I Built My Investment Property Brand In Less Than A Year
As Told To is a recurring segment on xoNecole where real women are given a platform to tell their stories in first-person narrative as told to a writer.
This is India Monae's story, as told to Charmin Michelle.
Leading up to the accident, it was a normal Friday for me.
As an entrepreneur, I was always busy and I had a pop-up shop for my boutique that day. My cousin, who had just graduated from college, was with me; she came to shadow me for the summer. She grabbed her keys, we hopped in the car, and decided to head to lunch at a restaurant located in a pretty busy area. Suddenly, as we were turning left, we heard a loud engine revving—we heard him before we even saw him, speeding well over 80 mph on a residential street.
Drunk driver.
My cousin veered left in an effort to avoid the impact, and BOOM.
We were struck head-on, more so on my (passenger) side.
What made it even worse, this guy hit us so hard that our car flew backwards and landed in the patio of a restaurant, striking a waitress. She was lucky to only sustain three broken ribs.
As for me, once the car stopped, I immediately marveled at the fact that I was conscious. I checked on my cousin and made an effort to use my remaining strength to get out of the car.
I realized I was trapped.
The car was completely inverted, smashed on my feet. Once emergency responders arrived, chaos ensued. There were paramedics, firefighters, and policemen everywhere, all working together to get me out. It took roughly 40 minutes to cut the car enough to pull me out.
Both of my feet were completely shattered.
I was whisked off the to the hospital to have emergency reconstructive surgery the next morning. On the way, I lost consciousness.
I remember waking up and one of my friends was in the corner nauseous, trying not to throw up. Another was sitting on the floor with her head down. Confused, I quickly realized the bone in my right foot had come completely out.
—
Time passed on and I spent about a week in the hospital, which was a blur. My meds would put me to sleep left and right, I could never stay awake for long periods of time. I ended up with two metal screws, four pins, and about 11 metal plates laced through both feet, leaving me in a wheelchair for six months.
Then came recovery...
And it. Was. Tough. It was humbling. The pain was so intense, that they were pumping me with meds every two hours.
And it sucked because I was incapable of anything. I couldn't take care of my son, I couldn't work, I couldn't shower. I couldn't use the bathroom on my own, I had to use a handheld urinal. My mind would constantly go a mile a minute. I had been working so hard with work, as a full-time stylist and online boutique owner prior to the accident, so I was stressed, but doing well. After the accident however, all of my income stopped. I didn't have much savings; my whole world shut down. I even had to refund orders, because I couldn't fulfill them.
Being wheelchair-bound made me realize that I needed to work smart if I was going to survive. I had a son to take care of and realized I needed to create stability. I needed streams of income that would flow whether I was walking or not.
So, I began to educate myself and pivot my business.
The vast majority of my recovery time, I spent studying real estate investing. For some strange reason I gravitated towards it, maybe because I knew the revenue potential. And after committing myself to learning, I actually became very fluent in its language. I knew that investing was going to create that financial stability for my family, so I dove in, full throttle. I began watching rehabbing videos, reading books, and cleaning up my credit. After about six months, I transitioned from the chair into a heavy special walking boot. And then to crutches, eventually to a cane.
And sis, guess what? You better believe I would attend real estate seminars in every single one of them too; nothing stopped me, I was adamant.
Six months later, I purchased my first property. And then the second. The third—so on and so on. Within a year, I had six and my mission evolved. My passion developed into helping the black community create generational wealth while securing a legitimate legacy. Now, I mentor some of the most ferocious head hunters in real estate. And most importantly, I own several homes, which will all be left to my son.
I want that for all of us.
—
Over time, I have adjusted to a new normal and pushing the importance of my agenda. My biggest takeaway from my journey, which I cannot stress this enough, is to know the significance of entrepreneurship—or at least passive income. I've been an entrepreneur for 15 years, but at the time of my accident, I wasn't reveling in my full potential. And ladies, being counterproductive is real.
Just because you're busy, it doesn't mean that you're productive. And I was forced to distinguish the difference between the two.
Learn how to maximize your productivity to relieve yourself of spending too much time within your businesses. Work SMARTER, because we aren't taught this shit in school. Not all entrepreneurs have a retirement to fall back on. So, investing in assets is extremely important.
Credit > Christian Louboutin
As for what's next for me, maintaining and expanding. I'm actually staying afloat during the pandemic purely out of habit.
Many are out of work or furloughed, and in complete survival mode. COVID has taken so many jobs, and turned the world upside down, which is very reminiscent of what I went through, so I feel prepared. I feel I've been in this space before. And although I've had to cancel my business tour and postpone upcoming retreats, and even if I have tenants' situations to consider, I still have multiple streams of income, so, I'm not as affected, which is exactly how I designed it to be.
If you're struggling with where to start, know that your future is now. Invest your money so that it always sees returns. Investing will give you the freedom we all deserve (I wish I had known this years ago, which is why I preach this so heavily now).
Land > Labels.
Accident survivors: it's not easy moving forward, but don't pity yourselves. Admittedly, I'm still very traumatized, as it's hard for me to drive sometimes. But we survived because we still have a purpose to fulfill here. It takes a certain amount of darkness to see the stars. But don't ever stop seeking the light. There is purpose in pain.
So, stay encouraged always.
To attend one of India's classes, you can find more information on her Instagram page, @_indiamonae. You can also find a full list of services by following her Land Over Labels page and/or her website.
Featured image courtesy of India Monae
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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