THE DILEMMA

Listen, it’s a tough question especially when it comes to positioning your brand to look professional and successful. In fact, there are all sorts of reasons that people get stuck on this issue.

1. I don’t want to be the face of the brand
2. I don’t want to look like a mom and pop company
3. I don’t want to have my personal life scrutinized

THE SOLUTION

The answer to this age-old question hinges on one question…

WHO YOU ARE SELLING TO?

Yep, it’s just that simple. Once you are clear on who you are selling to, then you can understand how to best connect with them. 

Still confused, don’t worry, take 90 seconds to watch this video and you will be unmistakably, crystal clear about building your brand around yourself or your company.

Until next time, catch you you on the flipside.

IMAGINE THIS…

Your kid decides to head out on a Saturday afternoon to go to the movies with friends. As they head out the door, you call out after them “be careful”! Every parent worries about their kid meeting an “accident” that would cause them harm.

The safety of our loved ones a common worry in the daily lives of most people.

NOW IMAGINE THIS…

Same scenario, but the time the kid is black or brown. In addition to worrying about an “accident”, you have even bigger anxiety about an “incident” that may occur.

AN INCIDENT is code language for when a black or brown person is killed at the hands of white people without probable cause. I mean it would be too ugly to just call it “murder” so we will stick with the safe word and say “incident”.

THIS IS A LOT…
I live in Atlanta and the riots are rocking our city these past 48 hours. And I’m honored to say that I have had my white friends ask me how they can help. I’m thankful for those friends.

Listen, it’s hard to know what to do in situations like these when you can’t relate. It’s hard to know what to say when the pain of black and brown people is so palpable. It’s hard to understand how people could be so mean and insensitive. Sh*t, it’s just HARD.

But it’s even harder to live in fear for your safety even when you are doing mundane things like being asleep in your own home or taking a morning jog.

WE NEED ALLIES…

The voices of black and brown people alone are not loud enough to make a difference. We need for our white friends to step up and support us. Here is how…

When you see something, say something. When you see or hear sh*t that’s out of order. Racist, sexist just generally fcked up behavior. Say something! I know it’s scary, but we are scared too. At the very least record the situation and be a silent witness.

Silence is compliance. When people that you know say something jacked up, tell them you don’t appreciate it. Racists view your silence as compliance.

Don’t judge. I do not agree with the riots. I am very sad that is happening. But I understand the level of pressure that has been building for years that leads to radical, irrational behavior born out of unheard cries of black and brown people.

THANK YOU!
Dear White Friends: I appreciate you for taking the time to read this heart-centered message. I thank you for taking the time to consider my thoughts and feelings. And I am sending you prayers and positive energy to give you guidance on your next steps. I also recorded my thoughts on video to help.

Dear Black & Brown Friends: Stay hopeful, prayerful, diligent, and safe. Yours in harmony — Jai     

It’s time to put some vroom in your Zoom! With the self-distancing movement, most of us are still trying to maintain some normal business behavior. Most of us are diving deeper into the video conferencing world.

But with kiddos being home and cases of toilet paper piled up in the corner of your home office, you may be self-conscious about showing your home these days.

COOL QUARANTINE TIP

Zoom anyone? Zoom is one of the most popular videoconferencing platforms around these days. And they are making amazing strides in helping people adapt to their platform. The most exciting thing these days is the Zoom Virtual Background. Want to know how to set it up? Follow the steps below.

• If you don’t already have it, download Zoom to get started http://jai.buzz/jaizoom
• Watch my tutorial on creating your own branded virtual background HERE.

Stay home and stay safe! Happy Branding, The BrandMother

In my previous post, I wrote about my first Canva printing experience. The process went so smoothly that I decided to try something else. This time I went for a t-shirt that I designed for my sister’s business, the Daisy Mae Company!

Ok, Canva showed me once again that they are here to compete in the printing space. I was able to order ONE shirt. I was beyond pleased with the quality of the shirt, the turnaround time and the packaging. Check out this video of the unboxing.

Happy Branding from,
The BrandMother

It’s no secret that CANVA is my favorite DIY graphic design platform. I have been on the platform from the beginning and I have to admit, I’m beyond excited at the direction it is going in.

I started my branding career as a graphic designer, and I confess that I am a brand snob. So when I first jumped on Canva, I was impressed with the graphics but a lot less impressed with the fact that it was not all that user-friendly. Fast forward 5 years and I’m amazed at how the app has transformed.

Canva has been offering print services for a few years now, and I have always skipped the option since my local printer is both economical and fast. But recently, I decided, WTF, let’s give it a shot.

So I printed some #HustleMerch postcard flyers using the print services and I was more than pleased with the results. Check out the video and see for yourself.

Happy Branding, The Brandmother

I’m so freaking geeked and humbled to be on the dope list of digital influencers offering brief commentary. Chickety check, check, check it out:

1. Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter
2. Morgan DeBaun, Founder & CEO, Blavity
3. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
4. Columbia, S.C., Mayor Steve Benjamin
5. New Orleans, Mayor-Elect Latoya Cantrell
6. Jai Stone, Award-Winning Brand Strategist

Wanna know what I said that snagged me a spot on this list? Welp, read below!

How do you define tech?

Tech is anything that makes life on-the-go possible. From mobile devices to portable personal assistants, technology is designed to keep us moving, mobile and connected.

What is your digital space claim to fame?

I’m an online content creator who made my debut as a blogger. As soon as I evolved to video content, my brand grew rapidly. It was live streamed content that catapulted me into the social media superhero stratosphere. My content has been featured on Essence, BET, ESPN, Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, HuffPost Live, Madame Noire, and more. I’m not trying to brag. I just want people to know what is possible if you put yourself out there.

