We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Buchman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.

Jessica, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

When I create art, I want it to tell a story. I don’t post on social media just to post. STORY is a Creative Direction brand where your visions, ideas, and passions are brought to life. STORY is meant to have a beginning, middle and end but it’s all in the execution.

A start middle and end – whether you see all parts or not, you know it took each chapter to get you to the final scene.

Story by JRB was created so that I can tell your story and bring your visions to life. JRB stands for my name but also pays a little homage Sarah Jessica Parker – SJP.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello! My name legal name is Jessica R. Buchman but some may know me as The Jess of All Trades, Jesschilll_ on social media, or just Jessica, some days just Jessica is perfect.

Born into the creative world without even knowing it – don’t worry not Nepo status. I began walking in fashion shows for my families boutique at a very young age, did a few promotional things here and there and then forgot about it. I went to school for computer science, and while I was studying, one of my mentors was a photographer and made me fall back in love with the media world. I then began modeling for the university, exploring and working with other photographers that would then get me scouted by agencies.

I went to New York and signed to two agencies, took a few classes and realized I could be doing more. I dropped one of the two agencies I was with (super scary but totally worth it) I am now signed with HEYMAN Talent and I honestly have never looked back. Within the first week of signing with them I landed my first national print for Big Lots! and I’ve worked on countless commercial print advertisements, TV shows and film since signing with them almost 4 years ago.

My parents always asked me, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” And I would always answer, “The Lady”. It quickly puzzled them until they started to realize when we would go out out eat or to get a hair cut, or to the movies it was always “Tell the Lady what you’d like.” At such a young age I realized I wanted to be “The Lady,” the woman in charge, the woman doing the damn thing.

October 2022 I shared my dream with the world and launched myself as a Creative Director with my brand Story by JRB. I challenged myself with a photo series, where each month was a different color, and I would create a mood board pertaining to each photoshoot. I came up with set designs, costumes, hair, and make up, and executed about 48 monochromatic shoots for this series. I did it, me, one person, The Lady did it.
I am currently a freelance Creative Director, model and actress as well as working a substantial full-time job – benefits I can’t get enough. It’s definitely challenging, I cry a lot, but on the days that I’m not crying I’m working with such a beautiful and talented souls that want to tell their stories. This business is difficult, you get a lot of “no’s” but if this is something you truly want, you’ll find the grind, the sleepless nights, and the tears to pay off that one yes. I’m pretty honest with my journey, because if I didn’t tell my story, how would I be able to share others?

If you want to know, more, reach out to me!!
Signing off, The Lady

How did you build your audience on social media?

One thing I’ve realized is I am not and never will be considered an “instagram baddie,” and I’m completely ok with that!! I am a signed commercial print model, like actually.. PERIOD! I create art.

When I was transforming my personal account to be more exclusive to the branding of who I am, I had a friend once ask, if I were to look at your Instagram, I would have to know what you are selling, so if you’re selling yourself, how does that look? Hearing those words – “selling yourself on social media,” in my head I was like – “wait so now this is highschool all over again and I have to ‘sell’ myself so people will like me??”
I decided that I was going to remove my typical post of my friend and I getting drinks to maybe a photo where I look confident at a photoshoot. I keep it real on my stories, where I will post embarrassing photos of myself, songs that I’m listening to, photos of myself without filters – the real deal. One thing that I’m very honest and open about is my mental health, specifically, dealing with anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia. I think being able to be in tune with your followers makes you so real and so worth having a platform that you can speak upon issues and know that there is a real person behind that post. Even if I post that confident photoshoot doesn’t mean that I was feeling confident the day of, and I’ll be open about that. Aside from showing my true colors on social media, I think keeping the aesthetic of my photo series makes the page worth scrolling through. It really hits you in the feels when a new friend views your profile with you, and you hear them say “wow this is amazing,” and you know deep in your heart that you did it, you executed the story.

Now building a separate business page is a little bit of a different story.. no pun intended. It’s really hard to grab followers onto a new page because again you have to sell yourself. At the end of the day I used to care about how many likes I got on the photo or how many views or how many followers I had…it truly doesn’t matter. You know your worth (and if you don’t, you’ll get there, be patient with yourself) others will notice and your moment will come.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Every “no” isn’t a “no” it’s just a “not now no.” Confused? Yes, me too, I was auditioning and auditioning and auditioning for various roles that maybe I wasn’t super interested in so I wasn’t giving it my all – obviously I wasn’t going to get the role but I didn’t realize this at the time. I started to become frustrated because I was like what am I doing wrong? They said they’re looking for a pale girl with red hair that portrays someone that likes to shop. How could they not choose me?? I’m literally that girl!! I have convinced myself that I wasn’t built out for this business, because I personally didn’t believe in myself, which – the energy you put out into the universe, is the energy brought right back to you, again, something I didn’t know at the time.

I was truly ready to give up until no other than Chrissy Teigen gave me the advice I needed. Miss Chrissy was doing a Q&A on Twitter, and I had asked her, “for someone who is from a small town and working her way up with acting and commercial print, is there any advice you’d give when most of the time you hear “no” and want to give up?” She responded in less than a minute and said “ you do it all for the odds. 100 no’s will get you one yes. and they already know what they want before you get there. you don’t wanna be a part of something they don’t want anyhow.”

Contact Info:

• Website: Jbuchmantalent.com
• Instagram: @jesschilll_ and @STORYbyJRB
• Linkedin: Jessica Buchman

Image Credits
Yellow Car shoot: Photographer: Auburn Ghost Photo, MUA: Bianca Black, Hair: JennaLovesYourHair Tiger Strip outfit: Photographer: Heather Tabacchi MUA: Bianca Black, Hair: JennaLovesYourHair Blue Sequins: Photographer/MUA: Gianna Catanzarite Disco Ball: Photographer: Auburn Ghost Photo Story By JRB Launch event: Hair/MUA: Bianca Black Speaking on stage at Story by JRB launch: Photographer: Cxmbatcamera Hair/MUA: Bianca Black