Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Afrika Joneé. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Afrika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?

This is a great question because a few of my “artist-preneur” friends and I were just talking about this. My views are quite controversial in my friend group Haha!

So, it had only been three months since my partner and I launched our film school. I had already tripled our growth and built a popular live podcast series. It was bittersweet because I was so proud of this success. But deep down, I was struggling mentally, physically, and emotionally. 2 people noticed.

But no one else called to check on me. And that’s just fine.

As business owners, entrepreneurs, and creative artists, we seem to struggle without support from our loved ones. The expectation is for them to show up, congratulate, buy and promote. And if they don’t, hurt feelings ensue. But I’m no longer pressed. My advice? Start minding the business that pays you.

It’s your responsibility to build and connect deeply with your audience. You have to put in work to gain momentum. Running a business takes grit and laser focus, so show some grace. Your people might not know what you do, much less how to help you.

I used to care who saw my movies or bought my books. But the truth is I was wasting a lot of time and energy on something I would never be able to control; Other people. My concern needed to be my own business. So, I got to work building my customer acquisition strategy.

The moral of this story? Find your audience and get to know them well. Your happy customers, who are looking for you right now with open wallets, will show you all the support you need. Plus, your good attitude will attract mentors and other business owners along the way. They will become your village.

Instead of expecting my family and friends to build my business for me, I put my energy into connecting with people who want what I’m selling. And because of it, my business has grown exponentially. My friends and family still don’t notice. But finally, I don’t care.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Afrika Joneé, a born artist with a burning love for the entertainment business. Even when the industry was cruel and unjust, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. My mother is a concert pianist. My dad was a film director. And there was never a time when music and tv theme song melodies weren’t trailing through the house like wisps of smoke.

I grew up in Atlanta, on the SW side of area code 404, where the fight of civil rights and the performing arts come with the territory. So it’s no surprise that I produce independent films.

At 19 I left home and began making a living as an entertainer; headlining tours, singing backgrounds, writing, recording, and producing music. I signed a production deal with a prominent engineer in the city. He was like my uncle. Until the day he asked me to take my clothes off. It was devastating. And even though I left with my dignity intact, I felt betrayed and was determined to show his a$$ that I could make it without him!

And I did.

Since I was on my own as far as my career was concerned, I choose to master branding and online marketing. That’s how I found my love for deep research. Turns out that I’m excellent at it. That one decision changed my life.

Years later, I had been living in Istanbul as the headliner for a jazz lounge in the dungeon of an elite hotel. It was beautiful there on the Bosphorus River, but it was all starting to get old. You know, the daily hustle, hours of singing, and all that mandatory smiling. So back to Atlanta I went. And while my best friend, a popular film director, and I were luxuriating over plates of savory lobster tacos at Nuevo Laredo, I made a life decision.

“Doesn’t flying to the South of France, marrying some billionaire, and singing smoky jazz in exclusive waterfront hotels sound like a great life?”
“No,” he said sullenly, and then brought me into the film and tv business the next day. Success came quickly.

But when my friend became the victim of a violent attack, life stopped. When he passed away, grief had me drowning in the dark for a long time. Today I’m back up and he would want me to go on.

Now, risen from the ashes, I walk my clients through the same proven framework that helps my team and me create and deliver award-winning films, tv series, and products that sell.
Using the power of data science and artificial intelligence, we leverage our expertise in market research to help entrepreneurs, business owners, and artists create their audience’s favorite product.

The product they love.

My mission is to help YOU find and connect with YOUR audience so you can serve them more deeply through your art or business. And make projects and products that mean the world to them and to you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivot? Sure! It was already after 9 pm. Houston Methodist Hospital soared high into the clouds. Large concrete blocks, one on top of the other, climbed up and up until they looked like a needlepoint in the sky. I steadied myself to head toward the entrance. Each labored step fed a sense of dread that grew in the pit of my stomach. I was now officially courting urgent care and emergency rooms like a professional athlete. In and Out. In and out. In and Out. Still, no one knew why.

The waiting room was full of a heavy silence that wore on me. The round white clock on the wall ticked slowly until a cute little nurse finally called my name at 3:17 am.
“Miss Afrika,” she said with a heavy Sugar Land drawl. “Come on back for your scan.”
The pain that started as a dull ache more than three months before had quickly grown into complete agony. It was so bad that I would willingly go to the ER in a strange city in the middle of the night where no one knew me.

After the CT scan and the brief explanation of what it found, I was finally leaving the hospital. It was 7:49 am. I had a 13-hour day of filming in front of me. My mind continued to play back memories of all the people in my family who were on dialysis because of this. They had had organ transplants because of this. They had died because of this.

To this day, I have no idea how I knew I would be healthy again. Or why I felt such a strong urge to live. It was a no-brainer. I went straight to Youtube University.

“Cure kidney disease naturally.”

I was in stage 3 kidney disease. So I gave up sugar cold turkey. Talk about a pivot. I was expecting to fail miserably. But I didn’t. I want to live. And after nine weeks of no sugar, the disease had reversed. Back to stage 1. Today, no kidney disease is detected Haha! Huge pivot.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

5 Books I love that changed me as a person are:

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Classon –
This beautiful book, written in parable form, is taught by the fictitious Arkad, a lowly scribe who became “The Richest Man in Babylon.” I learned how to create, protect and invest wealth with simple step-by-step instructions. These rules never fail me.

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene –
“She used to be so sweet and delicate before she read the 48 Laws of Power,” is what my fiancé used to tell strangers about me. There is something very intoxicating about gaining money, power, and respect by any means necessary. Every law is detailed with poignant and shocking stories about some of the most famous names in history. The lesson? Take no sh#!
Please use it for good.

The Law of Success in 16 Lessons by Napoleon Hill –
Total opposite of the 48 Laws, the Law of Success in 16 Lessons is about gaining power and success with love and compassion. What did I learn? Everything I need to know to succeed during times like these. The principles in this book, published in 1928, are as relevant today as they were then.

The Game of Life and How To Play It by Florence Scoval Shinn-
I found this little red gem on the bookshelf in my aunt’s hair salon. It called to me and was the first book I read on the importance of mindset.
Her simple message is that we get back what we put out into the world with our words, actions, and attitude. Now when things happen, I have learned to evaluate myself. And plan accordingly.

Transient Leadership by Kufere Qhamata –
Written by a brilliant young thought leader in the business and tech space, Transient Leadership teaches a new way to lead. Backed by data and filled with stories of failure and triumph, it shows how adaptability and embracing change are paramount to success in this cellphone icloud world. It taught me that the foundation of my superpower is my fluid intelligence, a gift from the Most High.

BONUS x2:
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz –
A practical guide to FREEDOM

The Silva Mind Control Method by José Silva –
If you’re not afraid to push your mind past all limitations, take this class ASAP. Thank me later.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AfrikaJonee.com
• Instagram: @afrikajonee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afrikajonee2
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afrikajonee/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@AfrikaJonee
• Other: www.RuleTheSet.org

Image Credits
LaRosa Media