"WOULD YOU PLEASE SIR SUPPORT MY HUSTLE"

True story, It was a hot morning as I drove home from work; and a frustrating one as well. As I drove, I pondered on the many discouraging things that were happening in my life and the many things that I hoped to happen that wasn’t happening. I drove to the supermarket to buy a bag of my favorite coffee (strong) and vanilla coffee creamer hoping that maybe a nice cup of coffee heavy on the vanilla creamer would relax me. While driving home my mind still immersed in the whys, what’s, and how’s of the trails and circumstances that I currently found myself in. But I noticed that I needed gas so I pulled into the nearest gas station, As I pulled into the gas station I notice this little boy just hanging around. At that time, I said to myself “I hope this little boy is not gonna ask to pump my gas, I can pump my own damn gas, I’m not for this today.” And wouldn't you know it, as I pulled up to the pump this little boy was right there at my car window. But before he could utter a word I said to him in the most rejecting, snubbing tone “I'M GOOD!”. But that didn’t deter little man, and then he said something but I could not catch what he said because my window was rolled up. So, I said once more but in a louder tone hoping it would discourage him “NO I'M GOOD!”. But instead of becoming discouraged and leaving he calmly waited for me to get out my car, and in a non-threating confident manner he walked closer to me and looked me in the eyes with determination and repeated himself and said: “Would you please sir support my hustle?” Those words metaphorically and meteorically slapped me in my face bringing my cynicism of this little boy shamelessly to its knees. I then ask him “What is your hustle?”, he looked at me with an overwhelming bride and said “Pumping gas". I then went to pay for my gas and gave this little entrepreneur some money for pumping my gas. As I went to remove the gas cap he politely stopped me and did it himself after pumping the gas he wouldn’t even allow me to put the gas cap back on. This little hustler just didn’t pump my gas but he gave me good service and made me feel like a valued customer. This was full service that this young entrepreneur gave me.

It would have been a missed opportunity and a valuable lesson for me if I just let our encounter end with just pumping gas. So, I stayed a little longer just to bust it up with him (for those who don't know 'bust it up' means to talk). I asked him how old was he; he told me he was ten. I then asked him where was his parents and suddenly his eyes lit up and he said with great enthusiasm “Will my mom is home she has a hustle too, she makes her own all natural shea butter soap that she sales. One day she’s gonna make enough money to buy her own store selling all natural stuff she makes, and help me and my brother go to college so we can start our business. I was so taken back and proud of this young man's response and his hope for the future. Not only that but this young man had unwavering faith in his mother’s dream and aspiration for him and his brother.

This brings me to this point, as parents we must support our children’s hustle and not downplay their dreams and aspirations. For example, if a 10-year-old child wants to start a lemon aid stand the parent of that child should invest money and a bit of time in helping that child start his/her lemon aid stand. It shouldn’t matter if that child will pursue that same dream next year or even next week, it only matters that they are pursuing a legitimate hustle now, this minute.

As parents, mentors and empowerment leaders we must be careful not to become hustle killers by making our children think that they won’t ever be anything just working for other people. Instead, we should emphasize that whatever their aspiration is, owner or worker that they must perform beyond mediocrity, they must be the best at what you do and do it with a passion. You are not a failure because you work for someone; you’re a failure if you don’t do your best at what you do. Keep in mind that it was a worker, not an owner that helped put some of us through college. This in no way means that we shouldn't aspire to be owners of our own businesses, but we should not demean those who aspire to be a good worker in someone else business. This is a noble thing. It is the collaboration of workers and owners that make for a vibrant business, one cannot exist without the other.

I’m reminded of a story of Hakim Hopkins who sat on a Philly street corner selling mostly books and few other merchandise from a small table. Now he is the owner of one of the largest Black owned book store in Philadelphia called Black and Nobel’s whose impact has now expanded globally. To this day, Hakim Hopkins still considers himself a hustler. So as we go through our communities and we see our youth with these unconventional sidewalk businesses like pumping gas, selling bottled water and juices, mowing lawns, on the corner with a bucket of water and some towels wanting to wash your car; or selling books, we should not act as though they’re a nuisance to our communities, but as entrepreneurs, as true hustlers, and builders of our communities. And we should feel an obligation to support them in their HUSTLE.