We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jacquie “Lady J” Murrell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jacquie “Lady J” below.
Jacquie “Lady J”, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.
I have always loved serving and helping others, especially those who are underserved because I used to be one of those people. As a child, teen and young adult, I had endured so much trauma, abuse, and hardship, I ended up on a 24 hour watch on the psych floor at a hospital. I knew what it was like to be molested, raped, physically abused, homeless, addicted to opioids, suicidal, and so much more in addition to never receiving help or having anyone that would listen to me so I decided that I would be for others what I did not have. That is why my first business was a nonprofit organization that focused on serving the homeless and families in need. I obtained my degrees in Business Management and Psychology. Ever since 2010, after getting my life together, I have dedicated my life to serving others both personally and professionally using my life experiences, education, resources, and knowledge.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Jacquie Murrell, better known as “Lady J,” the BounceBack Queen and The Master BounceBackologist. I am a multi-award-winning Community Servant Leader, Master BounceBackologist, National Life Transformation Speaker, Author, Mentor, Business Development Coach & Consultant, Rising Media Mogul, and Serial Entrepreneur. I teach others how to bounce back from seemingly impossible circumstances and how to build a life and business that is positioned to be sustainable and win through my mentoring and coaching programs, Business Bangers (a division of Life Support Company LLC), and the BounceBack Program (a division of BounceBackology LLC). Additionally, I provide a host of other services and products through my multimedia company, E.G.O. Entertainment Network, and my nonprofit organization, No Limits Ministry Inc.
I am the definition of ‘Resilience on Repeat.’ I have mastered the ability to bounce back repeatedly from multiple traumas and hardships in life and business which earned me the title, “THE BOUNCE BACK QUEEN.” This was my driving force to start helping others do the same in life and in business. Whether I am consulting a client concerning their brand, speaking at an event to educate or inspire, mentoring young people, feeding the homeless, or using my multimedia platform to support and promote a business or message, I meet the needs of the people in all I do. I help amplify their voice, connect them to resources, or provide the resource that will help take them to the next level.
I am most proud of the fact that I have the ability to be a light for those who feel they are stuck in darkness personally and professionally. I love that I am a living, breathing, walking example of what can be possible if you never quit. I’ve had to shut my businesses down twice in the last five years, due to major health issues, but they are thriving more than ever and have expanded beyond my goal. I love that I have mastered building effective, beneficial, and long-lasting relationships in business which have been key in getting me to where I am today second to God. After living a life full of abuse, hardship, trauma, depression, and more in addition to suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2019, I am honored to be able to use my life experiences to inspire and serve others in whatever capacity is needed through my brands, Life Support Company LLC, E.G.O. Entertainment Network, BounceBackoloy LLC, and No Limits Ministry Inc. I want people to know that no matter what your circumstances are, YOU ARE STILL POSSIBLE!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In 2019, my companies were close to surpassing my revenue goal for the year. I had just opened up a second location with 2 business partners of mine and business was great! I was traveling to speak and conduct sessions with at-risk youth and the multimedia company was expanding even more. I had just purchased a new vehicle and moved into a new home. Thirty days later, August 22, 2019, I unexpectedly suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm and was dying. All I could think about were my four children and how I wouldn’t get to say goodbye. My entire body was shut down and I was fading fast. My world stopped and I had accepted I was going to die. I wasn’t expected to live as the majority of people who experience this pass within the first 48 hours before brain surgery and within 10 days after having the surgery.
When I woke up however many days later (I don’t remember how many days it was), I couldn’t do anything or move or even talk. It took me a total of 19 months to go through several types of rehab and recover even though I would never be 100% again. In that time, I lost my building, my businesses were shut down by my POA, and host of other things, but because of the service I provided across the nation, and the relationships I built with other organizations and clients, they took care of me and my children. My debt was wiped clean from the bank after my funds had been exhausted to take care of my household and children. The car finance company worked with my POA and they never repoed my vehicle or added late fees, nor did my landlord file for eviction or charge late fees. I had a $295,000 hospital bill that the insurance wouldn’t pay and then they decided to go back and pay the entire bill in full. People I inspired, mentored, served, etc. donated money to help take care of my children and all I could do was cry and say thank you to God and to them.
In those moments, it was a prime example of what it means to be kept both personally and professionally and it was a testament to who I had become and what I had provided to people and communities across numerous states. I had clients who paid for services but never received them and they patiently waited for me to recover. They could have asked someone else to do it. When I returned, I was insecure, depressed, and unsure of myself because of my disabilities and limitations and I wanted to quit many times while trying to take my time getting everything back up and running but I made a promise to God and to my children. He didn’t bring me this far from I had already endured before the aneurysm happened and he gave me a second chance at life so quitting and failure is never an option for me. I’ve been hospitalized 3 times since then and that still doesn’t stop me. I make sure to watch what I am doing, take my meds, master time-management, and keep going.
Now, with hard work, discipline to operate within the confines of my limitations or new normal, and those God has placed on my team and in my network, I have been able to BOUNCE BACK yet again and have business booming and bigger than ever with 2023 being the first year I am back in full effect! Resilience on Repeat!
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I have a degree in Business Management and was in business development and management in the corporate world before I became an entrepreneur. Business has always been a fun, interesting, passionate hobby of mine and I am always learning and researching. I am a guru at minimizing overhead in order to maximize profit so every business that I have started, I have done so with no debt. I used money from my 9 to 5 to slowly fund my the launch of my nonprofit organization first. I can build a solid organizational and operational structure for just about any type of business and within 90 days, I had acquired 250 clients, 4 major annual sponsors, and launched the largest water event for the homeless in my city of Indianapolis among other things. My other companies, I funded them the same way. They are multidivisional companies so I started with one division first, made sure it was running like a well-oiled machine and then through reinvesting the income back into the businesses, I added another division, and another one, and another one, and so on. I accepted public donations for my nonprofit and used my own income from my other businesses and speaking/mentoring program to fund them. Rome wasn’t built overnight and greatness takes time.
Though there are many different ways to fund a business, most can be funded with little to no debt starting out and if setup correctly, can start making profit in less than five years. This is one of the things I teach my business clients. If I can do it, you can too.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ladyj.co
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ladyj.co
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/LadyJbrand or www.facebook.com/PRIMERIB.J
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lady-j-brand
- Other: www.egoentertainmentnet.com www.businessbangerscenters.com