Stage IV Cancer Survivor Urges Black Women Entrepreneurs To Develop A Self Care Routine Within Their Business

For the past several years, Black women have been dominating the world of entrepreneurship. We’ve seen SupaCent make $1 million dollars in 90 minutes, we’ve seen the amazing rise of Melissa Butler and The Lip Bar and Target, among many other amazing success stories, but at what cost?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Trusted Source Black women have a life expectancy that’s 3 years shorter on average than white women, and some of the root causes may be related to stress.

Full-time entrepreneur and publicist Lindsey Walker knows firsthand how stress can impact your mind, body and the success of your business. At the age of 27, she was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and endured 6 months of chemotherapy- through all of this, Lindsey continued to run her business. Now two years later, she is on a mission to share her journey with aspiring and current entrepreneurs.

As the author of “Thriving Through The Storm” and publicity powerhouse who has curated campaigns with over one million media impressions, landing clients in top tier outlets like The New York Times, Forbes and more, Lindsey provides tips on creating boundaries and the importance of self care as a entrepreneur.

Why do you think it’s important to set boundaries as an entrepreneur?

It’s important to set boundaries as an entrepreneur because you cannot allow anything- not your clients, staff, vendors, etc. to run your life.

Your boundaries are for you. To protect your peace and the success of your business.

Clients should not be calling all hours of the night and day. You need to put systems in place to honor yourself and your clients in addition to creating clarity and serenity for your mental health. So many women in business are ambitious, yet because they don’t have boundaries in place, they are often too burnt out to carry out their full vision and mission.

How do you self-care as an entrepreneur and what tips can you provide to other entrepreneurs?

As an entrepreneur, I am an advocate for self-care. I am in therapy at least 2x per month, I have recently hired a personal assistant, investing in meal prep services like HomeChef and Splendid Spoon. I also make sure that have downtime on my phone and in my schedule every night.

It’s important for entrepreneurs to develop a self-care routine that fits the overall core values of their business and life. Think about what will make your life easier. Where are the gaps in your schedule? What can you do to ensure those gaps are filled?
Start there and begin to curate your self-care journey.What are some ways entrepreneurs can create balance?I think balance is something that we are all striving for and it is not a one size fits all process. The one thing to keep in mind as you are creating your routine and schedule as an entrepreneur is: YOU.

So often we think of other people, our clients, customers, team and what they need and by the end of it, we are burnt out because we didn’t leave space for ourselves. I now reverse engineer all of that. I think about what’s required of me with every task and how I need to think, feel and be positioned to handle it.

Think about what you need AFTER your workday ends. How can you staff your life to make things easier at home in a way that will help you thrive in your business?

Do you need to get a meal prep service like Home Chef? Do you need to get a personal trainer? Create the space that will increase your capacity for the various roles of your life.

After being diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and enduring 6 months of chemotherapy- How did life change for you as an entrepreneur? Life definitely changed for me as an entrepreneur. I was unable to work as I typically did. I truly learned the importance of having a team and systems for my business. I learned to say no and that was powerful for me. Every client isn’t your client and unfortunately for me, I didn’t grasp that concept until it was too late.

Having to endure 6 months of chemotherapy changed the way that I worked as an entrepreneur. I couldn’t push my body past its limit. I worked when I could and rested when I knew I needed it.
That experience taught me to say goodbye to the rat race and feeling like I had to grind and go hard every single day. It changed the way I lead, execute and implement. I learned that while money is important, it means nothing if I’m not healthy and whole.

What inspired “Thriving Through the Storm”?

I wanted to share my journey with those who might be facing their own storms and challenges. I wrote “Thriving Through The Storm” for the thriver inside of all of us! Maybe facing a cancer diagnosis isn’t your story, I get it! We all have our own storms and life can hit hard, if you let it. Thriving Through The Storm is a guide for women who have had to endure struggles that seem unbearable, but as you flip through the pages of this book, you’ll realize that you have the strength to overcome anything that comes your way.

What do you desire for readers to take away when they read it?

Thriving Through the Storm is a personal, yet practical how-to that delivers the remedy for surviving life’s lowest moments.

What’s next for you?

We are working on some amazing projects with our clients and focusing on speaking engagements and brand partnerships. I am excited to continue to expand my business, grow my team and continue to serve my clients in excellence.

Visit website at www.walkerassocmediagroup.com and follow on Instagram @lindseyawalker