Hospitality is an art form—for Aisha Steele, it’s also a lifestyle. As the founder of The Aisha Life, she does event planning, catering, event design, and more—infusing every gathering with her signature intention, connection, and joy. Steele sat down with host Nancy Redd on the latest episode of the Mompreneurs podcast to talk about pivoting from a low point to building her dream life, letting her gifts shine, and finding purpose in service and connection.
Steele built The Aisha Life around her many talents—from creating scrumptious grazing tables, to sharing her love of cooking and dance to students of all ages. Overall, she curates unforgettable experiences that cater to every detail.
“What could I see myself doing even if I didn’t get paid for it?”
A turning point that led her to The Aisha Life came with being laid off and separating from her children’s father. It was her chance to pivot and reflect on what truly fulfilled her—her kids, her community, and the joy of bringing people together. “It was like, I got the severance package, I have this house I’m trying to keep—what can I do to make all of that come to fruition? The things that I love—focusing on my kids, my community, and giving back,” Steele said.
The Aisha Life was born, and continues to thrive to this day. “It truly is a beautiful time in my life,” said the mompreneur. “I’ve never worked harder. I’ve never been more tired. But I’ve also never been more fulfilled in living in the plan that God has made for me.”
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“I really wanted to be the Huxtables.”
Steele reflected on how her idea of success changed over time. She let go of what she thought “should happen” and embraced living, and moving, at her own speed. “I really wanted to be the Huxtables,” she shared. “I really wanted to have this storybook type of life. I think it has been ingrained in us that it has to look a particular way, that you have to do it in this particular fashion … I didn’t even realize I was on autopilot, of not living the way that I wanted to be. I was just mimicking and mirroring what I thought should happen.”
“Success, to me, is not in sacrifice. And that’s what changed for me this season. I’m going to be successful, but it’s not going to be in sacrifice of my time, my health, and my dreams.”
Aisha Steele, founder of The Aisha Life
“I think before, in the first season of my life, it was always about what I can give to other people. What can I give to management? What can I give to my partner? What can I give to my kids? Versus saying: you can have a different blueprint of success that does not mean your wants and your needs are less than.”
“I get cared for more when I just pause.”
Learning how to slow down, sit back, and allow herself to be cared for changed everything. “What I love about being around other Black women is, I saw women that were more restful than I was,” Steele said. “Now, I literally have to pause when I go places … And what I’ve noticed is I get cared for more when I do that, if I just pause. I don’t have to be the one that confirms the reservation. I don’t have to be the one that found the quicker route for us to get there, because if we go 15 minutes late, we’re still gonna have a fabulous time.”
That shift didn’t happen overnight—it meant unlearning old patterns of prioritizing everyone else’s needs above her own. “All of that was a reworking of my brain, especially when you’re in traditional type relationships where you’re meant to be subservient. And that was being in corporate America—you’re always meant to be serving, you’re performing, you want to be the top producer. But now I’m really great with: maybe I don’t get every single contract … I’m good with being like, that’s not for me. Because everything that I’m supposed to have, I have gotten, and I have gotten more.”
Embracing this mindset ultimately afforded her more time to give to her children. “I truly want to be present for my kids,” she said. “I like that the path I have now gives me the means and the time that whatever they want to explore, I can do that for them. So that’s what entrepreneurship meant to me.”
“I want people to look at Aisha and not think ‘resilient’ anymore.”
Steele didn’t allow her challenges to define her—instead, she focused on positioning herself according to where she wanted to be. “I’m not going to act as if I had a privileged life at all, but I’ve always seen where I want to be and aligned myself with those people.”
There were difficult moments, for sure. But she never let herself stay stuck in them. “I’m not a wallower. Let’s have our moment, let’s get tipsy, let’s do the late-night eating—and then we rally. We rally to what is going to better us, that’s going to better the people around us.”
When it comes to being “resilient,” Steele is ready to reclaim that narrative, at least when it comes to her own story. “As a Black woman, it sucks sometimes that you have to be resilient … I want people to look at Aisha and not think ‘resilient’ anymore. I want them to think: inspiring—versus: ooh, that girl been through some stuff.”
“Don’t feel like you have to fix everyone that’s around you.”
For aspiring mompreneurs trying to build a version of The Aisha Life in their own lives, Steele’s advice starts with getting comfortable with imperfection. “Be open to failure. Be open to getting it wrong. Be open to just listening,” she encouraged.
From that openness, she said, comes clarity. “I really want people and moms in particular to understand that if you just listen, take a pause, and notice that everything doesn’t have to be done—the answers will come to you. Ask more questions, talk to people, don’t feel like you have to fix everyone that’s around you—and then you’ll come to the peace of, hey, this is what works for me.”
Don’t miss out on the full conversation. Watch this episode of Mompreneurs above.
Catch New Episodes Of Mompreneurs Every Week
August is Black Business Month! To celebrate, Mompreneurs is back with brand-new episodes to spotlight the brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Thursday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.
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