We were lucky to catch up with Jaida Henley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jaida, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

As a little girl, I had a hard time growing up in Douglasville, GA. My parents were never together as a couple so I experienced a rough attempt at being a child between two co-parents. My mom and dad did the best they could with the resources they had but I remember feeling very misunderstood. When I was in fifth grade, all the social media apps started becoming relevant. I remember downloading instagram and creating a Taylor Swift fanpage nobody I knew could follow so I could vent and feel heard. I made a lot of internet friends who knew more about my life than my friends at school did. With that, I liked to make cute edits and themes for my page to look appealing. I started practicing graphic design Then I met an internet friend who went by the name of Ivy and she always made homemade music videos and edits on her phone. It really inspired me how expressionate she was in her videos and I also thought they were super cool. Not long after becoming friends, we both started Youtube Channels. I started propping my camera up on anything I could to act as a tripod until I finally got one. With that, I fell in love with doing self-produced photoshoots and video shoots. Ever sine then (2014) I have had a camera in my hand ever since.

I remember my dad saying one time “Do you see all these concert ticket stubs?! I bet I have been to more concerts than all your friends parents in your (first grade) class combined.” My dads eager attitude towards live music made me fall in love. I started going to concerts (My first was Shawn Mendes in Atlanta at a small venue before he blew up.) and before I was 16, I had been to over a hundred concerts (seriously, I kept a list)

Around 2019, I was sixteen years old and I started to work part-time jobs. I hated working long hours after school so eventually I started charging super low rates for photos and discovered that people would actually pay me for my talent quality. I made a friend named East (He passed in Nov. 2022) and he was around my age. I was super talented at photos whereas he was super talented at videos. We hit it off and started hanging out often going to different shoots together that we had gotten booked for. It made sense because we were both camera people. East brought me to 11th Street Studios where I ended up meeting Lil Keed. Somehow I ended up back there a second time, and Keed invited me into their session asking if I wanted to record their session. I had never worked with a celebrity before so I was nervous and excited at the same time. At the time, I had my clients under the impression I was just a few years older than I actually was so I wasn’t discredited due to my age. I started to bring my camera with me everywhere with newfound confidence and started pursuing Celebrity Tour and Event Photography. Gaining quick success and popping out with different celebrities, people from my small town high school wondered how I was getting exactly where I was and how. I had always had a love for recording my experiences but life had become so fun at this point, my viewers enjoyed the unpredictable experiences as well. I dropped out of high school because my attendance got bad and ended up graduating a year earlier online.

East (my friend) always talked about Real Estate and Wholesaling/Credit. It inspired me at the young age and I really developed a love for financial literacy (Also thanks to my Pawpaw (passed April 2023) who raised me playing sodukus and logic puzzles.)) I ended up getting my Real Estate license, began working at Chase Bank at 18, building my credit, and aimed to inspire others on my newfound keys to success.

I moved to Atlanta and worked at Chase for a remainder of time whilst going to college (I dropped out), studying for my real estate license (licensed Jan 2021), working a second part-time serving job (my first time ever making $5k+ a month, and discover how to draft my LLC and market myself as a photographer.. I mention all these things because it took a lot of dedication and resilience. In May of 2022, I took a break and flew my mom to Miami for her birthday. During this trip I vlogged and really dove into short-form content. People loved it and so did social media. I have gone viral since on platforms such as Facebook (10M+ Views), Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Snapchat, and more media apps. Eventually I had enough income streams to where I quit my job to pursue my entreprenuerialship, The journey has been rough but every time I thought about turning back, God always positions me forward… Especially in December when I got an email saying I had been selected to live in the old Hype House (Now known as The Selfiepop Mansion). I didn’t even have 10k on Instagram so I couldn’t believe what was going on. I flew from Atlanta to Los Angeles to check it out with a backup plan of calling some family if things went south. Not only did things go great but that experience changed my life. I was living in my Pinterest dream board. I fell in love with the experience and networked with as many industry connects as I could, surpassing my engagement and tieing between Atlanta support vs Los Angeles Support. I flew out here again and again since 2023 started to the point where my body started getting tired of the traveling. It was time to seek a new adventure. I packed up my car, prepared my dog for the road, and drove from Atlanta to LA by myself. I vlogged the entire journey for my Youtube Channel.

