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

Hi Jasna , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I would say the first time that I knew that I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was by just doing one of my hobbies. I was laid off from work during the pandemic so I had time to invest in myself a little. I had to keep myself busy, someway some how. The beginning of the pandemic was super tough on me, so to keep my mind clear, making the candles gave me a sense of peace and calmness.

Jasna , 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 Jasna, but I go by Jas. I’m a 25 year old candle – content creator from Detroit, MI. I have a rebranded candle collection called JANTIONETTESCOLLECTION. I create hand – made foodie candles & wax melts. I feel that I am most proud of how far I’ve come as an individual and creator. I really am particular and detailed about my craft. Whether it’s a reel for Instagram or how my candles look on photo. It really tested me, because I didn’t wake up knowing how to run a small business or even make a candle or even just creating content. But I challenged myself to a lot of seminars and learning about the candle-creator process. I’ve grown so much just from the past year.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the feedback! Verbally and virtually. For me I enjoy making the candles, it’s a stress – reliever for me so making money was not the first thing on my mind. This is my craft, and I really put my heart in it when I’m making them, it’s Art. I’ve done pop – up shops in my city, and just seeing the excitement on their faces, the oooo’s and ahhhhh’s. It’s a blessing to be able to be myself in a creative space and share it apart with my peers.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Well, we all know how social media is right now. Being a small business owner and a creator has its cons to that. Us creatives may not get the proper exposure that we need because our content hasn’t reached 1,000 views or likes. The algorithm could be tweaked, just a little bit. I would say being monetized is in right now. Of course we’d all like to reap the benefits of our craft, but it’s leaning towards the creators with 10k or more followers. I think everybody should have a go at being monetized without those restrictions. They’re so many talented people in this world that uses these platforms. Social media can definitely take that into consideration.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @itsjvs