Entrepreneurship is on the rise, as more Americans are seeking the freedom of being their own boss. According to Statista, in 2019, 774,725 businesses in the US were less than a year old. Women of color account for a large number of these new business owners and are celebrated within our community for it. With all the glorification around starting a business, inadvertently a stigma has been created around having a job. Being a CEO has become the picture of success, while working for someone, despite the career level, is commonly viewed as "settling" or being less driven.
As a social media society, we can get caught up in the trendiness of certain careers, and forget that success can look many different ways.
There has specifically been chatter around men with 9-5 jobs vs. entrepreneurs, after comedian B. Simone shared the latter is a requirement in order for a man to become her boooyyfriiieeend. Recently, the Wild 'N Out star stated that she thinks "entrepreneurs should date entrepreneurs." Otherwise, the 9-5 worker would not understand her CEO lifestyle, consisting of handling business in the wee hours. The comment section went into a frenzy, with some agreeing and others taking offense to this theory.
b simone was very demeaning in this. she took to twitter to clarify what she was tryna say but I'll say this ... nothing is wrong with your person having a 9 to 5 while you're fighting to be an entrepreneur. BALANCE is key in a relationship. https://t.co/kL5NtGmjPw
— youtube/Alonzo (@alonzolerone) June 9, 2020
As we debate this on the internets, and disagree on who we should or should not consider dating, I think we all agree that an ambitious man is optimal. Besides a man owning a business, if you are open to it, there are other signs and traits that show a man can contribute to your hustle.
1.His Career
9am to 5pm are simply hours of the day. More important than whether or not your potential bae owns a company, consider what it is that he does during these hours. Is it fulfilling? Is it making a difference in the world? Is it growing him as a person? Does it make him happy? Is he making meaningful change at his company? These are all important questions. I think when we hear "9-5", we can often associate it with someone clocking in, counting down the hours, and then clocking out. However, some people have 9-5 jobs at companies they dreamed of working for and act as "intreprenuers".
2.He Takes Care Of Others
If a man shows you that he thinks beyond himself, this is a telltale sign of ambition. Does he help his parents, and have a goal to be able to fully take care of them one day? Does he have a college fund for a niece, nephew or godchild? These are things that require hard work and determination to achieve. In addition to his drive, it also shows a man's values.
3.He Invests
Investing in stocks, bonds, property or other people's businesses is a clear sign of an ambitious man with a plan. Your future man's investments can result in assets and passive income, without all of the responsibilities that come with being a CEO or founder of a company yourself.
4.He Shares Specific Goals With You
There is a difference between working a 9-5, and being satisfied with working a 9-5. It would behoove you to find out a man's goals in addition to his employment status. Perhaps he plans to start his own business, become a consultant, move up to an executive role at his current job, or even move to a bigger company in the near future -- all signs of a man who is about his business!
5.He Can Offer You Career/Financial Advice
As boss women, we think of a man who is an entrepreneur as someone who will understand our lifestyles and match our mindsets. But if you are an entrepreneur, it may also be cool to date an accountant who can help with your books, or a lawyer who can look over your contracts and offer you business advice.
6.What He Does Outside Of His Job
I personally think what a man does outside of work is more important than what a man does for work. Involvement in organizations, volunteer work, holding a seat on an executive or advisory board or being a community leader can all be promising signs of a partner who can contribute to your career and lifestyle goals.
As women, I do believe we all have the right to desire and go after whatever we want in a partner. However, it may be beneficial to be open-minded about certain things such as career paths. Success can come in many forms, so try to consider the above points before cancelling out a man with a job.
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LaPorsche "P" Jackson is a content creator with a television production background from Brooklyn, NY. While working on various Television shows she developed her passion for telling black stories, and then created her own web series entitled No Chaser. She loves hip hop music, coffee and watching reruns of Girlfriends. You can follow her on instagram - @itsp.
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
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Feature image screenshot/ xoNecole YouTube
Egypt Sherrod & Mike Jackson On Love, Business, And Financial Transparency On The First Date
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson have captivated us on their HGTV show, Married to Real Estate, and podcast Marriage and Money.
Now, they have teamed up with TurboTax to assist small business owners with tax and financial support. The couple met while working in radio, and now they own multiple businesses together. While working with your spouse can have its ups and downs, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Besides the fact that I get to work with the person I love doing what I love to do, right? There's the aspect of our daughters, seeing us work together as a unit and actually doing it successful,” Mike tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
“So they get to grow up and experience what it is to be entrepreneurs from ground level, right? Because Mom and Dad did it, and they did it in such a way that I want to emulate, even if they don't decide to do exactly what we do, but they get to see it. That, to me, means a lot.”
But owning a business, whether separate or together, comes with a lot of responsibility and mistakes can often happen, especially for novice entrepreneurs. Egypt opens up about mistakes her and Mike experienced working in real estate.
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us,” she says.
“So our goal by partnering with TurboTax is to really open the eyes of fellow entrepreneurs, to show them that, especially when it comes to your finances, your taxes, and getting that right, there is a faster, more cost effective, more accurate way of getting the support that you need.”
“On our journey of entrepreneurship, we made a lot of mistakes. We spent money, we did things backwards, we learned the hard way through the school of hard knocks. There was no road map for us."
Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it's often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
When it comes to their marriage, the money conversation never goes away. The couple owns six businesses together, multiple properties, and are parents to three daughters. So when it comes down to finances, they believe in transparency, even dating back to their first date 21 years ago.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?,” Mike says. “Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
At the time, Mike was newly divorced and had a small child. Egypt says she found his honesty “refreshing” and was looking for someone to build with, so his finances weren’t a problem for her. “If you're building anything, and that's like, first, second, third date, and you feel like, okay, this is someone I can be invested with, even beyond money, you have to just be honest about your circumstances,” Egypt shares.
“Our first conversation about money was that, ‘hey, I don't have no money.’ Okay?. Because there's been past relationships that are no longer existing. There's been things going on that I had to take care of and get through. So you're meeting a man that is pretty much starting from scratch again. How do you feel about it?”
“Otherwise you're building a house of cards that can fall at any minute, but I think money is one of the things. Finances are one of the things that even when people are in love, they still can't make it work and it breaks up marriages. It breaks up relationships because it's a stressor.
“So, yeah it is something that you want to ask about up front. What's your credit? How much do you earn? You don't have to be rich, but I just need to know if if the math is mathing.”
While they don’t believe you should have the money conversation on the first date, they do believe you should have it early to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
To hear more about their story, check out their podcast, Marriage and Money and watch the new season of Married to Real Estate on HGTV.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy