(BALTIMORE) — I have met a lot of entrepreneurs in my 61 years.
I have met people who went from selling incense to becoming millionaires. I have watched people go from a life in the streets to a bountiful life as successful entrepreneurs. I have seen people build businesses in catering, the funeral industry, the church, law, science, and entertainment.
And yes, lawyers are entrepreneurs, too.
Different industries. Different backgrounds. Different journeys. But I recognize something in people who can see an opportunity, put in the work, and turn an idea into something that feeds a family, employs people, or serves a community.
All that to say: I love a hustler.
For me, a hustler is somebody who can make something out of nothing. A hustler can also multiply gifts—someone who recognizes talent and knows how to put it to work.
But I keep coming back to that first definition: somebody who can make something out of nothing.
That takes vision. It takes creativity. It takes ingenuity. It takes dedication. And it takes the willingness to keep going when others can’t yet see what you see.
We now live in the age of artificial intelligence. New technology. New challenges. New opportunities. Entrepreneurs are figuring out how to use new tools, reach new audiences, and create new ways to do business.
Still, somebody has to have the vision. Somebody has to make the decision. Somebody has to show up and do the work.
That brings me to a queen who deserves a moment of acknowledgment: Kimberly Hawkins-Salley, known throughout the community as KSAL.
She is about celebrating her people. She educates her people, from babies to adults. She is about entertainment, creativity, connection, and a healthy, happy life.
And she is everywhere.
Shows. Concerts. Boxing events. Awards programs. She makes her rounds, indeed. If something is happening, don’t be surprised to look up and see KSAL in the building.
She does the damn thing.
An Empire You Can Walk Into
The word “empire” can sound grand. In KSAL’s case, you can visit places, watch programs, and see children whose development has been part of her work for years.
Her educational foundation includes God’s Little Angels Learning Center and GLA Academy “School of Excellence.” The learning center dates to 1995; the academy was established in 2003. Together, they represent decades of work with children and families.
Think about that. A business that began serving children in 1995 has navigated changing family needs, evolving technology, economic uncertainty, and the daily responsibilities that come with caring for young people.
Parents are trusting you with their children. They want to know their babies are safe, learning, and receiving the attention they need. You have to earn that trust again every day.
In my earlier interview with Hawkins-Salley, she spoke about the generations of children who have come through her programs. That is a powerful way to measure a business: by the families who stay connected and the young people who carry its lessons into adulthood.
The accompanying photograph captures her standing outside GLA Academy and God’s Little Angels Learning Center, arms extended and smiling.
For me, that picture speaks to the pride of ownership. There is joy in standing in front of something you helped build—especially something that serves other people.
Education and the Arts Belong Together
What draws my attention to KSAL’s work is the way education and entertainment connect.
A child can have an academic gift. A child can have a musical gift. A child can dance, act, speak, perform, or organize. Sometimes an observant adult needs to recognize that ability and give it room to grow.
Her dance program, Triple Threat Elite Dance Academy, reflects that commitment. GLA’s website lists the dance program among the activities available to students.
Dance requires practice. It requires listening, timing, discipline, and learning to work with others. You have to prepare before you go on stage. You have to learn how to receive correction and come back stronger.
Those habits matter beyond a performance.
I appreciate entrepreneurs who create places where children can discover what they can do. We talk a lot about young people needing opportunities. Someone has to provide the space, organize the program, and make sure there is another opportunity after the first.
In our earlier conversation, Hawkins-Salley described taking young performers to the Apollo Theater and then facing the question of what came next when they returned home. That experience helped drive her determination to create more platforms for young talent in Baltimore.
That is the kind of thinking I respect. You see a need and start working on an answer.
Building the Places Where Talent Can Work
Her portfolio also reaches into production.
In her previous BMORENews interview, Hawkins-Salley identified GLA Performing Arts Center, GLA Sound Stage, KSAL Studios, Triple Threat Elite Dance Academy, and The KSAL Empire among her ventures. KSAL Studios has also publicly promoted television, radio, recording, green-screen, and production services.
