We recently connected with Jordyn Wright and have shared our conversation below.

Jordyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

Education is super important. However, I feel like the education system puts kids like me in a box by telling us that a successful student can only look a certain way; that the traditional pathway of graduating from high school, then college, and going on to start a career working for some big company is the pinnacle of success. I think it should teach us how we can start our own big businesses. At least show us that this is an option. Not everyone wants to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant, or something like that. Don’t get me wrong, I do want to go to college, but for different reasons than most. I think schools should do more to promote entrepreneurship as a real career path for students. I think it is important for them to know that they have talents and passions right now they can use to build a life they have always wanted. You don’t have to be an adult or graduate from college to be a business owner. And, you can do whatever it is you love to do and make a career out of it. I would love to see schools take a different approach to learning and make it more relevant to our capabilities and the changing environment around youth entrepreneurs.

Jordyn, 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?

I started my first business, J. Brielle Handmade Goods, at the age of ten. I had a skin condition called eczema and it made it super difficult to purchase the soaps and skincare products I wanted. So, I began making my own and eventually began selling them. I started with soaps, but have grown my skincare line to include body butter, balms, lotions, scrubs, and bath bomb dust. I think it is incredibly important that teens have self-care products that are easy to use, effective, and smell great without all of the irritating chemicals found in many of the items on the shelves of their local grocery stores.

I am also a youth entrepreneurship advocate. I believe that representation is important. One of the most difficult tasks for me when I first started out was finding other kids like myself who were already in business and could be a mentor for me through the process. Now my goal is to be for others what I didn’t have available to me; a resource and example for youth entrepreneurship that inspires other kids to start and continue their own entrepreneurial journey.

This year, I started a youth entrepreneurship program called Passion to Purpose, a teen-led program that integrates technology and hands-on activities. There are tons of youth entrepreneurship programs out there. However, the majority are taught by adults. I believe in any field, seeing people who look like you boosts your confidence in pursuing any goal you set out to accomplish. This is no different with entrepreneurship. I always wondered why there weren’t any youth-led entrepreneurship programs out there. So, instead of continuing to wonder, I decided to do it myself.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’ve always been an introvert, and when I first started out in business, I was so afraid to talk to people. I remember having to take a tray of my products door to door around my neighborhood. I was terrified. I came so close to giving up before I even started. Thankfully, I was able to gather some courage and decided to do it anyway. I believed in my products and I knew if I pushed beyond my fear, I could make a sale. I am so glad I kept going.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I believed for a long time that you had to be an adult to have a successful business. I’m not even sure where I learned this from. I guess it’s because I never saw it early on when I first started out. However, after several years of trying to find others like myself, I found a group of youth that are doing amazing things in entrepreneurship. Not just kids I saw on TV, but many who were right here in my community. They inspired me so much! And now I can do the same for other youth looking to start a business!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jbriellehmg.com
• Instagram: @jbriellehmg
• Facebook: @jbriellehmg

Image Credits
Klemont Wright, Anissa Wright