Nothing is ever set in stone. Not your hair color, not where you live, and certainly not your career path. You should be realistic, of course, but never self-limiting. We often hear success stories of how people traded their careers to follow their passions and ended up striking gold. Well, following your passion might be the right thing to do, but developing it is what sets you up for success. In an age where people who were once nurses and lawyers are now bloggers and YouTubers, following a change in interest may not be as daunting as it seems, if today’s guests are anything to go by. 

How Shonice and Dominique Got Into Entrepreneurship – 10:27

As a kid, people will always ask you what you want to be when you grow up. Now that you’re all grown up, the question changes, or maybe it’s the answer because it’s always a question of how you want your life to be. After graduating, someone asked Shonice what she wanted her life to look like. That really got her thinking about her dream life and whether her vision of working in corporate America was the right path for her. At the time, she didn’t have the answers to all the questions; all she knew was that she wanted to be free and that entrepreneurship was the only way to archive that freedom.

On the other hand, Dominique was into the medical field. She knew what she wanted and worked hard for it, even if it meant working nights and still making it to class the following morning. Sometime before graduating, she landed a job working with medics, and that’s when she picked up a camera as a side hobby. Dom was passionate about working in medicine, but the more time she spent with medics, the more miserable she became. Interestingly, her side hobby, photography, was where she found real happiness. It was then that she realized that she only wanted to be a medic because of the amount of money she could earn. 

The Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur and a Wife – 20:25

First of all, entrepreneurship is never easy, but when you throw in being a wife, it gets even more challenging. Your marriage can be the birth or the death of your entrepreneurial journey. However, always remember that your spouse comes first, and it’s your duty to support him/her, even if it means pausing your journey. What you’ll realize is that what you call compromise is actually teamwork. One time you’ll be pulling up your spouse, and the next, they’ll be the one pulling you up. 

Like life in general, the most challenging part about entrepreneurship is stepping into the unknown, which, interestingly, makes the journey even more exciting. Nonetheless, if you believe that what you’re doing is the right thing for you, then the rollercoaster ride will be worth it.

Advice To People Thinking About Marriage – 29:03

While romantic movies tell otherwise, getting married doesn’t automatically mean a life full of sunshine and happiness. In fact, I believe that that would be a boring life, a life that somehow follows a script. This is not to say that being happy is wrong. No, what I mean is that marriage life will be filled with its fair share of challenges. But if you get your foundation right, you’ll weather all the storms that life throws at you. Also, seeking counseling doesn’t mean that your marriage is irredeemable. It shows that you’re humble enough to recognize that you need help. Marriage counseling doesn’t necessarily have to be office visits; it can be as simple as a book or a YouTube talk on marriage. 

Nonetheless, you should never stop growing, especially as a couple. And, if you feel like showing off your better half on the Gram, do so, just make sure you’re living your own life and that you’re not just trying to impress people.

Marriage Advice You Wish Your Parents Would Have Told You – 36:07

Our parents got married a long time ago, and how they kept their marriages alive might not necessarily work for you. Nevertheless, some basic things never change, and spending time together is an excellent example of that. Working together might mean that you spend a lot of time together, but you should also aim to have some quality time—a time when both of you only have one thing on their mind, each other. 

The other thing is financial literacy. It’s a well-known fact that most marriages end due to the money aspect of the relationship. Even if you had all the resources or coaches talking to you about marriage, it all comes down to the effort you both put into it to make it work.     

Dominique Brown, also known as Dom, is a 24 year old serial entrepreneur native to southern Arkansas. She currently resides in Austin, TX, with her husband and business partner Ronye,  where they run their wedding photography company, Light Visuals Co. Dom is a first-gen college student who graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Arkansas. 

By following her heart and true passion, she halted her pursuit of a career in the medical field and started a company with her husband in 2019. Since the launch of this business, their company has been featured in several publications and was recently recognized and named as one of the top wedding photographers in America by BRIDES Magazine.

Dom, then went on to start and co-host a podcast named The Pink Elephant Show with Shonice Montgomery. This podcast centers the conversation around elephant in the room topics that relate to love, life, and marriage. Dom’s life goal is to be a positive influence in her community and create an impactful legacy for the next generation. Connect with Dominique Brown on Instagram and The Pink Elephant Show Instagram account.

Shonice Montgomery, a Laurel, MS native, earned her Bachelors in Business Administration Entrepreneurship from Southern Miss in 2015, represented the entire student body as Miss Southern Miss in 2014 and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated in 2012.

After graduation, Shonice began her professional career in New Orleans, where she worked in management and retail sales for The New Orleans Marriott and Michael Kors. 

Shonice enjoys helping couples create an unforgettable and personalized wedding day through her wedding planning business, Montgomery Weddings & Events. 

When Shonice is not serving her bridal clients, she is co-hosting The Pink Elephant Show. A podcast centered on honest conversations about love, life, and marriage. Shonice currently resides in Hattiesburg, MS, with her husband, Chancellor Montgomery, and their three fur babies Rue, Boosie, and Webbie. Connect with Shonice Montgomery on Instagram and The Pink Elephant Show Instagram account. 

More ways to listen: Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, GooglePlay.