Two lazy Fridays in June. A handful of people tucking laptops onto conference tables at the Laurel Municipal Centre, wrestling with self-doubt as much as business planning. Some joined virtually, others sat in person, but they all shared the same quiet anxiety that keeps small business owners awake at night: What if I’m not good enough? What if people find out I don’t really know what I’m doing?
This wasn’t a boardroom full of polished executives. These were real people with cleaning companies and consulting practices, home improvement businesses and mental health advocacy groups. They’d each built something from nothing, yet here they were, still wondering if they deserved to call themselves entrepreneurs. The kind of self-doubt that holds back so many capable people from truly owning what they’ve accomplished.
The Pull of Something Different
What makes someone give up two perfectly good Fridays for a free business programme? For most, it wasn’t about learning marketing tactics or networking techniques. It was about that nagging feeling that they had something valuable to offer but couldn’t quite figure out how to say it.
‘I’ve seen too many entrepreneurs with talent—but no roadmap,’ said Lola Pyne, the branding consultant who created The Total Package accelerator. She’d spent over 20 years working in government communications before launching PYNE Creative, and she recognised the pattern: capable people who could solve problems and serve clients, but who clammed up when asked to explain what made them special.
The programme drew business owners from across Prince George’s County, offered completely free through support from FSC First and the City of Laurel. The hybrid format meant people could balance existing responsibilities while still showing up for themselves – something that matters when you’re running a one-person show or managing a small team.
The Guides in the Room
Lola Pyne anchored the sessions, helping participants find the heart of their brand without drowning in marketing speak. She brought in four other professionals who understood different pieces of the confidence puzzle.
Style coach Adrianne Munroe spent time reminding people that how you walk into a room matters – not because appearances are everything, but because feeling put-together changes how you carry yourself. Research shows that many small business owners struggle with feeling like outsiders in their own companies, and sometimes the simple act of dressing the part helps bridge that gap.
Lawyer C. Nicole Gaither brought unexpected clarity to trademark protection, making intellectual property feel less like a maze and more like common sense. For people who’d been worried about someone stealing their ideas, finally understanding how to protect what they’d built was quietly empowering.
Alegra Hall, founder of My Media Buzz, coached participants on pitching as everyday bravery – not because they needed to become polished speakers, but because learning to talk about your work clearly from your authentic voice helps in every situation, from networking events to family barbecues.
The heart of the programme came when participants had to stand up and declare not just what they do, but why they do it and who they do it for. The room held a mix of nerves and determination as people introduced themselves.
Dave Grogan from Sacred Safety Consultants had to explain why workplace safety consulting matters to people who might never think about it. Dr Paula Anderson from PACE Consulting found words for the kind of organisational change work that’s hard to describe but essential to experience. Emmalyne Head from Southern Belle Cleaners DMV talked about providing more than cleaning services – about giving people their time back.
FolaSade Pyne, who publishes The Black Girl’s Journal, spoke about creating space for voices that don’t always get heard. Joanne Oport from Africans for Mental Health explained her work removing stigma from mental health support in African communities. LaTaunya Howard from Howard Corporate Centre described helping other businesses find their footing.
These weren’t polished elevator pitches. They were real people figuring out how to own what they’d built, often for the first time. The room breathed with the weight of small revelations – someone realising they actually did have something worth talking about, another person making eye contact while speaking instead of staring at their notes. Much like other entrepreneurs sharing their stories authentically, these moments of truth created real connection.
What Actually Changes
The shifts weren’t dramatic. No one left ready to give a TED talk or launch a million-dollar company. But something quieter happened that might matter more in the long run.
‘There’s something powerful about being seen and supported,’ Hall explained. ‘These entrepreneurs left with more than a story—they left with a plan.’ Not a plan in the business school sense, but the kind of internal roadmap that helps you explain what you do at a networking event without apologising for taking up space.
Munroe put it differently: ‘Style is planning—it’s not about vanity, it’s about vision. When entrepreneurs learn to align how they show up with who they are and what they offer, the world takes notice.’
The concrete changes were modest but meaningful. Someone feeling ready to share what they do at a family gathering. Another person looking clients in the eye when explaining their rates. Small acts of ownership that add up to something bigger: the sense that you belong in the room where business happens.
The People Behind the Scenes
Nothing like this happens without help. Monta Burrough, Director of Economic and Community Development, and Brooke Quillen, Community Development Coordinator, worked behind the scenes to bring The Total Package to life. Prince George’s County has been building support systems for small businesses through various programmes, and this accelerator represents the kind of practical, accessible help that actually makes a difference.
Small Rooms, Clear Voices
By the end of those two Friday sessions, something had shifted in the room’s energy. Not because anyone had been completely changed, but because they’d found ways to be more themselves – and discovered that was enough.
Leadership for these founders isn’t about being the loudest person in the room or having all the answers. It’s about feeling clear on your own voice and comfortable using it. The kind of everyday courage that lets you introduce yourself without apologising, explain your prices without wincing, and walk into rooms where you belong because you’ve finally accepted that you built something worth talking about.
These were small business owners who came carrying talent but no roadmap. They left with something simpler and more useful: the quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you do and why it matters. Like learning to be unapologetically yourself, sometimes the most powerful thing you can discover is that your authentic self is exactly what people need to see. Sometimes the most radical act is just showing up as yourself.
