We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Reed a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Michelle, appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?
The most pivotal experience that prepared me to become a business owner was my role as a Program Director. In that position, I wasn’t just managing people—I was building systems, creating culture, and leading visions. I oversaw both full-time and part-time staff while simultaneously developing programs that addressed the needs of diverse communities. These weren’t cookie-cutter solutions—we had to build pathways that helped students succeed in school, adults thrive in the workplace and for both to carry those skills home with there loved ones.
The role stretched me in every direction—budgeting, team management and building, and program development—but most importantly, it showed me I had the capacity and capability to lead with impact. I learned how to motivate and empower individuals to think creatively and discover their own potential, even when resources were limited. I had to be flexible when things didn’t go as planned, reasonable in times of conflict, and courageous in moments of uncertainty.
Because I had also traveled the world extensively during my basketball career, I had a global lens. I took inspiration from the communities I visited domestically and abroad and fused it into my programming style—whether through sports, education, or service. That global exposure taught me that leadership is about vision and adaptability—two core values I carry with me as a business owner today.
Ultimately, that experience revealed a simple but powerful truth: I’m meant to be a boss, not an employee. It affirmed that I don’t just have the experience and knowledge to run a business—I have the vision and audacity to build something that reflects who I am and who I’m here to serve.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Michelle Reed, and I’m a former professional basketball player for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, European Pro Player and a proud Division I college athlete at Western Kentucky University & Sullivan Business College in Lexington.I was a Program Director, published author of “What Happens After The Game: A Memoir”, entrepreneur, public speaker, mentor, and visionary. My journey into business and community leadership started on the basketball court—but it didn’t end there. The discipline, resilience, and strategic thinking I learned through sports gave me the mindset and grit to build my own lane in business and service.
After retiring from professional basketball, I channeled that same competitive spirit into launching my first business, Pro Response Sports Inc. (PRSI). What began as a passion project became a powerful platform for community impact. Through PRSI, I organized youth basketball tournaments, clinics, and adult leagues throughout New York City, primarily in my hometown of Queens, NY. But it wasn’t just about the game—it was about bringing people together. PRSI grew into a dynamic special events organization, leading community engagement events that united NYCHA’s South Jamaica Houses residents around sports, purpose, and positivity. I ran PRSI successfully for 10 years, building trust, connection, and legacy.
That experience opened the door for me to coach at the college level and eventually serve as an Assistant Basketball Coach and Academic Advisor for student-athletes at CUNY York College, guiding young people through both academic and athletic success. In each role, I saw the importance of mentorship and representation —especially for young women in sports.
My entrepreneurial spirit kept evolving. I created Memories 23, LLC, born from my deep love for event planning and creating meaningful moments. Though the pandemic temporarily paused that venture, I continue to build upon my creativity to help others in the community host events. Today, I lead Miracle Mindsett LLC, a lifestyle and empowerment brand, and I’m the proud founder of Dream In Vertical Network Inc., a nonprofit designed to bridge the gap between current and former athletes and girls in sports through mentorship,mental health awareness, empowerment programs, and leadership training.
Each business, initiative, and event I create is rooted in one mission: to use my life’s lessons—on and off the court—to uplift others, especially women and girls striving to find their place and purpose.
What sets me apart is the lived experience I bring. I didn’t learn leadership from a textbook—I lived it through the lens of a junior high school, high school, college athlete, professional athlete, a coach, a director, a woman of faith, and a Black female entrepreneur navigating real systems with real people and real purpose. I understand pressure, teamwork, perseverance, and how to transform challenges into opportunities. That’s the heart of everything I do.
I’m most proud of my ability to create from vision, to build businesses that serve, and to remain committed to empowering others while staying true to who I am. Through Xpressions Salon Studios, my latest venture, I’m building a premium space where beauty professionals can grow as entrepreneurs with freedom, support, and excellence. This business idea was born from hope and strength. Both developed from work related injuries that consumed me for over six years now, enduring multiple surgeries, and a lifetime of pain that has become an everyday obstacle to face through willpower I still grab to keep myself going. It took my whole world to be turned upside down and faith be tested to figure out my what’s next. Forced to sit still, the injuries it took control of my body, but not my will to persevere.
