Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Camika Jerido. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Camika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Thank you! What matters most in terms of achieving success can have various meanings depending on the person who is defining success. For me, success is taking the initiative “to start.” When I say to start it could be something as simple as creating your first video or making your first social media post about your business. I understand to draw clients, we must let others know what our business entails and how potential clients can reach us. However, it does not end there. We must be consistent in our method of advertising, continue to research, and learn about our area of expertise so that we can keep up with the market. Also, having an open mind to receive and learn is highly important. No one knows everything and being closed minded can have you stagnant and wondering why business is not growing. In business, there will be mistakes. We must not dwell on our mistakes but learn from them and try a different approach. So, in terms of achieving success it is important that we take the initiative to step outside our comfort zone, stay consistent, open to learn, and try different approaches. Success is an ongoing journey not a destination so having the energy to preserve is significant.
Camika, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Camika Jerido and I am the founder of a non-profit organization. My success comes from my childhood experience. As a young girl and through my adulthood, I was always excited to help. Sometimes, I even helped too much to the point I became overwhelmed. I have always felt people around me needed me and did not want to let anyone down. I was the “go-to” person for family, friends, and even outsiders. I was your girl! I have left my hometown of Jacksonville, FL, a few times to attend college. There have been times when I have lived out of the country. Still, that did not stop the calls asking for help. My decision to prioritize service often meant that I would be up late, working on different things between classes, on breaks, or through the weekends.
During my teen and later college years, I mentored and tutored local and international students at elementary and middle schools and youth organizations. When tutoring, I worked with students who struggled with specific academic subjects and assisted with behavior issues, among other things. When working with children through the judicial system, I assigned behavior-based punishment. My experience taught me that a disconnect is causing the lack of comprehension and behaviors which labels our youth as at-risk and dysfunctional. Although the exact factors are unknown and beyond my control, it is evident that we learn from our environment, our parents, our neighborhood, our family, our friends, etc. We teach our children what we know. We cannot teach what we do not know. The things our children learn and observe in their early years greatly impact their academics and how they will behave and succeed in the future. In multiple moments I wondered how I can help our community. What can I do to break the generational behaviors? Everywhere I visited, I worked with young children doing the same things I had done in Jacksonville, FL. Even when I left the country, I worked with young children. That’s when I drafted a business plan and put in an application to start a non-profit organization that provides awareness, education, inspiration, and support to disadvantaged communities.
My journey began in 2014 but things were going differently than I originally envisioned. At times, I felt defeated and overwhelmed. My goal was to form partnerships with local businesses and organizations while continuing to travel outside the country, but this was unfolding differently than I envisioned it. I was certain that this was what I was supposed to be doing, but I needed to understand how to properly go about executing my vision. Holding Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. degrees did not prepare me for what I needed to say or how I should make needed connections. I was experiencing life during this time, pouring most of my additional finances into the organization and hoping for the expected outcome. I was trying and doing all I could. However, similar to what I stated above, I was only doing what I knew. I could only do what I was taught by the environment that I grew up in.
Despite my education, I still lacked knowledge of adequately operating the organization. I was so accustomed to being the go-to person that I felt no one else could help me. Mentally, I was stuck, and I did not realize it. I always wanted to give back to the community, so I continued my education to return to my community and let others know that we can obtain whatever we want or be whomever we want. One day, I made up mind. I was determined to make the changes I wanted to see in the organization. I got tired of feeling defeated and overwhelmed. I worked on myself and shifted my mindset to grow in the areas I lacked. I was no longer afraid to fail, step outside my comfort zone, or worry about what others felt or thought. Immediately, I started investing in myself, not just the organization. Now, we as an organization is winning. Our goal is to shift mindsets to Win!
I am grateful for my experiences. My experience helped me shift my mindset, understand my desire to help, and realize that no one is more powerful than me in moving USA Unlimited, Inc & Boys 2 Win forward. By staying consistent, continuing to learn, and sticking to the process, I got all the help I needed.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My journey of resilience has allowed me to be more intentional about being my authentic self. I struggled with telling others “no,” even when I did not want to do it. I would do everything for everybody despite what I had going on in my personal life. I would show up, push harder, do more, and be more to make sure everyone is happy. Internally, I was tired and overwhelmed and wanted change. It wasn’t sudden but happened over time that I started to put me first and show up as the best version of myself. I learned to give myself permission to crumble and feel all the feelings that life had thrown at me. I became more vulnerable and was able to truly understand what taking care of myself feels like. I had to intentionally pay attention to the positives and negatives that happened daily. That’s when I truly started to weather the storm because this allowed me to stop and take time to think so I can hear myself and respond with my most authentic self.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Yes, I had to unlearn habits of the mind. I would dwell on things that happened to me and be tough on myself. This had a big impact on me because I would be unforgiving since I hold myself to high expectations. I had to stop being so unforgiving, release the negative, and absorb the positive. We are all human and no one is perfect. Additionally, I had to unlearn how I reacted in certain situations. I had to be intentional about listening before I reacted if a reaction was necessary. I had to learn that every situation does not require a reaction or response. Finally, I had to unlearn my own perfectly formed opinions. There were times I could see or hear something and already have my opinion about it. I had already decided if I wanted to do business or not based on the opinion I had formed. I had to start seeing life through a different lens to experience a wholesome view in my area of business and of the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.usaunlimited.org
- Instagram: @usaunlimited2013
- Facebook: @usaunlimited
- Linkedin: Camika Jerido
- Twitter: @USAUnlimitedIn1