And Another One. Another “No” That Is.

Rochelle Valsaint
Jul 23, 2017 · 3 min read

On this entrepreneurial journey I’m finally starting to accept that “no’s” are a pretty significant part of the path. Thankfully, I am, also, at the point when I take the “no’s” less personally. I no longer question my own value or the value of my business idea because I’m not accepted into the latest program/incubator (translated: validation). But in the age of the startup and in the hotbed of Atlanta, it can be easy get caught up in feeling that one should be playing on what seems like the largest playing field of the startup games just the way everyone else is.

Well, that doesn’t work for me. I accept that my path is different. So, how I play the game will have to be different. I’m 44. I’m a Black woman. I work full-time and can’t give that up unless and until the business replaces my income, benefits plus business expenses. I’m a co-parenting mom of a middle and high schooler. I’m a daughter responsible (in partnership with my sisters) for the watch and care of my post-stroke, aging mother. And, somewhere in all of that I’m a woman working to make sure my health, sanity and care are also on the list. That means I ain’t young, white, male, monied or single with connections, lots of time and only me to think about.

So, as important as it is for me to pursue my purpose — this business that I believe in and know is needed — it is as important for me to realize that I can not be looking at how people around me are doing their thing. So, when they are meeting up at the coworking space on Tuesday, grabbing drinks together on Wednesday, or seeing that speaker on Thursday, I’m writing and designing my weekly enewletter for clients or, emailing and texting in the car as I wait for the 13yo to finish karate lessons. Or, I’m up at 4:30am getting stuff done before work. Or, like right now, on this Sunday morning, I’m writing this before the kids start stirring.

Ultimately, I’m looking to the tortoise as my example of running the race, not necessarily the hare. I guess I’m really on my own path that’s been mine for every phase of my life. I was the first of my family to leave New Orleans and go off to Notre Dame to complete my college education. I not only left, New Orleans, but, then, when it was time to decide live after college, I decided I couldn’t start a life in my economically depressed hometown. So, Atlanta was the choice after a quick stop through Chicago. Then, I was a stay-at-home mom at a time when it was still a new thing to Black women. During that time, I started my first business, a marketing consultancy for entrepreneurs. I did pretty well with that while managing being an at-home mom and a daughter, at the time, with a mom who was battling breast cancer and a father who fought and lost a battle with colon cancer. And, I was also then, a wife, making the dinner and soccer momming.

So, I guess, I’ve always played the game differently. And this place and space calls for no different from me. And just like those times before, believe me, I plan to not only finish this race; but finish it successfully, and on my terms!

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Rochelle Valsaint is the founder of The eCollege Admissions Planner (eCAP). The creation of this startup is driven by her passion to increase the pipeline of Black students applying and being admitted to highly selective colleges and univerisities as well as empowering students to choose best fit schools for their college education. To learn more on her why, read here.

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Written by

eCollegeAdmissionsPlanner (eCAP) founder| ATLCollegeSigningDay Organizer| Coparent | #thiswomanswork | NOLA’s finest living in Atlanta.

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