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

Jovanca, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I was on the transit bus into NYC and brainstormed with my bus buddy, lol. She said, the name of my company needed to be something short but memorable. Think of initials. Think if you have two minutes in the elevator what are you saying? I’m saying JANE and not Jovanca (they always ask me to repeat it, spell it, or explain the origin and that takes up my two minutes)!! It also needed to be meaningful to me cause it would be a name that would define my business and who I am. So JANE. Everyone remembers “plain JANE” but I make plain beautiful. The client looks to JANE to bring their vision to life but also fill in the blanks. JANE can work with you on the entire event or a piece of it. But JANE is also a combo of my first initial and my two boys first initials. That ride on the bus changed my perspective of creating a name and a legacy.

Jovanca, 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?

Sure, from what I can remember I’ve always wanted to be in the fashion industry. I wanted to be a buyer so I collected magazines, studied the designers, interned with the best and entered into the Fashion Institute of Technology. I also ventured into real estate when I worked for a fashionably savvy realtor.  But I eventually became  a buyer’s assistant at the best retail stores. Thereafter a love of event planning grew into a career with Macy’s as my first entree and ESSENCE Magazine as my dessert. I loved it and won awards for my collaborations with other top professionals and clients/brands. The ability to create an entire brand world from an idea excites me. I’m a visionary with an ability to also forecast on what’s next. I’m always thinking. What if this happened? What if we did this? And on and on. Understanding what a consumer experience is and the client’s goals are make for innovative programming. I am most proud of seeing the event from a guests’ perspective. If you don’t know your audience then the event is unsuccessful no matter how pretty it looks. I am most proud of the accolades from my industry peers. That affirms that I’m doing a good job and to keep going. The peer nods are the best! Fast forward to JANE. I had many people asking me to help them out with their events but I was always so busy in my full-time Event Director role that I couldn’t see how I could make it work. So my good friend said, well why don’t you offer some services. I was confused but as I thought about it I realized that I had alot to offer from knowing how to produce an event from beginning to end to knowing how to work with brand partners. I began writing out all what I do. The idea of consulting was born to give me more time at home with my family but also to separate my skills as a producer. There are many talented individuals who can produce an event but not many who can create the idea, manage the client and the budget, but also execute on the client’s goals. So I began pitching myself as pieces to the bigger picture. And in no time I had clients.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Relationships. Doing the work. Showing the work. Consistency. Being humble. Honestly, working for a big brand like Essence afforded me the opportunity to showcase my expertise and meet many people. Not everyone has that but you do have the power to elevate your work and build your reputation. No matter what I do I find ways to elevate it. I can recall many times not having a big budget but adding small accents that can enhance the guest experience. I listen to what a client is really wanting the experience to be and often it’s personal to them or their goals. I ask questions and it makes them think about what they’re actually asking me to do. If you can develop that relationship in an authentic way and then execute beyond expectations then you’ve won. I have been recommended over and over again because those who are recommending me know my work ethic exceeds the expectations of whoever they are referring me to. They know that I can contribute value. They also know that I’m humble. I have worked with many celebrities and can maintain a level of professionalism that is expected. My goal is to get the work done and go home to my boys. If you see my IG, then you know that I’m a soccer and basketball mom.

Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.

I don’t admit to being a big time investor but I’m intrigued. We all need multiple revenue streams. My first step was in purchasing a multi-unit property in NYC. I learned the hard way with losses that I could not afford. I had family tell me not to do it because they didn’t know any better but I’m a risk taker. I also reached out to people to help me but not everyone is willing so that was also a hard and hurtful lesson. I’ve purchased and sold, but what I’ve learned is that you need professional voices that have your interest in mind at your side. I did not. But today I have a tax professional, mortgage broker and a legal professional in every deal I do. I also have great contractor relationships. I now know that they should be involved in every step from preparation of the sale or purchase to the closing. We often think we can go it alone or ask google and social media but I’ve learned from big money losses that preparation is key. And also doing your own research. Keep important documents too. I like a good paper trail. This is true for any business. Don’t let others put their fear on you that you don’t move. Listen to your gut and listen to the lesson.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.janeec.com/
• Instagram: jane.ec
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jovanca-maitland-des-pca-8a949b8/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/janeec__pin

Image Credits
Michael Rowe, Scott Clark, Soul B Photos, Patrick MacLeod, Marc Wilson