That matters because talent needs somewhere to work.
A singer needs a place to record. A host needs a place to produce a program. An artist needs a place to rehearse and perform. Someone with a good idea may need help turning it into a finished piece of content.
The services information KSAL provides describes opportunities for beginners exploring music, entertainment, and technology, as well as experienced musicians seeking to develop their work. It includes recording services and performance opportunities.
From my own media experience, I know having an idea is only the beginning. Producing it takes time, equipment, coordination, and people who know what they are doing.
Building that capacity within our community has value. It gives people a place to start and return to when they are ready to do more.
From the Studio to the Screen
Then there is the media side of the empire.
The KSAL Show has an established connection to Baltimore’s WMAR-2. Her public program descriptions identify her as its executive producer, and she also makes episodes available on her YouTube channel. Her radio work includes Building Your Empire with KSAL, which she has promoted in connection with 92Q.
Television. Radio. Digital media. Production. Performance.
Each requires attention. You have to develop content, coordinate guests, prepare for recordings, and give an audience a reason to return.
And KSAL has built a substantial digital audience. Her KSAL Empire YouTube channel has surpassed half a million subscribers.
Let that sink in.
More than half a million people have subscribed to a platform that carries her brand and work.
As an independent media owner, I understand how much effort it takes to build an audience. People have plenty of choices. Keeping their attention requires consistency, creativity, and a willingness to keep learning.
The technology changes. The formats change. The way people find your work changes. You have to pay attention and keep producing.
That is part of entrepreneurship, too.
She Makes Her Rounds
But what I see in KSAL goes beyond the buildings and the broadcasts.
I see somebody who gets out among the people.
She makes her rounds. Shows, concerts, boxing events, awards programs—she is there. She has the energy of a social butterfly and the instincts of someone who knows relationships require attention.
Being in the room has value. You meet the artist. You hear the story. You congratulate the honoree. You see the young person performing for the first time. You learn what someone is working on and where there may be an opportunity to collaborate.
I have spent enough years covering Baltimore to know that showing up matters.
People remember who came. They remember who supported them before the big moment. They remember who took an interest in their work.
KSAL’s public-facing programming includes KSAL on the Move, and the name fits what I have seen. She gets out into the community and brings that energy back to her audience.
That presence is part of the work.
Multiplying Gifts
Earlier, I said a hustler is somebody who can make something out of nothing. I also said a hustler can multiply gifts.
That second definition deserves some attention here.
When you help a child develop a talent, you are investing in something that may grow for years. When you provide a recording space, you give an artist a chance to create. When you build a show, you create a platform where other people can be seen and heard.
Those are different kinds of opportunity, but they can reinforce one another.
A young person can learn, practice, perform, and begin to understand how the creative business works. An adult with a talent can find services that help move a project forward. A community organization can gain visibility through an interview or event coverage.
That is what interests me about the range of KSAL’s work. Education, the arts, production, and media connect in practical ways. Each can open a door to the next.
And somebody has to put those pieces together.
Give Her Her Due
We should take time to acknowledge the people doing this work while they are here to hear it.
Building and sustaining a business is demanding. Running several operations across education, entertainment, and media takes a great deal of attention. People depend on you, decisions wait for you, and responsibilities continue long after the public sees the finished product.
I have met a lot of entrepreneurs. I have watched people build from modest beginnings. I have seen talent become a livelihood and determination become a business.
So when I meet someone who keeps creating, keeps connecting, keeps creating opportunities, and keeps showing up, I pay attention.
KSAL has given us plenty to acknowledge: decades in education, dance and performing arts, production services, television and radio work, and a digital platform with more than half a million subscribers.
And through it all, she still makes her rounds.
She celebrates her people. She gives young talent room to grow. She brings her personality and energy to the work. She knows an opportunity can start with an idea, a conversation, or someone willing to take the first step.
This is my moment to give her the credit she deserves.
Sister is doing it.
