Written by Dr. Maxine Wilson
What inspired you to develop your brand?
The vision of birthing a brand such as The BeyondWoman is greater than I am. Before me, there was a plan. I often return to two verses in the bible that speaks to how I feel, ” I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations”.
Jeremiah 1:5 NLT.
…Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! Ephesians 2:10.
We all have something to do on this earth and something significant to do for someone else, even if we do not attribute significance to it. And so, as you read these two verses, you can appreciate what I said earlier that TheBeyondWoman is of greater significance than I am. My inspiration came in 1997 while reading Essence Magazine, which represents our black community and showcases all that we have achieved and are capable of achieving. So, as I became engrossed in the magazine pages, I would imagine myself owning a magazine that would do the same. That is where my dream started. I envisioned creating a space that would be the voice for the woman who needed a voice, allowing women to be their authentic selves by sharing their stories and impacting other women.
Women need to see themselves and their potential through each other. Hopefully, the TheBeyondWoman platform is the needed catalyst for any woman who must stand up, own her space, and be great; it was a need that I had, so it started with me.
Looking back on all we have accomplished now that we are at issue 12, I believe it is paramount to share the lessons from founding TheBeyondWoman, the process from my dream to the present.
And they are—
1. Mindset – Women must understand that whatever we think about, we can bring about once it aligns with God’s will for our lives.
2. We need to know our purpose and walk in OUR purpose, not walk in another ‘woman’s purpose; that is a waste of our time and resources. It is also us denying what God has for us.
3. There is no crystal ball or methodology to do something that starts as an idea, you may need to restart many times, and it is okay because great things take time.
4. Do not focus on the ‘bag’, instead focus on crafting a good thing—a good product/service. Once you perfect that product or service, the ‘bag’ will come to you effortlessly. Rome was not built overnight, and you know the story of Joseph and the many things he had to go through to become the leader he was.
5. We have many traits and habits that need a rehaul, redefinition, and getting to a stage of excellence for success to be ours. We must yield to the process, work on ourselves and our brand, and bring it to distinction. Put in the work, and you will get the reward.
6. Know that in crafting and implementing your idea, you will get “manna” to sustain you, be grateful for the manna as you go through. Treat it like gold.
What was the birthing process?
The birthing process was not a challenging one for me, but the birthing taught me many things. I often am amused at our capacity to complicate our lives and our process when we rush into something without really seeking God’s will. Throughout this feature, I will talk about God because I have an uncompromising reverence for His power and Might. I accept that nothing I do will make sense without His leading and input. He is my efficiency and my sufficiency. So, yes, the birthing process was not a challenging one. I was in alignment with my purpose and after 20 years, it was the right time. The way it all came together effortlessly is a testimony to the timing being right. The right people, the advice, and the sponsorship all came at the exact time that I needed them. Although I received sponsorship from stakeholders, I still had to invest a good chunk of personal funds initially, which is usually the case when starting a business. The start-up capital is a must.
Funding my vision
I alluded to securing sponsorship at the onset of founding TheBeyondWoman, which is a challenge today as the world continues to go through a difficult period. We have had to respond to the difficulty by changing how we do business. We usually print magazines but had to discontinue in 2020 when we began to experience the pandemic, but, the brand is continually supported through business features, author features along with advertisements by women in business. I want our women to understand that funding our vision is not a one-time deal, it is a consistent process, and during the process, funds must be allocated consistently as a backup. Businesses are given five years to break even and begin to make a profit, keep this in mind. Stay focused, reinvest in your business, and look towards expansion through opportunities that complement your business line; there is no time before the five years that life must get extravagant, during this period, focus on remaining viable through relevancy to your customers, and all will be well.
Quality output
I often share that when we published our first issue, many people thought we were experts because of the quality of the output (the magazine) but little did they know we were amateurs. I can only say that when you strategically partner with God, the result has to be excellent, and we have built on that excellence ever since, and we are still going. The quality and presentation of our product and all that we do are important to us, and we do a lot with very little. Obtaining corporate sponsorship at the level we need was and is a challenge, but we stay committed until we get over that hurdle.
Differentiating the Brand
The BeyondWoman is differentiated by the fact that we are not an entertainment magazine. If that is what you are looking for, then, unfortunately, you are in the wrong place. We have something more impactful, so come on over and sit with us. TheBeyondWoman’s mission is focused on building our self-esteem, accepting our flaws and limitations, loving ourselves, learning to put ourselves in “life’s equation”, and educating ourselves to help us grow and create and take up space. We are a platform founded by a woman for women. We understand the nuances of women, and we are focused on creating a space that takes that into account while facilitating growth opportunities for women.
While other magazines may focus on a bit of everything that speaks to the trends and happenings of what the world demands; our platform and magazine go on what I like to call ‘deep diving’ into what counts—our feelings, our emotions, and our desire to be of significance to ourselves and our community.
Alignment of our Brand with our vision/purpose while maintaining credibility.
