Meet Jazelle Foster | Digital Marketer

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

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

I have to be honest  – I’ve never had a full-time job. I’ve been freelancing since college by design. When I was a kid, I looked around at the adults in my life and saw very clearly that the one thing they couldn’t figure out was how to be happy. So, I vowed to chase happiness.

I learned that if I knew how to do things with photography and social media that others struggled with – and if I positioned myself around the people who would need my help – I would always have a way to make money. I wasn’t focused on creating a business, I was focused on living a life of freedom. I never knew what it was like to have a steady paycheck or work in a professional environment, all I knew was how to hustle.

My hustle and curiosity drew me from acting to photography and coaching, and then to web design and content writing. At that point, I knew enough about marketing and creative types that I had the skills to build a team of highly collaborative people to support other small businesses and artists. And that’s the surprising story of Jazelle’s Artistry. I continuously chased happiness and joy, which is how I ended up building my business, and I’m still doing that today.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I started off as a creative, an actor to be exact. Artists very quickly learn that their art alone won’t sustain them – at least not at first. I’ve always been of the hustle mindset, so I always had side gigs that I relied on to pay the bills while I followed my dreams of being an actor in NYC. I seriously did it all: photographer, youth acting director, stage manager, web designer… It wasn’t until I studied digital marketing at Columbia University that I realized that all of those different side hustles through the years put me in the perfect position to serve other creatives as a whole.

Today, I run a digital marketing agency that redirects creatives from a mindset where marketing is a boring task that just needs to be “checked off their to-do list” to a mindset where marketing is a creative expression of the work they are already doing. Using Devised Theatre techniques, my team sits down with creatives to help them find the style of social media, email marketing, or visual design that truly captures their dream in a way that invites their audience in organically.

A lot of people ask “Was building a business easy?” Not surprisingly, most people will tell you “no.” But the real question should be “Was it simple?” Yes! I created a business structure that not only works, but uplifts and inspires.

If I could whisper something in the ear of every creative, I would say this: Look at marketing as your open diary to the world. View it as the place where you share what’s most important to you. Then, let us see you grow and shine. Gone are the days when people wanted to learn about a “business brand.” People want to know YOU. They want to hear your story. When they open their wallets they want to feel good about where they spend their 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’ve only been in ATL for six months now. When I have friends visit, I take them to two places: Negril Jamaican Restaurant for the best food and My Sister’s Room for a night of drinking and dancing. I’m still working on my itinerary.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s so many people who I can list. My mom did an amazing job of surrounding me with creative adults who saw my drive and passion and let me lead. Something that will always stay with me and inspire me is the book Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen. It’s about this young girl with stars in her eyes who worries that her too-large feet, too-long legs, and even her big mouth will keep her from her dream. But her persistence landed her exactly where she dreamed she’d always be. I read this book so much as a kid, and still have it to this day, torn pages and all. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized the book was written by Debbie Allen – which made the book even more special to me.

ersonalJazelleFoster__

Website: jazellesartistry.com

Instagram: Jazellesartistry