Ronne Brown, Founder Of Girl CEO, On Why Failure Is The Best Source Of Wisdom And How To Reposition Your Faith

Imagine being a single mother of 2 in the middle of a crowded office crying your eyes out. You’re 8 months pregnant and down on your knees, begging to keep the only job you have. Now imagine being granted the opportunity to go back to your desk to finish your work, only to make it to the end of the day to be let go anyway. What do you do next? For Ronessa “Ronne” Brown, this was a deep burning question she’d been asking herself since her first pregnancy at the age of 16. With no formal education past high school and another child on the way, she’d been counted out for most of her life. But driving home after experiencing such a devastating loss, Brown made a promise to never be in that position again.

Make The Decision To Commit 

“I think every transformation starts with a decision. Once you make a decision and you’re committed to transformation, nothing can stop you,” explained Brown. “I made the decision that I was not going to be another statistic and that I was going to prove to everyone that just because you have children, you’re not a failure. Just because you’re a teen mom doesn’t mean you cannot become successful.” 

Selling whatever she could make in her own kitchen, Brown set up shop on Facebook. Starting with haircare products, then quickly expanding to candles, makeup, and any other lifestyle items she could produce herself, the young mother whom most others looked at as an abysmal statistic turned the tables to show how much of a life-changing figure she actually was. 

Within a few short years Brown had kept her promise and went from earning a minimum wage income to paying herself a seven-figure salary. As the CEO and Founder of GirlCEO©, a multi-faceted platform built specifically for female entrepreneurs, Brown is now teaching other women how to become the CEO in their own lives to reach similar success.

Failure Is The Best Source Of Wisdom

After being fired countless times for her failure to be a model employee, Brown leaned on the skills she’d perfected across dozens of jobs that just hadn’t worked out. “I want to stress that there’s nothing wrong with failing,” she said. “Failure is the best source of wisdom that you can ever experience in life.” 

Listening to the advice of her grandmother who taught her that beauty fades, but wisdom never will, Brown used what she’d learned after years of working for others to create successful companies of her own using social media. In doing so she’s successfully transformed herself into Ronne B. – an internationally recognized branding expert, entrepreneur, professional speaker, author, mentor, wife, and mother of four. 

“We have to understand that failure is a good thing. When I fail, I don’t look at it as a bad thing anymore. I look at failure and I’m like, ‘oh my goodness, what did I learn from this, what did it teach me?’” Brown explained. “Failure doesn’t exist. You don’t fail, you just learn. I don’t even say the word ‘fail’ anymore. I don’t fail at anything, I learn from a lot of things.”

But of those women who still struggle to disconnect from their past experiences, Brown shared some advice she received from her 7-year-old daughter while they spoke on the Girl CEO Podcast. “She said, ‘trust yourself and trust God.’ Trust is the key word,” Brown stressed. “You have to trust that [with] everything that you’ve gone through, there was something that you needed to learn from it,” she concluded. From losing a job to heartbreak and betrayal, Brown says that there are lessons in all of our failures just waiting to be applied for our success.

You Can Go Fast Alone, But You’re ‘Gonna Need A Team To Go Far

Despite her energetic spirit and ambitious attitude, Brown is the first to admit that she did not build her empire alone. In fact, she shared in our interview that the very first thing she had to learn was that if she wanted to grow past what she knew, she’d need help from others who’d come before her. Unfortunately for Brown, this was easier said than done.

“Everyone is willing to empower, but very few are willing to equip,” said Brown, speaking of some of the successful individuals she’d encountered on her way to the top. “I had a lot of women that would encourage me. They’d say, ‘stay focused, you can do it, keep going…’” shared Brown. “But then when I would ask, ‘well who’s your manufacturer?’ they wouldn’t help me.” Believing that lack of education in how to start and grow a business is what keeps most women away from entrepreneurship, Brown launched GirlCEO to fill these gaps. “GirlCEO is a community for diverse women,” emphasized Brown. “There are so many communities for women,” she continued emphatically. “But there aren’t many for African-American, Hispanic where it’s for us.” By offering mentorship courses, community support and quarterly in-person meetups still taking place in the current digitally-leaning climate, GirlCEO is working hard to give its members a deeper connection with an authentic, grassroots community built on sisterhood. Since its inception, Brown has helped thousands of women launch and scale their brands by empowering them to do what they want and giving them the tools they need. 

Invest In The Things That Matter

“I believe the biggest mistake that people make is the second they get money, they go buy a car that doesn’t appreciate,” Brown lamented. Instead of buying designer things that lose value over time, Brown says she wishes more entrepreneurs realized the importance of spending their hard-earned money on things that give them valuable returns –  like land, life insurance, and professional advice.

“If I could do everything over, I would have invested probably 90 percent of my income into mentorship during my first five years of business,” said Brown of the missed opportunities that would’ve saved her money lost on rookie mistakes. Admitting that she used to frown upon those professionals that required a fee for coaching, Brown states that she willingly pays thousands for it today, never hesitating to get the help she knows she needs.

In addition to educational and empowerment services, GirlCEO also offers invaluable inspirational products meant to encourage women as they continue their journeys, like t-shirts displaying phrases meant to break some of the long-standing myths surrounding femininity in the business world. Another is the best-selling GirlCEO planner, specifically created for the busy woman who struggles with time-management. Brown finds tools such as these modestly priced compared to the rewards they can bring.

Do What You Love And Never Look Back

“I believe that we operate best when we are truly doing the things that make us feel fulfilled,” Brown expressed of GirlCEO’s overarching mission.. “As I’ve evolved, I’ve come to realize how many women are actually unhappy doing the things that they’re doing. We want to show that women actually have gifts inside of them that God gave them that they can actually leverage.”

From building a digital empire to helping others do the same, Brown’s savored each and every step she’s taken on her own journey. Over the next five years, she hopes to take Girl CEO global – cultivating a brand and community across nations. Especially those that often get overlooked when it comes to individual investments. Envisioning a time where women in places like Zimbabwe, Jamaica, and Venezuela can get from behind their computers to meet with like-minded individuals looking to take control of their lives and better their circumstances, Brown looks forward to seeing more women fearlessly chasing after their ultimate happiness.

Article Credit: forbes