My First 90 Days: Honoring the Pivot, Trusting the Process, and Building Through Community – Part I.

Becoming, Again

When I stepped fully into my role as Executive Director of the Black Hoteliers & Investors Association, I promised myself one thing: I would not rush the becoming.

There’s a book many leaders reference called The First 90 Days—and one of my facilitators from the Holding Space course, an offering of The Nebo Company, reminded me why it still matters. The first 90 days are not for judgment or haste. They’re for listening. Observing. Learning the rhythm of what already is, before introducing what could be.

I’ve held that close these past weeks—the reminder that “the merry-go-round comes around again.” Not every moment demands an immediate reaction. Some moments simply invite us to witness, to breathe, to align with leading with pure intention when the timing is right.

This mindset—of holding space, not just taking space—has reshaped how I think about leadership. Especially now.

The Power of the Pivot

My sister recently shared something that reflects the personal power of this season:

“You don’t lose credibility when you pivot—you expand it.” – Tai Beauchamp

That truth has redefined how I move through transition.

There was a time when stepping into a CEO or head executive title felt like performing readiness before I’d “earned” it. I had the vision — but not yet the belief. The gaps weren’t in ability or knowledge; they were in self-efficacy, permission, and power.

Now, I understand that every pivot is an invitation to expand — not by doing more, but by becoming more aligned. Each shift teaches me to move with flow, not force; to grow from clarity, not comparison.

That clarity has been nurtured in the communities that shaped me — Chief, DC Startup and Tech Week, Seed Spot, and StartingBloc — ecosystems where I’ve witnessed local founders, innovators, and changemakers build from both grit and grace. Being in the orbit of these extraordinary visionaries — cultural architects who merge creativity with commerce — taught me that real expansion isn’t about scale for its own sake. It’s about alignment. About moving in rhythm with purpose.

Community as Capital

We often talk about “social capital,” but what I’ve learned is that it’s so much more than a network. It’s resonance. It’s shared identity. It’s the beauty of recognizing and honoring one another’s brilliance—not in competition, but in collaboration.

When you tap into that level of community, it’s not transactional—it’s transformative. It’s wealth that can’t be quantified.

And I’ve had the blessing of learning that, in part, from my sister, Tai Beauchamp—an entrepreneur, strategist, mentor, and creative force whose career has modeled what longevity, grace, and power look like when fused with deep self-awareness. She’s been a mentor before mentorship was a movement, a multi-hyphenate before that word became trend.

Through her example, I’ve learned that collaboration doesn’t dilute individuality—it amplifies it.

Living Out Loud

So here I am: living, leading, and learning out loud.

Owning the newness of this role as Executive Director or Black Hoteliers & Investors Association (BH&IA). Honoring the evolution of my voice. Allowing this journey to be as public as it is personal.

Because what we’re building at BH&IA is far larger than any one individual—it’s an ecosystem of belief and belonging.

It’s the conviction that Black ownership in hospitality’s boutique & independent sector is not a dream deferred, but a destination well within reach.

It’s the reimagining of what hospitality feels like when ownership reflects the culture, creativity, and care that our communities embody. From feasibility to fixtures, from concept to guest experience, and brand partnerships to procurement—we’re designing a new standard, where legacy is built room by room, resort by resort.

Why the Work Matters

This is more than economics—it’s emotional architecture.

Every hotelier we empower through awarding non-dilutive grants through the Hoteliers Grant Program, every partnership we form, every story we tell contributes to a ≈$5 Trillion global hospitality ecosystem where Black founders, investors, and executive leaders can see themselves reflected at the highest levels of ownership.

And as we prepare for our Hoteliers Gala, benefiting BH&IA’s Hoteliers' Grant Program, I find myself returning to this idea of community as wealth.

This gathering isn’t just a fundraiser—it’s a convergence. A curated space where purpose meets power, where leaders across hospitality, travel and tourism, finance, and culture gather to move this mission forward.

If this vision resonates with you—if you believe, as I do, that ownership is the next frontier of access and innovation— → DM me here on LinkedIn for a private invitation to the Gala.

It’s a space designed for alignment, for connection, and for catalyzing what’s possible—together.

Looking Ahead

As I continue through these first 90 days, I am guided by patience, grounded in gratitude, and propelled by purpose.

The next chapters will explore what it means to build through alignment and to lead through expansion—but for now, I am honoring the pause between the notes.

Because sometimes the quiet moments—the listening, the observing, the holding—are where the most powerful leadership begins.

— S. Lovey Parker Executive Director & Founder, Black Hoteliers & Investors Association

Next in the Series

In Part II of my First 90 Days reflections, I’ll share a closer look inside these first 60 days — the lessons, patterns, and moments that have shaped this new chapter of leadership.

It’s a reflection on alignment, evolution, and what it really means to build with intention from the inside out.

Acknowledgements Wall — Month One: Becoming

To the extraordinary individuals who continue to see me as I become — thank you.

Your presence, your counsel, your honesty, and your belief have carried me through this first season of becoming an executive in full bloom. You remind me daily that leadership begins not with direction, but with presence. With listening. Observing. Learning the rhythm of what already is, before introducing what could be.

To my sister, Tai Beauchamp , who has modeled brilliance, creativity, and unwavering grace for as long as I can remember — you are my blueprint.

To my personal community of peers and mentors — from Chief to DC Startup and Tech Week, and beyond — thank you for being my classroom and my constellation.

To every cultural innovator, founder, connector, convener and visionary who continues to inspire the intersection of creativity, commerce, and conviction — your visibility is fuel for our collective vision.

To my Holding Space facilitators, who have reminded me me that stillness is a form of strategy, and that diplomacy, curiosity, and observation are the scaffolding of authentic leadership — your guidance has been a compass in these early days.

To BH&IA's members, hoteliers, advisors and partners who have believed in the art of the possible — your trust is sacred. You are the reason this mission breathes.

And to every friend, colleague, and confidant in my orbit — thank you for pouring value into this journey, for reminding me that growth is relational, and that community is both our context and our catalyst.

With appreciation and deep respect, S. Lovey Parker