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

Jayresa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t necessarily wish I had started my creative career sooner or later — I truly believe it started exactly when it needed to. But if I’m being real, I used to wish I had started sooner. I’d think, ‘Dang, where would I be by now if I knew this was possible 10 years ago?’ But the truth is, I had to go through some things to arrive at this version of me — the version that could lead, create, and heal through crochet.

I started crocheting again during a tough season in my life. I was dealing with depression, heartbreak, and the weight of trying to be everything for everyone — a mother, a provider, a woman rebuilding her life after divorce, homelessness, and starting over. Crochet became my therapy before I even realized it was my calling. I wasn’t just making things with my hands — I was piecing myself back together stitch by stitch.

At the time, I wasn’t thinking about a business. I was just trying to survive and feel whole again. But that pain birthed purpose. And that’s how Crochepeutic was born — out of a need to heal myself and then help others do the same, especially creatives who feel burned out, overlooked, or underpaid.

If I had started sooner, I may not have had the depth, the grit, or the wisdom to truly understand what this community needs. If I had waited until ‘everything was perfect,’ I would’ve missed the impact I get to make now — helping crochet artists find income and healing, not hustle and burnout.

So no, I don’t wish I started sooner or later. I’m grateful I started right when my soul was ready. The lessons, the timing, the journey — it all had divine alignment.

Jayresa, 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?

Hey hey! I’m Jayresa — a crochet artist, business coach, self-published author, and creative entrepreneur originally from Brooklyn, NY, now living in Atlanta. I’m also a proud mama, animal lover, and believer that your passion can absolutely be your paycheck if you know how to work it right.

I’m the founder of Crochepeutic®, a brand and movement that started from one of the lowest points in my life. I turned to crochet again after battling depression, divorce, and the trauma of being unhoused — not once, but twice. Crochet became my safe space, my therapy, and eventually… my business. What started as a healing tool transformed into a platform that now helps other creatives, especially women of color, turn their handmade skills into consistent, sustainable income — without burning out or trading all their time for low pay.

Under the Crochepeutic® brand, I offer:

Digital products like journals, business planners, and crochet monetization guides

Business coaching and group programs for crochet entrepreneurs

Workshops, classes, and creative events (both virtual and in-person)

Travel experiences through my side brand, Creative Trips on a Budget, where I show creatives how to explore the world and get paid to do it

Grant lists and resources to help artists fund their dreams

What sets me apart is that I don’t just teach crochet or business — I teach freedom. Emotional freedom, financial freedom, and creative freedom. I’m not here to tell artists to “sell more stuff.” I’m here to help them build multiple income streams, reclaim their time, and finally feel seen and supported in a world that often overlooks handmade creators.

My work is intersectional. It’s about mental wellness, community, visibility, healing, and breaking generational cycles. I’ve helped crochet artists grow their businesses, land grants, sell digital products, start coaching programs, and even launch retreats and group trips.

What I’m most proud of? Honestly — that I didn’t give up when I had every reason to. That I took my pain and built a platform that now inspires and uplifts other crochet artists to dream bigger than just “selling what they make.”

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely. My creative journey is driven by one core mission: to help crochet artists and creative women — especially those who’ve been overlooked, underpaid, or underestimated — achieve true financial freedom through their craft.

I’m not just here to teach people how to crochet or sell handmade items. I’m here to show them that their creativity can be the key to building a life they don’t have to escape from — a life with options, ownership, and overflow.

For so long, the narrative around artists and crafters has been struggle. Starving artist. Hobby hustle. Burnout from trying to make ends meet selling $30 blankets that took 20 hours to make. I reject that. I’ve lived that — and I know there’s another way.

My goal is to teach creative entrepreneurs how to multiply their income through digital products, affiliate marketing, workshops, and even travel. I want them to have choices. To make money in their sleep. To take a day off without guilt. To heal, build, and live well doing what they love.

That’s the mission behind Crochepeutic® and everything I create — showing people that crochet can be more than therapeutic… it can be profitable, powerful, and a tool for liberation.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience on social media by being myself — boldly, loudly, and unapologetically.

When I first started showing up online, I noticed something: there were tons of people sharing their crochet projects, but almost nobody was talking about how to actually turn crochet into a sustainable business. Like yes, your work is beautiful — but how do we sell it? How do we price it right? How do we make money without burning out or making $3/hour?

That gap — that silence — became my lane.

I started sharing what I wished someone had told me: the do’s and don’ts of pricing, how to avoid undercharging, how to turn patterns into passive income, and how to build a brand instead of just a hobby. I spoke directly to the struggling crochet artist who was talented but tired, and ready to finally profit with purpose.

And the more honest and raw I was, the more people connected. I showed up crocheting by the water, in my real voice, sharing my truth as a mama, entrepreneur, and woman healing through the yarn. No nonsense, no filters — just value, vulnerability, and vision.

My biggest advice? Don’t wait until you feel “perfect” to show up. Just be you. Talk about what nobody else is talking about. Fill the gaps. Solve real problems. Be the voice your past self needed. That’s what makes people follow you — not because you’re trending, but because you’re transforming something for them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.crochepeutic.com
• Instagram: Crochepeutic
• Facebook: Crochepeutic
• Youtube: Crochepeutic University

Image Credits

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