I am ~IN FLOW~ and God is working!
At the end of last year, I started to feel a strong push to move into something new. I didn’t know what. But I knew I wanted to learn, evolve, and elevate.
I got curious. I started talking to anyone I admired that would talk to me. Asking questions, getting insight, sharing my vision, and getting feedback.
In January, I started trying to figure out a name for my marketing and operations consulting business. The day after I bought the domain, I started getting ads for executive education at all the top business schools.
Harvard’s program stood out because it was specifically for women of color. I put my all into the application while I was on set for a veterinary pharmaceutical campaign production that I wasn’t particularly interested in. A week later, I was accepted to Harvard Business School’s Advancing Women of Color in Leadership executive immersion. I was so excited! I connected with a Harvard alum who encouraged me to apply for a scholarship. I hadn’t even considered that.
The morning after I applied for the scholarship, I got laid off. I didn’t know it was coming but I felt God’s presence in it. It was a very clear message “It’s time to move on and it’s not optional”.
February 12, 2025. The day I got laid off. I went to Soho to have lunch and go to the gym. Ended up running into a couple friends who became future clients! It was clear that God was orchestrating what was next for me. I was relieved and decided to release control and ride the wave.
The next day, a friend that I had been cultivating a relationship with for about a year reached out (without knowing I had been laid off) and said his team needs someone with my skill set to help them professionalize their business.
The following week, I was granted the partial scholarship.
Within two weeks, I had officially formed my consulting business. TREEHOUSE COLLABS: Elevating and building structure around brands, while leaving them in their natural habitat. Establishing and evolving brand strategy. Facilitating impactful collaboration.
And not only that, I already had my first client. A wealth management firm that focuses on life insurance planning and optimization for high net worth individuals and companies. A small, but mighty firm that would allow me to have a true impact on the way they do business daily. It was a chance to increase my earning potential significantly. Working smarter, not harder.
In our early conversations, the CEO casually mentioned “You’ll go get your producer license so you can get commissions on these deals”. I was intimidated, but immediately knew I wanted to give myself every opportunity to make money.
They paid me upfront for the first month of work, giving us time and space to define my role. I used that money to pay the remainder of the tuition for Harvard. I knew it would be worth it to invest in myself. And technically, my consulting business paid for me to go.
In the meantime, I took the prep course and started studying for my licensing exams. Three weeks later, I took all 4 licensing exams in one morning and passed them all! I became a Licensed Life and Health Insurance Producer.
Around the same time, the CEO of the firm asked me to be their Chief Operating Officer after less than 4 weeks of working together. I’d had that much of an impact. It felt a little unbelievable, but I saw my impact as well and I knew I deserved it. I knew I could do the job.
At the same time, one of our top insurance advisors, a very successful investor in high character and high alignment companies, found out about Yin Society and ordered a candle. I sent him all three.
He LOVED them. The scents, the design, and the intention behind them. He could tell they were made with love. He loved them so much that he decided to purchase a bulk order of 45 candles to give away to retreat attendees and burn during his upcoming Business Mastermind and Spiritual Wellness retreat for high achieving entrepreneurs. I was honored. But I wasn’t ready.
I called my sister in a panic asking what I should do. She said “What do you mean? I’m coming over tonight and we’re going to make 45 candles.” And we did just that. Made them Monday, labeled them Tuesday, and shipped them off to San Francisco on Wednesday. We made a total of 100 candles that week and sold 85 of them. Yin Society’s biggest week ever.
The candles for the retreat arrived Friday and I was so relieved that they had made it safely and on time. Then the organizer of the event decided “Vanessa needs to be in the room.” And invited me to join at no cost. My clients were already planning to attend and they funded my travel and lodging to make sure I could be there. We all knew it was important for us to work every angle and make authentic connections based on all of our unique ventures.
In order to attend this event, I had to postpone a meeting with a potential art-centered brand development client which was a tough decision. It’s another organic opportunity that presented itself and it’s a dream come true in terms of what I’ve been actively working towards. But I knew that it could be rescheduled and that my presence at this retreat and my ability to lead the narrative about Yin Society would be worth it.
I got there and WOW. The energy was immediately magnetic, warm, and inspiring. I was the youngest and least “accomplished” person in the room. I was inspired. And also surprised to see that everyone was intentional about getting to know me, my business, and truly saw me the way I see myself. A blessing.
The BALANCE candle burned for the entire first day. I was a little nervous because we had planned to burn ENERGY the entire time and the organizer had left them at home. BALANCE was a new scent combination due to fragrance oil inventory issues. It was technically still in a test phase. But omg it smelled amazing and truly elevated the vibes in the room. It’s was so beautiful to experience. We burned ENERGY in the main room on day 2 and BALANCE on the side rooms.
We learned from some of the country’s top coaches, CEOs, and investors. We did breath and body work. Meditation. We got massages. I did a cold plunge and sauna combo for the first time. We went to the legendary Phish concert. We learned about the Champion’s Mindset and Intuitive Leadership practices. We all opened up and allowed ourselves to be vulnerable so that we could all be renewed, healed and empowered as we move forward with commitment to our life’s purpose.
I left feeling seen and valued in a way that I had never experienced in an advertising agency. And the best part was, all I had to do was show up. There was nothing forced, nothing to prove, nothing to accomplish. The last conversations I had were people asking me how they can help me expand and further articulate my vision. They asked me what did Yin Society need to grow. I was floored. But I stayed calm, I smiled, and I told them exactly what I envisioned for the company and how I believed they could help.
