Some Hustle. I Meander. But Is Success A Journey or a Destination?

In this post-pandemic work world, I’ve forgotten how much fun it is to talk to people face to face.

Don’t get me wrong; I can’t beat the commute from the kitchen to my cluttered old desk, and my canine colleagues offer plenty of stimulating conversation during our lunch break. Though it’d be great if they’d stop chewing up the office supplies. 

Sure, I get out plenty, but it’s been a minute since I’ve had to appear professional in public, and it’s never been my strong suit—my business wardrobe is more random separates and loud patterns accessorized by a sheen of dog hair. Promoting The Camellia Thief has forced me to clean up more often these days, and my good blazer has gotten plenty of play since the book launch. (In the latest print issue of Connect Savannah, the lovely Beth Logan makes me sound like I’m doing everything everywhere all at once, but I swear it’s really just a series of well-timed touchdowns in between tapping the keyboard like a nearsighted hobgoblin and midafternoon walks with the dogs. They are hard-driving middle managers!)

While I still experience the urge to offer potential new readers a rawhide treat from my pocket, I’m pleased that I’ve thus far managed to present as somewhat normal among Savannah’s impressive entrepreneurial sector. I’m still a relative newcomer to the “buy my thing!” scene, and these folks offer a master class on generating leads and closing sales while contributing to the city’s culture and community, which need more local juice than ever as out-of-town developers continue to snarf up commercial properties that once housed small businesses. (Check out the latest post from Savannah Agenda about another high-density, high-rent apartment complex proposed for south of Victory—how quaint that we once thought downtown hotels were the worst of our problems.) 

I’d say the folks at last week’s Buy Local Savannah monthly luncheon made me feel right at home, but the sunny dining hall at Betheseda Academy was much nicer than my messy domestic corner. And unlike the dogs, they laughed at my jokes. 

Award-winning photographer Somi Benson-Jaja had invited me to sell the book and read a few excerpts, and waving to longtime networking linchpins Jamie “Dream” Weaver and business broker Brian Judson settled my socially awkward nerves. Supreme picker Scott West shared the gorgeous details of his new home goods co-op Vendors on Victory, and I got hug the neck of Weslyn “Mahogany” Bowers, who with her recent TEDx talk and charitable endeavors really does seem have mastered (mistressed?) the art of ubiquity.

Sidney the Rhoot Man & Lady Mahogany

Before lunch I set up shop next to Sidney Lance, better known as the Rhoot Man for his deliciously infused beverage enhancers known as shrubs. No they’re not made from the azalea bushes, but talk about local flavor—a splash of his Wildberry Coconut Mint turns boring post-work drinks into a very happy hour! This bartender-turned-businessman is changing the way Savannah cocktails; find him every Saturday at the Forsyth Farmers Market, where you can also pick up victuals from all manner of enterprising foodies, including fresh baked bread from my homegirl Natasha Gaskill of Sixby. 

I shuffled all my new contact cards like a Las Vegas blackjack dealer and was dazzled by the different types of local ventures represented, from Broughton Street brunch mainstay Common  to the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra to Savannah Riverboat Cruises (If you think such an excursion is just for tourists, hear me out: You can’t beat the value for night out of dinner with a view and a show, especially if you happen upon someone else’s wedding on the dance floor.) 

I also noticed that even those in the similar lines of work and competing for the same customer base shared warm handshakes and traded notes, conferring a sense of camaraderie to the commerce. I’ve always assumed I’d have to become a carnivorous reprobate á la Succession to succeed at capitalism, and it was a blessed relief to find our local business community so supportive of one another. 

I saw the same kind of encouragement among competitors at the She Hustles event later that evening (yes, it was an exhausting day; plus the dogs made me walk them overtime) at the Clyde Venue. This thrice-yearly networking extravaganza hosted by the Creative Coast—itself a division of seductive industry siren the Savannah Economic Development Authority—brings together women business owners, community leaders, and bright-eyed dynamos looking to turn their side hustle into their main mission. While fat cat capitalism remains in the realm of men, inclusion and diversity continue to pound that ceiling, and it was an honor to be introduced by our city’s favorite sweetheart Renee LaSalle to moderate a panel featuring education engagement powerhouse LeAndrea Mikell, economic development brainiac Malissa MacKay, and RePurpose Savannah’s compassionate head demolisher, Mae Bowley. 

Hustlers at rest, from my right": Malissa, Mae and LeAndrea

There were plenty of fellas in attendance to support equal representation in business, not just in lip service but for the very real fact that the more people participating in this wild free market system, the better for us all—reiterated by SEDA business development Caleb Kitchings as he invoked one of my favorite aphorisms, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Of course, not every entrepreneur gets an infusion of capital or the red carpet laid out for them like they’re a Hyundai plant. The four enterprising individuals who made it to the final round of Startup Runway laid out their pitches for the judges and audiences with aplomb, though only two snagged the $10,000 prizes—C.J “the DJ” Jackson, who will use the cash to scale his revolutionary request app Performer Pocket, and Christine Flemming, a financial literacy whiz who has figured out how to share stellar programming with Girl Scout troops around the world. 

However, something tells me that the remaining local startups—Animation TV Network, which aims to become the first Black-owned cartoon channel, and the much-needed postpartum resource Oro Maternal Health—will attract the investors and support to thrive, given their founders’ perseverance and perspicacity.

Or in modern vernacular, their hustle. 

It’s been inspiring to get out and meet so many driven dreamers and ambitious achievers lately—I’m taking notes, even if a day of such efforts sends me back to the home office to debrief with facelicks on the nap futon. 

Even more heartening, I see y’all out there promoting your businesses, products, services, art, and ideas while uplifting the boats around you, whether they be single kayaks or fancy yachts. I’ve always cleaved more towards collaboration than competition, and it’s so encouraging to know our local business community is a life raft, lest the big box franchises and hedge fund developers crowd out the innovators and independent thinkers. 

You’ll probably see me out on the waters more often; after all, I’ve still got a boatload of books to sell. Anyway, I’m enjoying the journey—happy to lend a hand if you need it, or slap me a high-five as you hustle by.

Always rooting for all y’all ~ JLL

Important work meeting. Photo by Liberty Lebos