hits that you are totally responsible for your livelihood and that of your family’s, so many different negative, numbing emotions may try to creep in. Also, my youngest two children have been home with me this summer and carving out work-time has not always been easy. (However hugs, kisses and proclamations that I’m “The Best Mommy Ever” have done wonders for my ego!) Think of them as those co-workers that are always encouraging you to slack off, leave early or just ride the clock doing absolutely nothing. Below are a few things that have helped me in preparing for full-time divapreneurship:

• During this transition having a positive and uplifting support system makes a difference! I’m blessed to have a circle of DIVAs that not only support me, but ask those pertinent questions to ensure I’m really okay and not bottling in too much stress. I’m not only referring to friends, but having business professionals you can work with, coaches, mastermind groups, and accountability partners are all part of your support system and plan for success.

• Self-care is so important! Taking time out for myself has always been high on my list of priorities and during this season I have been very mindful that I carve out that time on a regular basis.

• Having S.M.A.R.T. goals and a well-laid out action plan makes a world of difference.

• Pre-planning for your jump into full-time entrepreneurship and having a safety net is a must. I understand that sometimes unexpected circumstances may lead us to working for ourselves full-time. This is why it is so important to establish an emergency fund and have some type of savings in place as a cushion at all times.

The photo below is my screen saver on all my electronic devices – it’s a regular reminder that I am one awesome DIVA and I can and will be successful with the plans laid out for my business. Keeping visual reminders around you, also, is a great way to give positive and uplifting boosts to your mind, spirit and ego.

I encourage you to follow along with this journey using the hashtag #First90Days on social media – you can share your experiences, ask questions and send all the warm fuzzies and words of encouragement you want! Each first Monday of the month, I will be posting a recap of the previous month and giving my insight and lessons learned.