As well as everything went, it ended on a really really bad note. I had a terrible disagreement with my client, who I had (or so I thought) built a pretty solid friendship with. It was painful. It was out of my control. And a clear indicator of a necessary boundary. After multiple days of vulnerability and open-heartedness, it really pierced me. And required me to feel it and then move into spiritual release and repair. Luckily, one of my best friends from Howard and my LA days, Briana, lives in the Bay and was able to meet for dinner in Oakland within an hour. I got out of the uber and fell into her arms in tears. Like any good sister, she got me together. She held space for me and gave objective advice that helped me pull it together and keep things in perspective. And on top of that, we were able to celebrate the start of her birthday week!
The next day I left, stopped home in Chicago for 18 hours, spent time with my family at my aunt’s repast, and then left again to go to HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL in Boston. I promised myself that I wouldn’t let any negativity from the day before bleed into the experience that was ahead of me at HBS.
On the plane, I read The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, one of the gifts from the retreat. GEMS. It was the perfect follow up and prep for what was next. I got off the plane and went to stay at my best friend Candace’s apartment while her and her boyfriend Lee (who is a current Harvard MBA student) were out of town. It was the perfect home space to decompress and get to work.
I was behind on studying the coursework for the program. And they made it very clear that the way to get the most out of the program was to come fully prepared, with all of the business case studies read and questions answered. So I spent all of Saturday reading and preparing notes.
Sunday morning, I was in a coffee shop near their building and I ran into Joe Freshgoods. We were near the New Balance headquarters, so I guess it made sense but what were the chances?! We chopped it up briefly and then talked about the candle samples I had left for him at his store in Chicago and talked about retail partnership opportunities when his new store opens. It was a real “Right place, right time” moment. Like I said, God is working!
I went back, got my bags and headed off to the business school campus where I would stay for the next four days. I was joined by about 75 other women of color from all over the country and all over the world. The energy was infectious from the very beginning.
We took a tour of campus in the early afternoon and then immediately started classes on Sunday night. For four long days, we interrogated business case studies, heard from speakers, discussed research around what women of color experience in the work place and how to navigate. We held space for each other while we processed it all. We studied together. We cried together while we shared experiences. We challenged each other’s perspectives. We vowed to be present and take it all in. We were at THEE Harvard Business School. And it was clear that each and every one of us belonged here.
When I first got into the classroom, I was surprised to see that not only did we have assigned seats, but I was placed right in the center of the class. VANESSA HOBSON. That was the first moment that felt like wow, there is a designated spot for ME at Harvard Business School. Then I noticed that everybody’s company was listed underneath their name. And mine still said the agency’s name where I no longer worked. I thought to myself, and mentioned to a few others that I wished I had changed it in advance. But I felt like it was too late. One of the girls I met that I immediately clicked with went to the staff the next day, without even mentioning it to me, and found out how I could get it changed. It was a major “Sis, I got you” moment. I was in tears. By lunch time on day 2, my name tag was changed to read Treehouse Collabs + Yin Society.
So now in addition to my name, MY COMPANIES had a designated seat at HBS. I was among women who held leadership positions at top marketing, finance, and tech firms. Education, Theater, Healthcare. Non-profits. Global government agencies. And there was a designated seat for ME. People were curious and inspired by my story. They were interested in my businesses. It brought a wellness angle into the space that wasn’t being taught. It helped me align with people who had similar interests. It helped make space for us to admit, the corporate experience is hard and really hurts for us at times. I was able to share my story and inspire others who aspire to independent consulting opportunities that align with their truth. I was inspired by the professors, the business cases, the speakers, the sisterhood. And I could clearly see that I added value to every part of that week. I was walking in my truth and my power. And witnessing so many other beautiful Black, Asian, Indian, and Latina women do the same. We were oozing with appreciate and support for each other. I felt renewed. I felt proud.
I wanted to sit fully in all of the good feelings, but I also knew that some of the themes we discussed were triggering. I could feel it physically and energetically. All of the research around how black women and other women of color are treated in corporate work environments and what we have to do to navigate effectively. I needed a break. Luckily, when the program ended, I was able to pack my bags and get back to Candace’s house in time to go to her yoga class. It was the perfect follow up to an intense week.
Later that night, I hung out with Candace and Lee and another HBS couple and got a chance to reflect on the program and laugh with them about some of the Harvard traditions. I was surprised to hear how highly they regarded the program I had just finished. It made me feel even more proud of myself. I was in good company.
The next day, I slept in, had a few Yin Society meetings, and went to a beautiful dinner with Candace to close out the trip. I sat on the plane the next morning and started drafting this entry to help me fully process everything that has happened.
As I reflected, I realized that this is truly a time where preparation is meeting opportunity and I’m watching my dreams come true. And the best part is that I can tell this is only the beginning. I can see that I’m moving into a mindset of limitlessness and reality is aligning with my spiritual elevation. These are the things you read about in spiritual wellness books and you believe it, but I must admit, it’s different and so much more beautiful to experience it in your life and KNOW that it’s true. All of the intentional work that I have poured into myself is helping me define who I can become and I couldn’t be more grateful. THIS is self love.
My mission moving forward is to stay in my truth, walk in my power, nurture my ideas, and attract that right people to grow with.
Thank you God.
xo,
Ness