May 27th is the 21st anniversary of my small business

June 3, 2026 by Sheryl J. Moore

I didn’t start this business because I dreamed of being an entrepreneur. I did it because I lost my job.

I remember then-

Being so scared about not knowing where my next paycheck was coming from.

Having anxiety because my little boy needed his most invasive surgery (yet), like yesterday, and I had no health insurance anymore.

Having fears because I had a good idea, but I had ZERO idea how to make it happen.

The day I lost my job, I bawled like a baby. I had never had so much as a less-than-exemplary performance review. I took the layoff very personally.

However, if I could talk to that 29-year-old woman, here is what I would say:

It’s okay. God provides a way.

Your children are alive- all three of them. Celebrate it!

You have a lot of people that think you are “bigger” than being a home office competitive intelligence rep. Believe in yourself. Speak your success into existence!

Don’t worry that you don’t know how to do it. Read, network and research- and you will learn.

To all of my friends working in competitive intelligence: THANK YOU! You were my first customers, and you believed in me when it was hard for me to believe in myself. I am so grateful for each and every one of you.

And to all of my many customers now- thank you for enabling me to run a (competitive intelligence) empire!

I am older, wiser and more humble. And I am looking forward to the next 21 years. Thank you. 🙏🏻

(Street cred for @Kurt Starr, who took my first head shot; it put me on stages I wouldn’t have dreamed!) 🙂 -sjm