I had lunch with a fellow Black British female founder at the beginning of the year, and I said something to her. She responded: “Follow the plan and not your feelings.” It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Now, I’m the last person to say that emotions get in the way—because emotions are instinct. They can be our protector, even our guiding light.

Last year, I intended for the Black Ballad Weekender to be a one-off—a celebration to mark navigating a decade, one that unapologetically honours black women. A moment to further illustrate that we are uncompromising in our mission to help black women live their best lives.