I would label myself as a multi-entrepreneur which can be a blessing and a curse at times. All-in-all my entire journey started with a little girl who just wanted to feel understood so she told all her problems to a camera and just never set it down. I have been through toooo many lifetimes to only be twenty and lost too many friends but I have learned I am meant to be on this path and I will be the first self-made millionaire in my family.
My end goal is to own as many properties as I can/become a wholesale beast and just create. I love to just create and share my experiences. Whether it be taking pictures, modeling, acting, painting, making music, I just love being a free artist

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jaida Henley and I am from Atlanta (Age 20)

I am an multi-entrepreneurial based influencer who aims to inspire others to create their own dream life

I am a professional photographer/videographer who owns JHENLEY MEDIA which services Atlanta and Los Angeles. (Instagram @JHENLEYMEDIA)

I am an actress/entertainer on Youtube showcasing travel and event vlogs and currently building my portfolio. I have worked with names such as Musiq Soulchild and DC Young Fly, I have had partnerships with brands such as Walmart IN-Home, Ethika Girls, and Selfiepop

I am building my music career and working on stage performances soon

I worked at Chase Bank as an Associate Banker and I have my Georgia Real Estate License so I’m very passionate about analytical ways to make money as well like financial literacy and sales.

I HAVE DONE ALL OF THIS WITHOUT AN AGENCY AND NO REPRESENTATION. I AM A BOSS WOMAN

How did you build your audience on social media?

The first music video I ever shot under JHENLEY MEDIA was with a client named Sogmond, (Video here https://youtu.be/DluPuEUwXVU )

Okay so I remember one time, I checked my instagram notifications and seen Sogmond had tagged me in a post on instagram. Turns out it was a post by DCYOUNGFLY saying “Tag a videographer.” I liked his mention of me, commented that I was available, forgot about it, and went on with my night.

Well a couple days later, I’m hanging with some friends and I checked my dm requests. I see a verified badge and click to see Dc had DMed me asking my rates. Out of all the comments (300+), he saw and caught attention to my work

A few weeks later, I ended up getting another message from DC asking if I was available that day and that he was gonna need me. I ended up meeting him on a whim at the State Farm Arena not knowing what to expect. Turns out he was a special guest at The Millennium Tour. I was vlogging that day and had nooo idea what was going on until I was inside and saw celebrities everywhere (Jacquees, BowWow, Wake Flocka, Mario and more.) I was vlogging and came across the setlist. Oh my gosh I couldn’t believe what was going on. DC ended up going on stage with Dem Franchise Boyz and BowWow, bringing me on stage too. I was standing in front of 26,000+ people who had their phones lit up and singing along to the crowd. It was truly breathtaking.

https://youtu.be/BSPShOHUKAE – video

All of that stemmed from a referral from a previous client by implying tagging me on a social media poat and it inspired me so much.

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

When I went to pursue my Real Estate license, I was still working at 30+ hours a week at Chase bank. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I would rush off my 8 hour shift and drive 30 minutes in traffic to real estate School. Not only was I not used to the schedule, I wasn’t used to studying. When I got that textbook, I couldn’t even comprehend the first two sentences… much less the chapters required to read in between each class. I created flash cards, used quizlet, and even got my friends to study with me. Man it was such complex knowledge for me at the time.. I got so overwhelmed, I remember those 30 minute drives home at 1opm after class, I would cry my eyes out. I didn’t want to study but when I felt neglectful, I watched Selling Sunset and it inspired me. I ended up passing my school and state exam on the first try but it took everything in me. I definitely understood the concept of resilience at the time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/jhenleymedia/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaidahenley/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jhenleyy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaida-henley-81a142197/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaidahenley13
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHUCQgeffmzqn6p-TNaj4kQ
• Other: https://www.selfiepop.com/jaida-henley

Image Credits
Some Photography Demian Benitez and Jordan Amari