Recently I have been feeling off and a bit misaligned. I could not put my finger on the pulse of what was taking place in my mind. So, I went quiet which brought me back to square one—when we just started and our hope for the brand. I realized we had strayed a bit from the foundation, I will readily admit that when you are trying to grow and build and position yourself as a business and as a brand, the daily influences can take us off course. We are not programmed machines, so we may internalize some of the influences. However, we must have a solid connection to our core, as past cover woman Dr. Karren Dunkley enunciated, our core never changes she says. Our actions are influenced by our core—who we are, our principles, our moral compass, our beliefs, emotional intelligence, etc. Once we are aware of what makes us who we are, and we stray, we will know.
With the knowledge, we can redirect to focus and foundation and the why. My why is the way, along with my submission to the will of God that allows me to stay aligned with my brand vision. I am not afraid to say no if something does not fuse with my brand’s vision because I have a strong ‘why’ and a rooted purpose. There is no compromise. The decisions we make today influence our tomorrow, so I must be careful to uncompromisingly stick to the foundation of TheBeyondWoman. I take counsel from individuals, and I have some great women alongside me, I certainly could not do it alone, and with my partners supporting the vision, I stay on track while growing the brand. I also believe that while our platform is not a huge one yet, our name is known. Once someone researches us while trying to figure out if they should align themselves with us, it is usually a big Yes. The ones who say no, we take it as, not yet, or they are not intended for us, and we are okay with that.
Changing Priorities
We started with what I considered our flagship product, our magazine. We are now in the process of launching a full-scale business support for women in business, still in its infancy, but we expect to launch this platform in the last half of this year and then grow this part of our platform. There are many aspects to our platform that we want to solidify, but we must tackle one thing at a time.
Ultimately, we hope to grow our brand wholesomely to be used as a resource hub for everything women. Even with our priority shifting from the magazine, you will realize that the theme and vision of the platform remain the same. TheBeyondWoman is a safe and authentic space that inspires and allows women to flourish. Our community allows high-achieving women to redefine what personal success is to them by them pursuing self-love and radical self-care while building authentic connections.
Would I have done anything differently?
Honestly, I would have started praying for wisdom earlier, so I would know what I am just finding out. In the same breath, I would not want a do-over of anything. I believe we all have a specific journey. Everything I have experienced in the way I have experienced them was just for me. My experiences, even the unpleasant ones have shaped me into who I am today. Perhaps if I had a do-over, I would not have learned some of the lessons I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR TODAY. I would not have met some of the fantastic people that I now have in my life. I would not have been able to impact the lives that I have. I am grateful for the roads I have traveled.
What advice would you give to someone trying to start a new venture?
I would recommend these Five things I shared in another interview.
1. We must have the skin of an elephant which I am assuming is tough. It is not an easy road to decide to start a company. I remember sharing my vision of what I am currently doing with another woman, and she immediately sized it up as a pet project. If I did not have the skin of an elephant, I perhaps would have taken her response and internalized it. Then I would not be here today, living and unimaginably experiencing life, filled with joy and knowing that I am building a legacy.
2. Surround yourself with the right people. There are many days when I feel overwhelmed and realize how big and significant all that I do is. Then sometimes, admittedly, I do get scared, and then I get the call I need from a team member who brings me back on track.
3. You must see the vision before anyone else does. The overarching reason for my success to date and for becoming a sought-after platform for featuring women is that I believe in the brand and the purpose and intent behind it. When we stay true to meaning and purpose, success will come.
4. The ability to recognize opportunities and capitalize on them. We started as a magazine but have seen far more possibilities for creating impact through a full-service platform, and so we have moved into other areas that now contribute to the total woman. We provide business support for women; we are getting set to launch personal and self-care offerings. We have a podcast platform, we host conferences, and more, catering to the total woman. There is no limit to the impact we can create when we capitalize on opportunities and incorporate them into the vision and mission of the company.
5. Take care of yourself. When I get overwhelmed, I find that there is little I can do, so I have set boundaries that allow me to take care of myself first, then I can be so much more for others.
Do you believe there is a pattern or formula to becoming successful?
The first question a woman needs to answer for herself is—what does success mean to me? Each woman needs to know that the definition of success to one woman will differ from another, but ultimately to be successful, you must know what it is for you. If you do not define success for yourself, someone else will define it for you, or you may forever be measuring yourself against another ‘person’s success.
This world that we live in, created by God, was created with layers and dimensions, so everyone has a specific thing to do. We have different giftings and capabilities, so your capacity will be greater or lesser than another person’s. What would happen if you felt that success was being able to go to the moon, but you are so scared of the thought of the length of time it takes to get there? You never get to that opportunity because it is just not for you, you then become disenchanted and decide that you are not a success when you just were not given the capacity to travel to the moon.
Your success lies in understanding your capacity and ensuring that you maximize that capacity in the best way possible. Success comes to the person who has discovered what motivates them every day and then does just that.
Other aspects of success point to specific characteristics owned by all of us that spell success for each of us who manage to master them.
Characteristics that include
- The ability to be flexible
- Resilience
- Oneness of mind,
- The ability to be a visionary and not one who plays by the books.
- If you love the comfort zone, that is not success but mediocrity.
Another essential quality is the ability to love ‘one’s own space. I think we do not talk a lot about the loneliness of the success journey when you decide to become someone new. Well, let me not say new, but when you can walk a path that may require you to be alone, a path where you say no to everything and everyone that may be holding you back when you decide to be different. That usually comes with saying goodbye to the familiar and opening yourself to better and more significant opportunities. That can be quite lonesome.
