When it comes to hustle, La La Anthony never ceases to run out.
The television personality, actress, and entrepreneur has been in grind mode since her teenage years, when she worked endless jobs to help her mom out, as previously reported by AfroTech.
For Anthony, choosing to take the entrepreneurial path and gain a sense of ownership came from being determined early in life to build wealth. What’s more, she learned the importance of working smarter and not harder to reach her goals.
“Early on in my life and in my career, I always say I was driven by one thing, that I didn’t want to be broke,” Anthony shared with AfroTech in an interview. “I knew what being broke felt like, and I didn’t want that. So whatever I had to do to make money and not be broke is what I was focusing on. And through that passion of I don’t want to have to work as hard as I saw my mom or anyone do and still not really have much to show for it.”
She continued: “That’s what pushed me through. And then through that journey, I found a love for music, television, and film and was able to do all the things that I’ve been able to do.”
Navigating being an entrepreneur, specifically led Anthony to launch Inala in 2022. The award-winning hair-care line features rice water to encourage growth and promote healthy hair.
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Following through with the “labor of love” helped her learn patience and courage, both of which are necessary for current and aspiring business owners to keep in mind when building out their companies.
“In the beginning of creating a brand and something that you’re doing on your own, you have to be willing to invest a certain amount of money,” Anthony emphasized. “That number’s gonna be different for everyone, but you have to be willing to bet on yourself because in the beginning, you’re the one that believes in it. So you have to put your money, your efforts, and everything behind it. And understanding that a lot of times it takes a while to start recouping that money or getting that money back. It’s not just an instant return. I’m not saying there are not times when it happens that way, but generally, you’re putting some money in and it takes a while to get it back.”
She noted, “I would just remind people to make sure you have [money] put to the side so that you can make it through that time that you’re waiting to start seeing a return on your initial investment.”
Outside of running her brand, over the years Anthony has also ventured into being an investor. As AfroTech told you, she invested in LEUNE, a California-born cannabis brand, back in 2021. Now, Anthony shared with AfroTech that in the near future, she plans on continuing to invest modestly, further educating herself on what exactly makes a good investment and paying attention to companies in industries with longevity.
Understanding firsthand how tiring the constant hustle can be, Anthony has partnered with Now and Later® candy for its campaign, “Pause Now, Hustle Later,” according to a press release shared with AfroTech. Launched on July 24, which marks International Self-Care Day, the campaign aims to help people take a break from tireless work.
Hustle culture is ingrained in society, especially in the Black community, and Anthony hopes that her partnership with Now and Later® can help in breaking away from that mindset.
“It’s something that I struggle with as well, just like self-care and being able to stop, and Now and Later® is reminding us to pause now and hustle later,” she said. “I think it also just comes into the thought process of working smarter, not harder. Just because you’re driving yourself into the ground and not sleeping doesn’t mean you’re doing a better job or you’re getting further than someone that might be working four days a week, but really putting great time and effort into the fewer hours that they’re working.”
She added, “So I’m paying attention to what’s going on out there, and I’m reminding myself that it’s okay to focus on me and put myself first, because for me to be great as a mom, for me to be great in my job, I have to be great with myself first. So that’s why I love this partnership.”
As National Black Business Month is upcoming in August, Anthony has curated a list of Black-owned businesses that promote self-care including Buttah Skincare, Fancy Homebody, I See You Wellness, Natural Radiant Life, and Kimberly New York, the press release details. What’s more, Now and Later® will distribute $50,000 in donations to the selected brands.
“Now and Later is dedicated to supporting Black leaders and entrepreneurs who are making a positive impact in their communities, which is why we launched the ‘Pause Now, Hustle Later’ Grant during Black Business Month,” Dave Foldes, director of marketing at Now and Later, shared in a press statement. “According to the Small Business Association, 50 percent of small businesses fail within the first five years due to lack of financial resources.”
He continued: “In recognition of the hustle of entrepreneurship, we’re proud to help amplify these small businesses, and to partner with an advocate like La La who not only shares Now and Later’s Brooklyn-born origins, but also embodies the brand’s bold and vibrant spirit.”