The revolution will not be televised. It goes live on which social media/digital platform—and why?

For decades, big media has controlled the narrative and decided what America is allowed to see or believe. Now, the power of the raw truth is at the fingertips of anyone with a mobile device. People are tired of feeling unheard; society is tired of sitting in silence and mankind will no longer mumble or mutter about injustice. We will simply “go live” and let the world see and translate the narrative in real time.

Is the digital landscape the new civil rights frontier?

The new symbol of civil rights is the hashtag. Digital and social media give us the ability to mobilize a worldwide movement right from our mobile devices. A click and a cool hashtag can draw crowds to venues or galvanize them to take a stand for their beliefs. Digital movements are a thing, and the hashtag connects all those who care about that thing together.

What is the next big thing in branding?

Video has been big for a while and I think most Black people were late to the game. Streaming video content series will be the next big way to leverage your brand. We are quickly approaching a time when the only way to gain visibility with your brand is through video content. So why not create a series that allows your audience to consistently tune in to your brand and your message?

I’m going to wrap up know, but I just wanted to say that to be recognized by such a historically influential organization is one of the greatest accomplishments of my career. Thank you, National Urban League, for recognizing me as an Influencer and all around BADASS!

View my original entry on the National Urban League website.

NOTE: WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE DEVELOPERS. PLEASE DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HIRE SUBCONTRACTORS TO DO THIS WORK.

POSITION BRIEF (ROLE):

This opportunity is for a “group branding” project where there will be multiple clients serviced simultaneously. The developer will be primarily responsible for theme installation and back-end customization. Graphics, photos, brand colors and website content will be provided by the agency prior to starting the project.

If this sounds like you, please keep reading then follow the instructions to apply.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Theme installation and customization (does not include plug-ins or SSL certificates)
• Ensuring high-performance of all aspects of the installation
• Ensuring effective, responsive design for all elements of the website

REQUIREMENTS:

Communication Skills:

• Excellent internal, verbal & written communication skills
• Listens to the client’s needs and implements them effectively
• Communicates with clients and internal/external contractors
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills are required

Solid Organization & Problem-Solving Skills:

• Stays focused and organized so that products and services are delivered without a hitch
• Efficiently and quickly resolves issues/concerns.
• Remains calm during a crisis and the high pressures
• Keeps upper management informed of any changes
• Manages resources and tasks simultaneously
• Attention to detail

Work Systems We Use:

• TeamWork (Project Management)
• Box (Online Storage)
• Microsoft Word (Content)
• Adobe Illustrator (graphics)
• Adobe Photoshop (photo editing)

HOW TO APPLY:

Please follow the following steps to apply for this position.

1. Send your resume along with a link to 6 live WordPress installations that you have completed
2. Please include 3 references with phone numbers and emails
3. Apply via email to work@jaistone.com.
4. Make the subject of the email: WP Project Candidate
5. Do not apply if you plan to hire sub-contractors to do this work

So you know I’m a content creator at my core. And I believe in creating and repurposing content on every viable platform. I finally decided to buckle down and do my first podcast called Badass BizCAST with Jai Stone.

Episode 1 is just 5 minutes of me telling you that entrepreneurship takes what it takes. Take a listen.

I remember thinking “with all the money there is in the economy, why am I limited to THAT number?” I suppose even then, I was already an entrepreneur in my head. I didn’t like that my earning potential was being controlled.

The “cap” was widely known and accepted in the company, they even bragged about it. And here I was 22 years young full of nothing but steam and dreams and I had the audacity be offended, LOL. But it is clear that my inner “rebel” was already fully mature by then.

As you push to build your brand, you will be given lots of “caps” to control your ambition. People who don’t know what is possible will say “you can’t make a living doing that”. People who are scarred by failure will say “that is not realistic”. Folks who don’t know what success looks like will say “who is going to pay you for that”. You will need to be a rebel so you can prove them wrong and live life on your terms.

Being a rebel has allowed me to quadruple my revenue twice in 3 years. I’m not saying this to brag, I’m saying this because several people close to me told me to my face that I wasn’t going to do it (it being reaching my financial goals). I was so incredibly wounded that they didn’t believe in me. Later I realized that it cut so deeply because I was struggling to believe in myself.  That is when I called on that rebel spirit that was dormant in me and she came roaring to life and kicked bootay!!

Today, I’m giving you permission to ROCK THE REBEL in you. I promise you, rev up your rebel and she will change your life.

Last week I was coaching a client and she seemed to be hesitant to charge for the thing she had been doing for years (for free).  She felt that she wasn’t “qualified” to charge for her gift. For some reason, we feel that just because we didn’t study for a specific skill set that it’s somehow less valuable to people. Just because something comes naturally to you, doesn’t decrease it’s value to others.

Another challenge is that we don’t think people should pay us because we aren’t experienced in offering our “gift” as a service. Remember your first job? You had zero experience, right? But you still got paid on the first day. With many jobs, there is a training rate and a full pay rate. So why should you treat YOU any differently? When you first start charging for a service/product, keep your pricing low. Once you have improved your process charge more. Get it? Charge for your learning curve, and when you improve, charge more. Yeah, it’s called on-the-job training!

Here’s my last point. Our gift usually gets results. THAT is the whole reason it’s considered a gift in the first place. So if you have people in your life that have applied the fruits of your gifts in their life and they have gotten results guess what? They are now clients and most importantly they can give testimonials. Why testimonials? They boost your credibility and your confidence. And at the end of the day. Choosing to charge or not to charge money for talents is simply a matter of confidence (boom, bet you weren’t expecting that finish).

Happy Gifting, Girl!