We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jayda Halsell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jayda below.

Hi Jayda, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

For years, I had dreamed of being an entrepreneur. I was always told that you can work towards your own dream or spend your life working on someone else’s. I was selected to be a part of the Kentucky Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs during high school, where I became extremely interested in the startup space and in becoming my own boss. During college, I kept that same desire, often dreaming of the business I would create. I worked in the Office of Admissions, where I worked with a leader who put me in contact with my now mentor. Throughout college, I would bounce ideas off of my mentor and receive honest feedback. This process lasted four years.

After graduation, I ended up in business operations and HR. I eventually transitioned into healthcare leadership, again constantly thinking of what business I could create. I was constantly reminded that an idea would “fall into my lap.” I was getting extremely frustrated and was on the verge of letting my entrepreneurial dreams go down the drain. The years had come and gone, and now it was 2024. Summer was approaching, which led me to make a hair appointment for braids.

Long story short, during my appointment, I started venting and expressing my frustrations, often feeling behind the curve compared to my successful peers. Yes, I was successful in my career, but I wanted to be successful as an entrepreneur. My braider started talking about how hard it was for her to manage her content and social media. My jaw dropped. A lightbulb went off in my head. My business idea had fallen into my lap. At that moment, I knew I was meant for social media management, and I also knew I could provide other services (like consulting, from my previous work endeavors and internship experiences).

I knew it was a good idea when I ran the concept past my CPA, and she said, “I have clients to send your way.” What got me most excited about this business was my mentor’s support and joy when I told her that I knew what business I would start after years and years of thoughts and ideas. Ever since then, the universe has been making connections, which has confirmed to me that my idea is a viable business and that I will be successful.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Onawa Consulting & Innovation came about due to my love of social media, marketing, communication, and business. I never thought that I could combine multiple passions into one business, and that’s what I did. Onawa Consulting & Innovation offers social media management, business, and healthcare consulting. We work with the majority of small business owners from various industries to help boost their engagement and visibility online. Our healthcare consulting services are used by private organizations to make their operations more efficient. Business consulting services are offered to businesses in all industries as we work to solve their current issues and ensure that their business is moving in the right direction. Onawa Consulting & Innovation also has special services for influencers and professional athletes, with plans for expansion in the future.

Onawa Consulting & Innovation is a one-stop shop (boutique) to fit the needs of businesses big and small. We also believe that all businesses should have the ability to access resources to help them grow and thrive. Onawa Consulting & Innovation is not your typical consulting agency and provides a personalized approach for our clients while offering 24/7 support. We utilize a variety of strategies that most of the larger firms use while offering better pricing and great client experiences.

I am most proud of taking the leap of faith to start this business and hearing all of the positive feedback. I know there will be bumps in the road, but I’m dedicated to finding solutions and making sure that we provide the best experience for our clients. I want people to know that I poured my all into this business, and this is just the beginning!

In my spare time, you will find me hanging out with my family and friends, taking road trips, catching up on the news, scrolling on social media, and networking. There is never a dull moment!

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Onawa Consulting & Innovation is centered around communication. We have to keep in touch with our clients in order to do our job. Meetings on site, video calls, phone calls, texting, and emails. If a client is out of state, we are on our way! We always follow through.

In regard to brand loyalty we are in the midst of rolling out email communications for marketing purposes. We are also starting a referral program, so stay tuned!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Social Media & word of mouth! When I first announced the launch of my business, I started to receive calls and texts from a multitude of people. Some people informed me that they knew of businesses that needed our services and others were calling to setup a consultation. Social Media has been great in regard to getting connected with Influencers & Professional Athletes.

We hope to start utilizing TikTok soon!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://onawainnovation.com
• Instagram: onawainnovation
• Facebook: Onawa (Onawa Innovation)
• Other: Our website is currently under construction, but will be fully operational by February 28, 2025.