We were lucky to catch up with Jaquese “JQ” Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jaquese “JQ”, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

As a former college athlete, I understand the feeling of being overlooked or being considered as the underdog. Throughout my sports career, many people doubted me and didn’t believe that I would be successful. My company JQSportsPR, focuses on serving these same individuals who are grinding and putting in the work to reach their success but don’t receive the exposure that they deserve.

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

I’m a former NCAA basketball athlete who has played on various levels including Division 1, JUCO and Division II. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I pursued my education and attended Liberty University where I earned my Master’s Degree in Human Services and Communication Studies. While completing grad school, I interned for the Liberty University Football Team as a marketing assistant intern, coached a JV girl’s basketball team, joined the media production team for Lynchburg Legends, a semi men’s basketball organization as well as produced and host my own local tv show called, On Q with JQ.

After graduation, I moved back to North Carolina, which is where I started JQSports. At this time, I traveled and attended some of the elite youth sports events from the McDonald’s All-American to the NBPA Top 100 camp, EYBL, etc. I enjoyed being on the sidelines and interviewing the top high school male athletes who are now in the NBA. Although I had fun interviewing these young men and building rapport with them and their families, I felt like there was something missing. Being on both sides as an athlete and now a businesswoman, I figured that I could offer a more valuable service than just interviewing top athletes. That is when I made the transition to being in front of the camera to now being behind the camera….which is how JQSportsPR, LLC was formed.

Using my wealth of experience as an athlete coupled with my desire to be of service; I have been able to successfully parlay my firsthand experience and media savvy into a career in public relations.

Covering such premier events has been instrumental in my ability to establish essential business relationships with NCAA coaches and other notable individuals in the sports community. My portfolio reflects my ability and expertise while working with high school, college, professional athletes, social media influencers and athletic brands.

Over my course in Sports PR, I have had opportunities to coordinate events such as the ‘Who Got Next’ Celebrity charity dinner, RDU HS All Star basketball game and nonprofit events for NFL players. From working with student athlete families with the recruiting process to managing high school athletes and sports companies social media, I can only imagine what God has in store for me.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I love this question because so many people have asked me this over the course of my journey. Putting yourself out there can be intimidating and frustrating. Social media is a platform that can help your business grow and build a promising community at the same time.

When I began creating content for my business, I approached it with a mindset that I was going to be myself and be relatable as much as possible. I had to figure out what value I would offer to my followers so that I could build a community of trusted individuals. It’s important to remember that people buy from people and not brands. How you communicate and manage those customer relationships will depend on the success of your business.

Batch your content all in one day and mix up, videos, photos, IG Live, stories, etc. You have to stay fresh in your audience’s minds and this comes with consistency. Do what works for YOU! You’re not obligated to post everyday. Lastly, be intentional on what you are sharing with your online community.

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

In 2016 when I began attending elite youth showcases and interviewing some of the elite athletes in the country, there were times where I wanted to give up. Being new on the scene and not looking like everyone else, I was told “no” so many times; I couldn’t interview certain kids, I was denied media requests and on some occasions, my media credential would be denied 24 hours prior to the event even though I was confirmed just a week prior. I didn’t allow this to stop me. I pursued submitting media credentials and maybe after the 3rd time, I was granted my very first headline interview session with one of the athletes in the country.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jqsportspr.com
• Instagram: JQSportsPR
• Linkedin: Jaquese Smith
• Twitter: JQSportsPR

Image Credits
She Got A Sony. Fonzfilmztv. Hoop Dreamz