The Anointed Visionary

My COMA Day 2 | My Parents’ View

They told me when they got to the hospital, I was in the coma and hooked up to the machines. My mother said my body physically had blown up to twice its size, and my right side looked stroked, so it was twisted down. She said the nurses came in and told her, "I knew she couldn't be alone and have no family. I knew she had people that loved her."

My mom was crying and asked her how she knew, and she said the nurse told her because of how smooth my skin was, my hands were, and my nails were pedicured and manicured well. Then she handed my mother ALL of the jewelry I had worn to the hospital.

Dear Hustle Mama Magazine Family,

It has been a deeply rewarding and enriching experience being the Founder and CEO of Hustle Mama: The Magazine for Today’s POWERHOUSE Woman. I created Hustle Mama as a help meet to powerhouse women all over the globe, highlighting and supporting entrepreneurial women of noble purpose—those who Hustle: Help, Unite, Share, Teach, Lead, and Empower families, communities, and the world. My journey started with a collection of essays I wrote in the early 1990s, speaking to the challenges I faced as a wife, later a single mother trying to make my mark on the world and in my community. That collection blossomed into the book Hustle Mama in 2002 and eventually into a blog, which gave birth to the magazine you’ve all come to know and love.
Two weeks ago, I celebrated my 55th birthday—this milestone birthday represents a new chapter, not just in my life, but for the community we’ve built together. Over the past 12 years, I have evolved and grown alongside my audience of both new visitors (hundreds of thousands each month) and the millions who visit and re-visit on a weekly basis. I do not take that love and support lightly, especially from family, friends, and colleagues I’ve connected with over the years. A big thank you to the Hustle Mama Magazine family. I could never have done this without the loyalty and commitment of my writing staff and operations team. A big thank you to our Senior Staff Editor, Cecile Anthony-Bryan, our Operations Staff, Robin Wright and Kyrel Karamihan, our Layout Designer Hassaan Muhammad, our Tech Staff Aarti Kumar and Amit Kumar, our permanent and contributing staff writers along the way, Creative Director, D’Mont Reese of D’Mont Reese Photography and Video, and our Make Up Artist, Tanya Robinson whose commitment have been unwaivering and without whom none of the beautiful artistic work of the covers and features you get to see would have been possible.

Starting from the blog in 2010, Hustle Mama was born from a collection of personal essays that reflected my life’s journey for as long as I could remember. These years have marked more than just a transition; they’ve signified a transformation of epic proportions as I built the entire Hustle Mama brand with the love and support of family, friends, and women who always stood by me. From merchandise to podcasts, a radio station, our own television network, and one of the first interactive apps and magazines, Hustle Mama has been a pioneer in many ways. We were the first magazine to stream audio and video from its pages and the first to translate into more than 20 languages—all handcrafted when no translation software was available. And believe me, this journey wasn’t without its battles. I had to fight to defend the name, the vision, and the platform against those who didn’t understand its significance.

Above all, Hustle Mama has been dear to my heart because it allowed me to connect with women from all walks of life, across geographies, and different experiences. It was always about creating a platform for everyday women to be recognized for their achievements and contributions. I wanted to make sure I helped give women entrepreneurs exposure to millions who never would have thought they could or should be; but who absolutely deserved to be and not because they were famous in entertainment or music. Just because they were committed to their work and the calling that was on their lives. The most challenging part of retiring this magazine, a project my father was so passionately committed to, is knowing I’m closing a chapter that shaped me and brought me public recognition to audiences I could never imagine, to global markets I never thought possible, and to platforms and circles that I never believed I would be a part of in my wildest dreams. Thank you’s are not nor will never be enough for my parents. They were always my largest investors, my number one fans, and my encouragers when things got rough. My father, who stood by me through every triumph and every setback, is no longer here, and letting go feels like parting from a shared legacy we built together.

Yet, to everything, there is a season. To embrace my new season and step into my next promised land, I must walk away from what I’ve built and can no longer be of service to anymore. Its run its course and I’ve had to set it free (and believe me that has taken years to do). I can’t tell you how many signs I’ve turned a blind eye to because it’s been so dear to my heart. It’s time for a new beginning—a new community built on the foundation of everything we’ve accomplished through Hustle Mama Magazine and the tribe of women who have loyally supported this movement.

Welcome to the dawn of a new era—The Business Minded Magazine, where we empower business-minded entrepreneurs with the tools, resources, and connections they need to thrive. This next phase will be singular in focus: unlocking success for the business-minded entrepreneur by sharing my digital marketing expertise and leadership. In just four short years, our directory has grown to over 14,000 members. It has been a joy to sow, water, pour, and tend to the audience God has placed on my path. As you are well aware, everything for me is spiritual above all else, and we are in our season of new beginnings and new wine. I would like to extend a personal invitation for each and every one of you to join us. We have some exciting things planned!

At The Business Minded.com, we help entrepreneurs turn ambition into action and vision into results. Our new magazine will continue the tradition of highlighting and profiling the remarkable members of our business network. We are excited to share the incredible stories and contributions of these leaders, emphasizing the vital role they play in shaping our world.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. I look forward to walking with you into this next chapter with The Business Minded Magazine, as we continue to support and empower the business-minded who are making their mark in today’s global economy.

With gratitude and so much love in my heart,
Dr. Stefany Jones
Founder,
TheBusinessMinded.com, The Business Minded Magazine, The Business Minded Network