By Jennifer L. Steele, Professor of Education, American University
A successful business is built on a strong foundation, not on financial instability. We live in a society that often glorifies the “all or nothing” entrepreneurial mindset. The backlash also exposed another layer of the online world: Our tendency to put people on a pedestal and tear them down when they no longer fit our narrative.
Another user said, “Literally my little circle just said she’s getting the ‘crossover treatment’ where she no longer gets to be one of us and now has to be one of them.” This is the unfortunate reality for many who achieve mainstream success. We love them when they’re “relatable” and struggling, but the moment they succeed, they become “the villain in their story.”
This is a cautionary tale, a tough-love warning to those running their businesses into the ground because they lack a solid financial structure. It’s a reminder that a well-paved road is a lot easier to travel on than one full of potholes and roadblocks. She was trying to warn people of the latter.
“Entrepreneurship is not for everybody. It doesn’t mean it’s not for you…These last few months, few years…it ain’t been working for you,” she said in a video. “You [are] doing a lot of robbing Peter to pay Paul…And it’s time for you to get a job.”
The internet’s response was swift and sharp. Many saw her message as tone-deaf, given the current economic climate. Between unexpected lay-offs and companies replacing people with AI, reports show that the number of unemployed individuals has surpassed the number of job openings, creating a tough job market. Additionally, studies have shown that Black workers, especially Black women, have faced the most job losses, contributing to the climbing Black unemployment rate under Trump.
One user on Thread said, “She’s not doing herself any favors by constantly speaking on things that she is removed from… saying it when it’s being widely circulated how more than 300k Black women lost their jobs this year, was just tacky.” The critique was not that the message itself was entirely wrong, but that the timing was off—a punchline delivered to a grieving audience.
As for me, I didn’t take anything to heart in Tabitha’s video. Her message resonated with a part of my own story, a time when my professional career felt like a tightrope walk without a net. Earlier in my career, I found myself in job-hunting limbo. My goal of locking down a full-time reporter position was on pause, so I embraced the world of freelance reporting while building a side business as an event emcee.
Then, I was able to do two of my favorite things at the same time while working on finding something more “stable.” I wasn’t ready to completely jump into the deep end of entrepreneurship because I knew my skills as a journalist would make me a better storyteller and, in turn, a better emcee.
While building my brand, I had to pay my bills and pick up part-time work. I was doing a lot in the earlier stages. It was a frustrating period. But looking back, it was the most necessary part of my journey. It taught me the power of a solid foundation and the importance of having patience and discipline to weather the storm. Although I’m not in full-time entrepreneurship, Tabitha’s advice still stands.
Also, Tabitha didn’t speak from a place where she didn’t have experience. A little over a decade ago, she was making ends meet as an Uber driver, a 9-to-5-and-a-half in its own right. It wasn’t until a heartfelt review of a Whole Foods vegan BLT went viral that her career trajectory changed.
Her success didn’t happen overnight or in a vacuum; it was a result of years of grinding, of doing what was necessary to survive while her dreams slowly started to take flight. This is the perspective she’s speaking from, a place of wisdom, not privilege.
Some folks online agree. One user commented, “As someone who has started two businesses and quit my jobs both times and almost lost everything in the process of ‘pursuing my dream,’ she said nothing wrong! It’s unrealistic to think that you’re going to replace your income quickly when trying to build your business.”
Photo by Tim Mossholder: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-closed-signage-942304/
