I am Stephanie Evans and this is Diaries of a Modern Trailblazer. Take note of the journey and be inspired to forge your own amazing path.

Let's take a moment together, right now, to delve into the depths of our own experiences. I want you to pause and reflect on one of the most challenging accomplishments you've ever achieved in your life.

It might have been a personal goal, a professional milestone, or a significant life event, Whatever it was, remember it didn't happen overnight. It wasn't handed to you on a silver platter. No, it required something much more profound. It required dedication and commitment.

Think about the countless hours you poured into that endeavor, the sacrifices you made, and the obstacles you overcame. It wasn't easy, was it? But through sheer determination and persistence, you made it happen. You showed up for yourself, day after day, even when the journey seemed unrealistic.

There's this beautiful African proverb, my favorite, it's A Tanzanian proverb that says, Little by little, a little becomes a lot, and it resonates with me so deeply. Those words are essentially the essence of commitment. The idea that consistent effort, no matter how small, eventually yields to substantial results.

So, I read a quote that stated, motivation will follow commitment. Think about that for a moment. Motivation is not the prerequisite for action. It's the reward for commitment. And for me, this has been instrumental in building Pamoja.

What started off as a thought that became a sketch that led to an exploration of how do I bring this bag to life? How do I create something different in this highly established market of leather goods? To move forward with this, it took a lot of courage and has certainly taken a lot of patience, with one of the bags that I'll be launching in August being something I've been working on since 2016!

Despite the setbacks and delays, I remain committed to bringing this vision to life. As I sit here recording this episode at my home, I'm surrounded by my prototypes, my samples. I'm looking at four of them right now and it's Inspiring. I'm reminded of what's possible.

I've faced challenges, I've faced setbacks, and I certainly have moments of doubt. But my commitment is there, and it's what keeps me going. Even when that road ahead seems daunting, let's be real, it's not easy. It's a lot easier said than done. Showing up day in and day out requires that grit. and resilience.

And it's hard. Even recording this podcast, pouring my heart out to you, it's a challenge. And I know I've said that before, but I refuse to give up. I refuse to let fear or doubt dictate my actions, because I know anything is possible when we commit ourselves wholeheartedly. As long as you continue to show up, God will make the provision for the vision.

Now, let's draw inspiration from someone who embodies the spirit of commitment. I want to talk about Beyonce Knowles Carter. She is a powerhouse of talent and determination, continuously pushing the boundaries of her craft. In a recent post, she shared insights into her creative process before rolling out her latest album, Cowboy Carter Part 2, which you should definitely tune in to, it was released today as I'm recording on the Friday, March 29th, and definitely, definitely a good one.

She reminds us of the importance of staying true to ourselves and our vision. And I'm going to read some excerpts from that post.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the supporters of Texas Hold'em and 16 Carriages. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist's race as it relates to releasing genres of music will be irrelevant.

This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed, and it was very clear that I wasn't. But because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels so good to see how music can unite so many people around the world while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.

The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre, forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act 2 is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."

As someone from Texas who's grown up watching Destiny's Child at the rodeo, seeing Beyonce, bloom into this amazing artist. It is so inspiring to watch her to continue to reach new heights and continue to challenge the status quo in an entire music industry. And I look at her and I'm like, why can't I do something like that?

You know? I don't know about you, but I'm all about channeling Beyoncé energy. Period.

Shifting gears, as I prepare to launch Pamoja's first collection, which I am so, so, so, so excited about, in August, I'm taking a moment to pause and regroup, wrapping up this first season of the Diaries of a Modern Trailblazer podcast. But, don't worry, I'll be back in July. There's a lot of key milestones to support the successful launch of Pamoja's first collection that again, will be launching in August, from building out the online experience, to accepting pre orders, to fine tuning the customer experience.

Getting all my specs together for the bags, the packaging, the list goes on and on, and I could talk about that for a long time, but I don't want to bore you. Um, anyway, there's a lot to do. So, I'm gonna shift focus there, uh, just being realistic with my time and capacity and yeah, there's a lot to do. But I'm excited.

I'm really, really excited for it. I'm energized. And most importantly, I'm committed.

So, let's embrace the journey ahead with open hearts and unwavering commitment. Remember, Motivation will follow commitment. So let's take that first step and be open to the endless possibilities.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, and I cannot wait to see where it takes us.

And that's a wrap. So own it and make moves. One day, I want to share your journey on this podcast.