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

Joy, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I created an app called Affirmation Genie. It uses AI to generate custom affirmations based on user input. I have to admit that I am conflicted now on the affects of AI on the environment but initially when I learned about ChatGPT I wanted to know how I could use it to my benefit. I decided to use it to learn Python as quickly as possible and in that process I ended up creating an entire mobile app from scratch and launching it. The entire project was non stop innovation :)

Joy, 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’m the founder of Vesta Home and Hearth, a small business where I handcraft home decor items like coasters, trinket trays, and other beautiful pieces using eco-friendly gypsum resin. Sustainability is a big focus for me, and I love creating unique, handcrafted items that bring a touch of personality to people’s homes. Most of my products are sold at local markets, but I also take custom orders through my Instagram @VestaHomeandHearth, where I love connecting directly with my customers.

While Vesta Home and Hearth is a passion project, my main focus lately has been my work in web development and SEO, which I’ve been doing for various small businesses. With over 20 years of experience in the tech world, I’ve been able to grow my skill set and now use that expertise to help small businesses thrive online. Whether it’s optimizing websites or creating a user-friendly design, I love being able to add value to their businesses and see them succeed.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

I started Vesta Home and Hearth after a series of personal events. My dad had recently passed, and around the same time, my son was away for Thanksgiving with his dad—it was the first time we’d been apart since he was born. To keep myself busy, I wandered into Michaels and stumbled across alcohol ink, which piqued my curiosity. After looking it up, I fell into a rabbit hole of epoxy resin, and a new creative passion was born.

At first, I taught myself how to work with epoxy resin by experimenting, making countless coasters and home decor pieces. However, I quickly realized that epoxy wasn’t the best fit for me. It’s toxic, and in the small space we were living in, it became challenging to work with safely. That’s when I discovered gypsum resin, a more eco-friendly and user-friendly material. I loved how it allowed me to continue creating beautiful, high-quality pieces without the same health concerns.

What I love about Vesta Home and Hearth is that I manufacture everything myself. It’s a hands-on process from start to finish—every piece is made “from scratch,” which allows me to put my personal touch into everything I create. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of using materials that align with my values, like sustainability, and the satisfaction that comes from crafting something by hand.

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

For Vesta Home and Hearth my clients are usually new friends and I am always making new friends. For my freelance business my best source of new clients are referrals. They keep on coming and I love it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vestahomeandhearth.com www.joyjamadev.com
• Instagram: vestahomeandhearth
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-jama-6964a4288/

Image Credits

These images are all created by me.