In this inspiring conversation with self-published author Ekeshia Crum, we explore the transformative power of perseverance on your entrepreneurial journey. Ekeshia shares her experience writing “Traveling Down the Journey of Purpose,” a 30-day motivational manual that she describes as “a journey for me to share a little bit about what I have encountered in my walk with God, my walk as a woman, my walk as a mother.”
Throughout our discussion, Ekeshia reveals:
- How she overcame years of procrastination to finally complete her book
- Practical strategies for balancing creative work with family responsibilities
- The power of finding your unique voice and sharing authentic experiences
- Time management techniques that work for busy entrepreneurs with children
- How to create meaningful content that resonates with your audience
The Perseverance Behind Self-Publishing Success
For Ekeshia, the journey to becoming a published author wasn’t straightforward. She first felt the inspiration to write a book around 2014, but found herself repeatedly “picking it up, putting it down” over several years. It wasn’t until late 2023 that she finally committed to completing the project.
This stop-and-start pattern is familiar to many entrepreneurs who struggle to bring their visions to life while managing competing priorities. Ekeshia’s breakthrough moment came after a pivotal conversation with a friend who told her, “You have to finish this book… There are people, there are women who need to read it and it’s going to bless a lot of people.”
That encouragement propelled her forward, and within months she had completed her book and held her first signing event.
Finding Your Unique Creative Rhythm
One of the most valuable insights Ekeshia shares is about finding a personal creative routine that works with your lifestyle. “My routine needs to be a little more routine,” she jokes, explaining that as a mother, “the best time for me to write is at night. After I put them to bed.”
Beyond night writing, Ekeshia has discovered that spending time at a nearby beach helps her creative process: “Even though I may not actually write when I’m there… I’m thinking about what I want to write or I’m reflecting on my journey. And that’s when things might hit me that I could add to the book.”
This practice of finding spaces for reflection is crucial for entrepreneurs who need mental clarity to move their vision forward.
Overcoming Obstacles in the Publishing Process
When asked about challenges in the publishing process, Ekeshia candidly shares: “There were one hiccup for me… was who I’m using. I was using someone local to help with the formatting… And then that kind of got derailed… So I have to move on to the next person that could help me.”
This flexibility and determination to continue despite setbacks highlights a key entrepreneurial skill: the ability to pivot when original plans don’t work out. As Ekeshia puts it, “If you know there’s something that God has truly told you to write or that you want to write… even when life happens, because it’s going to happen, it’s not going to stop, push through until you get it finished.”
Modern Tools for Content Creation
For entrepreneurs worried about the technical aspects of content creation, Ekeshia offers a refreshingly modern approach: “This is 2022, you can pick up your phone and talk text, you don’t have to type it and that’s what I did… a lot of it, I talks text into my phone, went back and corrected them and then put them into a word document and it cuts your time in half.”
This practical tip demonstrates how leveraging technology can dramatically reduce the time needed to create content, making entrepreneurial projects more accessible even for busy professionals.
The Evolution of Content Through Life Experience
Ekeshia explains how her book evolved over time: “It didn’t start off as any type of reflections… it was just going to be a devotional book where there was a scripture or devotional and that was it.” However, she realized that adding reflection questions and applications would make the content more impactful.
“Well, Lord, I wanted to help somebody,” she explains, adding reflection questions like “how do I feel about myself? Well, how can I make this different? Well, what can I do?” This evolution shows how entrepreneurs can elevate their offerings by considering the end user’s experience and needs.
Key Takeaways: Building Your Purpose-Driven Business
From our conversation with Ekeshia Crum, entrepreneurs can take away several valuable lessons:
- Persistence Pays Off: Despite years of starting and stopping, Ekeshia eventually completed her book. Your timeline may not be what you initially expected, but continued effort leads to results.
- Find Your Creative Process: Identify when and where you work best, whether it’s late at night after family responsibilities or in specific locations that inspire you.
- Leverage Technology: Use modern tools like voice-to-text to streamline your content creation process and make the most of limited time.
- Build a Support Network: Ekeshia’s breakthrough came after encouragement from a friend. Having people who believe in your vision can provide crucial motivation.
- “Be your unique self”: As Ekeshia powerfully states, “Know that you have purpose… It’s not going to look like mine. It’s not going to look like your mother’s, your father’s or anybody else’s, but allow it to look like to be unique. Be your unique self.”
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