Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross is a leader, coach, and entrepreneur whose work spans leadership, career, and professional development across the globe. Inspired by the strength of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she founded SP Grace to honor their legacy and empower people at every stage of life—from entering the workforce to advancing into leadership roles. Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature her story to inspire our 5 million-strong community, because her journey reflects resilience, vision, and the importance of women uplifting women. In a world where “He for She” and “She for She” matter more than ever, her voice is a reminder that dreams, no matter how delayed, are always worth pursuing.
Q: What inspired you to start SP Grace?
A: SP Grace is named after my mom, my grandmother, and my great-grandmother. I wanted to build something aspirational—something bigger than even the business my mom created. It was about honoring the women I admired most and leaning into their strength. Today, my mom is my business partner, which makes the journey even more meaningful.
Q: Can you tell us more about the work you do through SP Grace?
A: Our work is truly global—if you have people, we can help you. We specialize in leadership, career, and professional development across the entire career lifecycle. That means helping someone entering the workforce for the first time, guiding professionals into leadership roles, and even coaching executives into the C-suite. One initiative I’m especially excited about is the College Smarter Method. It helps families and students not only gain admission into top-tier colleges but also build careers aligned with who they truly are as people.
Q: What are your thoughts on women stepping into entrepreneurship and leadership?
A: I think it’s wonderful when young women pursue entrepreneurship, but we need to be honest about what it entails. Entrepreneurship sounds glamorous, but the reality is, you often work harder for yourself than you ever will for someone else. You need to know finance, marketing, leadership—things you might not think of when you start. And you absolutely need community. Even the most successful entrepreneurs have moments where they want to give up, so having honest, supportive people around you makes all the difference.
Q: Looking back at your journey, what was one of your biggest challenges as an entrepreneur?
A: My parents were entrepreneurs, so I thought I knew what it took. But their businesses were heavily dependent on them being present all the time. I had to learn that real growth comes from building a business—not just being self-employed. That meant realizing I couldn’t do it alone. When I brought my mom on as a partner, everything shifted. Partnership, shared responsibility, and trust are what helped me truly scale.
Q: What’s your perspective on AI and its role in business today?
A: AI is a tool, not an outcome. The danger is getting so caught up in the technology that you lose sight of your goals. Just like when PowerPoint or online learning first became popular—people overdid it and the message got lost. With AI, we have to remember it should support our objectives, not define them. And no matter how advanced AI becomes, it can’t replace the human touch. Our uniqueness, creativity, and humanity are what make our work valuable.
Q: Finally, what message would you like to share with aspiring entrepreneurs?
A: Don’t give up. The most successful people didn’t have overnight success—they had a long backstory of setbacks before they got that one “yes.” One of my favorite quotes is by LL Cool J: “Dreams don’t have deadlines.” The timelines we set for ourselves often just create unnecessary stress. Keep working, keep moving forward—your dreams are still valid.
“Don’t forget: your dreams don’t expire. They’re worth fighting for, no matter how long it takes.” – Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross
Connect with Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross
- Website: collegesmarter.com
Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com.
