Lifestyle | August 10th, 2022

Good Things Come to Queens Who Hustle

By: Kya Cudjo

A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. Therefore, every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. Her dream is free, but the hustle is sold separately. Never forget how wildly capable women are. A study conducted by American Express found that 82.5% of women are solo entrepreneurs (compared to 69.8% of men).

According to career advice website WhatToBecome, who offers educational information and career advice, stated that “women entrepreneurs statistics show that 252 million entrepreneurs out of approximately 582 million in the world are female.” The website then stated that number is not even adding the 153 million women who have already been running businesses. It is nearly impossible to not see the hustle women have.

Kodak moments of the Thomas family and the Thomas babies.

Lauren Thomas, a Southwest Florida native and mom of three, is the definition of a woman who hustles. Thomas says her husband Walter Thomas, a disabled veteran, her twin boys, Paxton and Roman, and her baby girl Harplyn, are her reason why. When she is not making memories and traveling with her family, Thomas is hustling while co- owning two highly successful businesses; Twigs & Honey Picnics and Parties and The Elderberry Shop.

The word hustle means to work hard. It’s someone who does the little things other people won’t do, and does them with a sense of joy and purpose because they love it. When asked what her definition of hustling was, Thomas responded without hesitation, “to have the determination to succeed and to do whatever it takes to be successful.” Some people find themselves in a far different situation than those who are proactive and dedicated to their success daily. Those who are hustling ultimately get the results they desire.

Lauren Thomas’s co-owned businesses.

In hopes of making lifelong memories, Thomas sold their family home. Last summer, the family captured Kodak moments on a two and a half month road trip in their new independently renovated, adventurous motorhome.

SHE BELIEVED SHE COULD, SO SHE DID.

Thomas admitted, “No matter what, work is work and you’ll never love what you do every single day, but you need to enjoy it most of the time so that burn out doesn’t occur.” Every day she continues to put one foot in front of the other. Having a disabled husband, three children who are four and under, and maintaining multiple businesses is no easy task on its own. Things can get lost or overwhelming, but Thomas is one of the many women who hustle. She hustles to encourage her children, and show them how and why she hustles.

“Hustle, to me, doesn’t mean going non-stop but rather putting in your maximum effort no matter what the outcome is.” Thomas stated, “Failures come often, but those failures make me hustle even harder for future success!”

Thomas says everyday she strives to make the world be a better place for everyone, where everyone and everything can be who they want to be without criticism.

“I want to live in a world where my children can feel safe and nurtured. I’m constantly teaching my children to love and care deeply so that they can become beautiful contributing adults in their future life.”

Some women hustle unintentionally and the grind comes to them easy, some women hustle after what they want and spend all their time and energy on working harder than everybody else.

Dionne Hardnett’s business logo – Mink Mania, and Lash course Ad.

Dionne Hardnett, who is a mom, a wife and the CEO of a Lash Education and Supply Company, knows the true definition of hustling. Not only is Hardnett the CEO behind the company Mink Mania Lash Co, she also teaches other women to become successful lash artists in as little as 3 months.

Hardnett used to be a lash technician herself, before merging her talents and using them to better other women. While managing work and teaching, Hardnett also balances family time, while traveling for business in effort to expand her company nationally and internationally. Let’s just say Hardnett has mastered being in two places at once.

Hardnett says her definition of hustling is making a way out of no way, with no excuses. “As my operations manager would say, you gotta make it shake.” Hardnett says. “I believe the hustle is in you and not on you”.

Hardnett stated her three major keys to successfully hustle depends on “your mindset, having a strong will, and trying new things to receive different results.” Prioritizing your time and energy will impact the focus you need to succeed in your goals in life.

In her free time, Hardnett enjoys spending time with her husband, Jaurice Hayes and her son, Kaleb Hardnett. Hardnett says her son, Kaleb, is the reason she goes as hard as she does. “I want him to experience life the way I never did, and if I stop hustling, he may never have that opportunity,” said Hardnett.

Kellie Dunson and her two sons.

March 24, 2022, marks the one year anniversary of taking a big scary step into hustler Kellie Dunson’s dream job. Dunson is the Director of Development for Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity. Previously, she worked for 13 years as the administrator of a law firm. After Dunson’s two boys, Garrett and Colton, grew up and moved out, she became an empty nester. Dunson quit her job at the law firm and gave it all up for the opportunity to work at the habitat. Dunson explained “working at the habitat comes with all the same benefits, but I earn so much more in the ways I’m able to give back to my community.”

Dunson’s definition of hustling falls along the lines of “being kind, and staying humble”.

“As you climb the ladder of success, don’t forget that you are leading the future you. ” – Kellie Dunson

“Everyday’s a good day, even on the bad days.” said Dunson. Many struggle finding there why, as much as they do finding the time to prioritize their hustle. An article published to The Entrepreneur, provides 10 ways to “Hydrate your Hustle”:

1. Dedicate creative time.

2. Grow your network

3. Collaborate

4. Find inspiration everywhere

5. Listen to music

6. Read back stories

7. Have fun

8. Take a week off from everything

9. List your weekly accomplishments

10. Keep an idea notebook