We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jody a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jody, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I hope my legacy shows that I was someone who always strived to enhance who I was and learn to be a better person . I want to be known for helping others, and being able to have a platform that allows people to come together .

Jody, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a proud Army Veteran , and the executive creator and owner of Joes Palette Paint and Wine bar. The location is in St. Petersburg Florida, and we offer in-house wines and step-by-step art classes, as well as themed paint and sip events and private events for bachelorette, birthday Parties and corporate events as well. The current team consists of three artists currently with the potential of growing . The Joes Palette team goes above and beyond to ensure that our customers have a one of a kind experience. Our themed parties cater to numerous demographics, which can range from 80’s and 90’s themed paint and sip parties, Latin night, to hip-hop or R&B, Caribbean nights which includes soca, reggae and dancehall as well as Afrobeats. Our atmosphere is one that is super popular with Instagrammers who love the traditional selfies. Our walls are filled with art and paint splashes, and not to mention our famous pink themed flower wall and butterfly room.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

When I first started the Joes Palette brand in 2018, I was still on active duty in the military and a full-time college student. I painted as a hobby whenever I had spare time, and it turned into me selling my paintings online after I hosted my first art auction in 2018 . However, what helped me build my brand and my customer engagement, was to keep in mind that friends and family, and just people who know you personally; can and are willing to support you , but the consistency of back to back sales will come from people who you do not know personally. I had to expand to meet new people and put the brand out there. I did not have a physical location at the moment , which didn’t stop me of course ; so I had to partner with local establishments to provide my services . With my Management background and my business degrees , I was able to partner with local bars, lounges and restaurants and was able to reach more customers in numerous states such as Sacramento California, Washington DC, Northern Virginia and Florida to name a few. Fast forward a few years later, JPs’ social media instantly grew because of organic customer following, and with the help of social media influencers who genuinely enjoyed what the joes palette brand had to offer.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I decided to walk away from my career on the active side of the military, I was going on 10 years of proud service . When I initially joined, I was an immigrant from a tiny island in the Caribbean. After becoming a non-commissioned officer , three PCS’s and finishing my Masters degree, I felt that it was time for me to gracefully and humbly transition into the next chapter of my life , which was to become an entrepreneur . There were a lot of pushback from others, who did not see the vision at the moment, and I personally feel like a lot of times, when people are comfortable in their situation; they maybe afraid of the unknown because of their personal doubts and can unknowingly suppress their feelings on others. For me, elevation meant appreciating everything that had been placed in my life and transitioning into something new , which meant following my dreams and aspirations while feeling a sense of pride and honor to be able to say that I am, and was a part of something bigger than myself .

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joespalette.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/joes.palette?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/joespalette/
• Other: Upcoming events for Halloween events and other events : https://www.eventbrite.com/o/joes-palette-32196207807

Image Credits
Halloween 2022 pieces : – A. Schmidt – Artist at Joes Palette – L. Davis – Artist at Joes Palette -N. Johri – Artist at Joes Palette Others : -Hunter Valentino – Outlaw Elite Analytics