To potential clients, collaborators, or young women watching my journey, I want you to know: I’ve walked the path you’re trying to climb. I’ve stood where you stand, and I’ve built from where you are. You can create your own lane. And I’m here to help you do it.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the hardest and most defining pivots of my life came as a result of unexpected work-related injuries that turned my world upside down. For over six years—and still counting—I’ve been battling through physical limitations, chronic pain, and the emotional weight of fighting a system that too often forgets the human being behind the paperwork.
There was a period when I feared I’d lose everything I worked so hard for. I felt powerless, stuck in a system that didn’t care about my well-being, my healing, or the life I had built with purpose. It was a slow, painful descent into a depressive state, where fear and anger became familiar companions. I wasn’t just fighting for recovery—I was fighting for my identity, my livelihood, and my future.
But my injuries also taught me one of life’s hardest and most valuable lessons: You must use what’s left, not what’s lost. I had to reach deep within and tap into my creativity—not out of luxury, but out of survival. I realized that the strength I once used on the basketball court, the leadership I brought to my businesses, and the drive that helped me uplift others—I still had those. They were bruised, but not broken. I stopped waiting for life to return to “normal” and started building from where I was.
There was a moment, standing in front of the mirror, when I didn’t recognize the woman looking back. And I knew something had to change. Excuses had to be left behind. The only option was to fight —to narrate a new, victorious storyline born out of pain, resilience, and purpose.
This pivot wasn’t about changing direction by choice—it was about choosing to rise when life knocks you down and locks the door behind you. I’m still in this fight. The battle isn’t over. But I made a promise to myself that no matter how long it takes, I will never give up. And that decision—to keep going—is the greatest pivot I’ve ever made.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
To be honest, my journey with funding hasn’t been traditional—and it definitely hasn’t been easy. I didn’t have access to a large savings account or a wealthy investor backing my ideas. What I did have was time, curiosity, and an unshakable determination to figure it out. I spent countless hours watching YouTube videos, learning how to properly structure my businesses, how to leverage personal credit to build business credit, and—most importantly—how to use other people’s money responsibly to fund my dreams without drowning in debt.
The thing about using other people’s money is, it comes with a requirement: discipline and a plan worth executing. That lesson alone transformed how I approached money. I realized early on that if I wanted to grow, I had to treat every dollar—mine or borrowed— with purpose. I had to be intentional, strategic, and accountable. Because at the end of the day, it all has to be paid back.
My biggest mindset shift came from learning how to multiply money, not just spend it. I focused on building businesses that solve real problems, businesses that people are willing to pay for. That’s the only way the model becomes sustainable. That is where Xpressions was born.
I didn’t learn these money principles in school—many of us did not. I had to unlearn everything I thought I knew about money and teach myself new habits. I learned from my own mistakes filing bankruptcy 2 years out of college, from other people’s failures, and from the knowledge that’s out there if you’re willing to dig for it.
I’m still learning. Right now, I’m seeking capital to grow Xpressions Salon Studios, and I’ll be honest—it’s hard. Traditional lenders don’t often want to take a chance on a business that hasn’t turned a profit yet. But I know what I’m building is valuable, and I’m committed to keep going until I get that yes.
Credit cards have played a role—they’re not the whole plan, but they are a powerful tool when used wisely. Tools don’t build the dream you do. But they can help when you use them strategically and with respect. To get those cards it takes great credit, it takes a discipline mindset, and it is not a tool to be abused. If you are not good with money, get great with it first before owning any cards because temptation creeps up fast when that money becomes available. I tell myself if I can pay it off at the end of the month or within two months, I will not buy it. This is a practice for personal and business spending. Spending for a business takes a little more time to pay back, but careful spending should never be left out of the equation.
Every step of the way, I’ve had to be resourceful. And while I still have a lot to learn, I know that my ability to fund, grow, and sustain my business comes down to this: faith, discipline, and the will to never stop learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://whathappensafterthegame.co
- Instagram: @xpressionssalonstudios
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/xpressionssalonstudios
- Other: Website: xpressionssalonstudios.comIG: @miraclmindsettllc
