Ka-Wana Jefferson, an entrepreneur who runs multiple businesses in Brooklyn and the metropolitan area, gathered a panel of her fellow business owners on March 26 to teach other female leaders how to build a successful business.
Jefferson juggles three shops including seafood restaurant Sweet Catch in Flatbush, Sweet Brooklyn Bar and Grill in Crown Heights, and Lost Borough Ice Cream in Yonkers. With years of entrepreneurship under her belt, she felt one of the best ways to celebrate Women’s History Month would be teaching other ladies how to become leaders in the business industry and create legacies of their own.
“I’ve always been a hustler, like always working,” she said.
To women who are just stepping into the world of running a small business, she offers the simple advice of “Just do it.”
“It may sound cliche but it’s really just do it. I procrastinated for years out of fear of the unknown. Once you get going and get started, it’s kind of like a snowball effect. Rely on your network [and] your community resources.”
Other featured panelists were Alicia Brown, a high-profile business consultant, Tracey Henry, a public relations professional and Ciara Moore, a beauty industry guru.
The ladies shared their personal experiences being their own boss and gave attendees advice on how to come up in a male-dominated industry.
“It’s challenging,” Jefferson said. “It really requires you to prioritize and time management is really important. You can’t be afraid to ask for help. There’s no way I’d be able to do it myself. It takes a village when you’re running a business. It takes a strong team.”
When the days get long, the women encouraged the crowd to remember why they started as “passion keeps you successful.”
