We had the good fortune of connecting with Janasha Bradford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janasha, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

The thought process behind starting my own business started with me questioning why. Why did studying for my Series 7 license feel like a foreign language? Why wasn’t I exposed to financial literacy topics at an early age? These questions sent me down a rabbit hole of research and a realization that I wasn’t the only adult wishing I had learned about financial topics earlier in life. A few striking things that I learned were that more than 40% of adults are financially illiterate, more than 75% of teens lack confidence in their personal financial knowledge, and that at the age of 7, your financial foundation is built. This frustrated me and sparked the need for me to create a brand to fill the void in financial literacy that is readily available to children between the ages of 6-11 and that would give our children some fun financial resources. So, I created Mahogany and Friends.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

At Mahogany and Friends, teaching kids to be financially literate is our number one priority! We aim to recreate how kids think about money by making it fun, accessible, and inclusive. Mahogany and Friends began as a book series and quickly morphed into a multimedia company that is centered around empowering and inspiring children through financial literacy. We offer imaginative educational books, toys, empowering kid activewear, music, and financial content perfect for children ages 6-11. Our products are designed to amplify diverse voices, disrupt the social norm of who is typically identified as a person in the financial service industry, show children they can build wealth through the financial market, and promote healthy money habits & mindsets.

I am a firm believer in your experiences shape who you are and it’s important to find the silver lining in those experiences. For me that is where my purpose met my passion. At the age of seven, my father passed away, the patriarch of the family, leaving my mother with three children and a large amount of money. Over the years, I witnessed my mother, a new widow, lose it all due to her lack of financial education and poor financial advice –sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. This ultimately led to the loss of our family home, financial hardships, and my pulling out of college, only to pay for it myself later. That experience put financial literacy at the forefront of my mind and showed me the value of the entire family being financially educated. I set out to learn all she could and become a reliable resource for family and friends alike. Seeing the upside to my early life trauma and the unmet need for fun, full-spectrum financial resources for children. I created Mahogany and Friends.

Mahogany and Friends is a young but fast-growing company. It was founded in December of 2021 and has organically increased in reach and community. I am most happy about the impact and change that Mahogany and Friends is having on families; especially those in my black community. It’s beautiful to see young children’s eyes light up with possibilities, families having fun conversations around money, and people seeing and understanding the need to expose financial literacy to children early.

Creating this company came from a place of passion and purpose and it has not been an easy road. There have been mistakes, tears, traditional publishing houses trying to change my stories, and people straight out not believing in the vision.

But, I’ve learned that your vision is uniquely yours and was given to you to share with the world. And that “No” or person not believing is getting you closer to the right people for your business who share your passion. I’ve also learned sharing your why and being authentic resonates with people more than trying to make it perfect. Like many who look like me, I didn’t have a blueprint but I do have the determination and the confidence/vulnerability to ask questions. As an entrepreneur, you are not going to know everything, but it is very important to utilize your network and people throughout your community to help you fill the voids and execute. I’ve also learned to be flexible in a plan while keeping my goal in mind.

I want people to know that your experiences shape who you are, but they do not define you or subject you to a small box. Be expansive, take up space, and find the silver lining in your trauma because for me that was where my purpose lay.

I also want people to know that our longest relationship outside of ourselves is with money- it’s present even in your death. That’s why it’s important we teach our youth how to have a healthy, prosperous relationship with money.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am not from Atlanta. But a few places I like in Atlanta is toast on lenox, the gathering spot, Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, an art museum, and a chic lounge.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to shoutout my mother! She deserves all the credit and recognition in my story- without her- there would not be a me, literally and figuratively speaking. My mother raised 3 girls on her own after my father passed. She explifies tenacity, strength, kindness, and passion. Growing up she taught me the beauty of perservance, obedience, and expression.

Website: www.mahoganyandfriends.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mahoganyandfriends

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janasha-bradford

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mahoganyandfriendsbookseries/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrTI4egTfpVH_HIAfZ0uMJQ

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.