President Barack Obama declared November as National Entrepreneurship Month in 2012. As an Independent Consultant, Publicist, Talent and Business Manager, Shanice Love of Loyalty Enterprise, LLC "provides an array of services to independent artist, film makers and entrepreneurs in the LGBTQ community." As an entreprenuer supporting other entrepreneurs, Love believes that "inspiration is more valuable than motivation." She says, "When someone is inspired they have the will to move forward even when they don't think that they can."
Love knows about the importance of moving forward oh too well. She is transparent about her mental health and turns her battle with depression into a polar of service towards others and a message that one can be successful, even when living with mental illness. She's known to many and embodies the name, First Lady Truth, well.
Love's story is an inspiration to other Entrepreneurs in a number of other ways as well:
1. Her parents both migrated to America from Haiti before she was born. She saw first hand what it was like for immigrants in this country and today, she represents her culture in all that she does. She says, "I show women from across the globe just how powerful your culture can be and how embracing that culture can be a receipt for success."
2. She is a single mother of a vibrant eight-year-old son. "Successfully running a business while being a single mother is extremely difficult," she says. She continues, "There are times you feel terrible because you missed out on a milestone in your child's life because you just couldn't miss that deadline. The truth is all that you do is for your children and as long as you hold on to that it will all be worth it in the end. I represent your everyday mompreteneur."
3. Being an active member of the LGBTQ community, Love is often told that she has three strikes against her. She says, "I am an African American woman with a Caribbean background that happens to love women. There have been times when all of those things have been used against me or thrown at me as an insult. I live in my truth every day and inspire those around me to do the same."
4. Love's organization supports several causes; it is "the body positive movement" that she holds dear to her heart. She says, "I know what it feels like to feel ugly and not like what you see in the mirror. For the longest time I refused to look in the mirror and every now and then I'll have a moment of self doubt but the truth is my soul shines through in all that I do. It is my hope that women of all shapes and sizes embraces every inch of them. Be fierce noodles!" 5. Her firm represents women in the music and film industry. She says, "I truly believe that we do not get the recognition that we deserve for all that we do as oppose to our male counterparts. I choose to represent women because I fight to make their dreams come true. I choose to be their voice and I don't stop until they're heard."
With power comes responsibility. While we celebrate the work of Entrepreneurs nationally, Love challenges Women For The Culture to use our positions as Entrepreneurs to "Be Your Sister's Keeper," and to do so by following these six important steps:
1. Crown Other Women Each Chance y
You Get
2. Collaborate Instead of Competing
3. Compliment Each Other
4. Pay It Forward
5. Mentor Our Youth
6. Take Your Social Responsibilities Seriously
For more information on First Lady Truth, visit LoyaltyEnterprise on Facebook, FirstLadyTruth on Instagram or loyaltyenterprise.org.