Gina Rae

Show Up. Show Up. Show Up.

I'm always saying it, and My Essence Festival experience reminded me exactly why.

Sometimes the opportunity you planned for isn't the opportunity you end up with. Sometimes someone's schedule changes, a seat opens up, and the people who benefit are the ones who were already in the room. That was exactly my experience during Office Hours at the Entrepreneur Hub during Essence.

I can’t believe it’s been three weeks since I had the opportunity to connect with three incredible founders, Latoya W., Christine Joseph, and Kanika McIntyre. Each of them recognized an opportunity, advocated for themselves, and stepped into the moment.
That's what entrepreneurship looks like.

What excited me most during the consultation was how prepared the founders were. They came ready with examples, product prototypes, questions, and clear timelines for what they wanted to accomplish. They showed up ready to do the work.

Opportunity doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes it simply rewards the people who were present.

Seeing all of the mentors doing their thing throughout the space, sharing knowledge, asking thoughtful questions, and supporting founders was inspiring. I especially enjoyed sharing the Office Hours space alongside Mentor Cheree Carter and Mentor Kaiya Williams. It was great meeting both of you and learning more about your work.

Reconnecting with the team, Aniesia Williams and Beryl Colbert was another highlight of this trip. Thank you both for everything you did to bring the experience together. It was also so good seeing Mackenzie K. Phillips again after sharing the stage together at SXSW.

Huge congratulations to Dr. Qiana O'Leary and Ashley Yearly (The Us Space Entrepreneur in Residents) on an incredible panel at the New Voices Entrepreneur Hub. It was great to watch you both shine... and look fly doing it.

Because the truth is...

You can only be "in the right place at the right time" if you Show Up. Show Up. Show Up.

New Orleans is always a time...
I can't wait to come back next year for . Maybe I'll stay a little longer. Definitely catch a concert or two. And maybe... just maybe... I'll find myself on a stage or two.

Still reflecting on the energy from H-Town Roundup presented by in March.

After four years of participating, two years of speaking, and three years of having my team capturing the incredible founders, leaders, and ecosystems across Greater Houston, I’m grateful to continue watching this community grow.

During my session, “Thriving Minds, Thriving Businesses: Cultivating Entrepreneurial Success,” one of my biggest reminders was the power of “not right now.”

Because leadership is not always saying "Yes."
Sometimes leadership is having the discernment to pause, communicate expectations, and protect your capacity so you can show up fully where it matters most.

Urgency does not always equal priority.

As a mental health advocate and Board President of , I believe the person building the vision matters just as much as the vision itself.

Protect your capacity. Honor your commitments. Create space to rest, reset, and just vibe out.
Everything is connected.

I ran into Aris "Kian" Brown at a community event the other day, and it immediately took me back to this year's Friends of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies University of Houston 29th Annual Table Talk Luncheon.

It all started with a lively opening reception and the chance to catch up with so many amazing people. After that, we made our way into the luncheon and to our tables, where Aris, in true Poet Laureate fashion, opened the room with her poem, "Meteor Shower".

Thanks to Dr. Annie Johnson Benifield, who always curates such an intentional table and for inviting me back again this year. Somehow, though not surprisingly, our conversation landed on art as a form of resistance and resilience. Months later, I'm still thinking about it.

Also loved seeing some of my favorite changemakers in the room: Michelle Avalos, Amber R. Rangel, MBA, Susana Howard Rosas, MBA, Brandi Brown, Amanda Edwards, Jasion Oliver, Amber Burton Alfred, J.D., Randi Sonenshein, and Dr. Saleha Khumawala.

That's usually how I know it was an amazing table and a great room. The conversation stays with you long after the event is over.

And the real joy comes later, when you continue to see the people from that room making an impact, creating opportunities, and moving meaningful work forward in our communities.

Thanks y’all, I'm already looking fwd to a fantastic 30th Annual Table Talk in 2027!

When I started building these Group Ideation Lab cohorts, it was really about access.

Creating space for business owners who are ready, or ready enough, to invest in themselves and what they’re building.

And honestly… I had no idea if the first cohort would even work, let alone that there would be a Cohort 2.

But that’s part of building…

What’s been interesting is how different each room is based on where people are in business.

A lot of that comes from my Ideation Framework.
Not everyone enters at the same point.

And every cohort starts before the room even happens. Based on our initial conversations, everyone receives pre-work so they come in already thinking, already building. That changes everything.
Cohort 1 was rooted in planning, clarity, and refinement.
Cohort 2 came in ready for implementation.

So by the time we all get in the room together, the work had already started. People already knew what they were there to build.

Laptops open. 💻
Offers being refined. 🧩
Messaging cleaned up. ✍🏽
Decks and GTM strategies moving in real time.

That’s what happens when alignment is right. Things move.

And now both cohorts have actively moved into ex*****on.
I’ve already been meeting with members from both cohorts to refine strategy and keep momentum going.

Because ideas are great, but movement matters.

What keeps standing out is this: when the room is aligned, everything moves cleaner, faster, and with more clarity.

Overthinking gets quieter. Direction gets clearer. People stop sitting in ideas and start making decisions.

…and yes, like says, “The work is not skippable” 😂
More soon.

Gina Rae