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

Taaj, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)

Sojourn • noun
A temporary stay

Simply Sojourn is built on the same values Sojourner Truth spent her life upholding through her advocacy. Because of her diligent efforts (and efforts by many other Black women-identifying activists), Black people and women can now enjoy the finer things in life. As a Black woman myself, I acknowledge the privilege we now have to go on trips and take a break from our everyday responsibilities to simply be happy.

With Simply Sojourn, I hope to support and uplift people of all identities through providing a stress-free and convenient service that prioritizes their happiness. I want to encourage people to travel, explore, and experience something new that is within their financial means without the time commitment of researching and coordinating everything.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I went to graduate school for Student Affairs in Higher Education and followed that traditional path. I’m currently early in my career working in Student Success. I’ve always had a passion for travel, trying new restaraunts, and having fun expriences (while on a budget of course). In 2023, I was thinking about a service I could offer to make some extra money. I thought about how my friends are always impressed by the organized, well-thought out, itineraries I create for our weekend trips. I realized that’s something people would pay for and I decided to run with it!

Simply Sojourn is both a travel blog and a travel planning business. On the instagram account, I share lots of travel content such as budget tips, popular destinations, and local suggestions. On the business side, I offer custom itineraries specifically for day trips and weekend trips with an emphasis on budget-friendly suggestions. Itineraries can include dining suggestions, activities, lodging information, distance to and from locations, and more!

This service is to make travel as stress-free and convient as possible. For people who don’t have the time/energy/desire to spend hours doing research on where to eat and where stay for their trip, that is where I come in and do it all for you! The itinerary is 100% customizable to the client’s wants and needs. I also prioritize ensuring accessible and accomadating suggestions for people with disabilities or dietary restrictions.

I’m really proud of my social media content so far and the positive response I’ve gotten from friends and family. I want people to know that traveling and travel planning are true passions of mine and I love dedicating time to exploring the internet for exciting things to do and see at any destination. I truly believe everyone is capable of prioritizing travel in their life without stress or breaking their budget!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I really enjoy the flexibility and fun that comes with offering a creative service! I can really let my creativity shine in the layout and design of my itineraries. With my business being mainly on social media, I can be creative in my feed posts, stories, reels, ect. I never considered myself a creative person before I started this business and it’s be a very fulfilling outlet!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I’ve created all my reels using the edit feature on Instagram. It’s not the most user-friendly and it causes the app to shutdown while editing which is really annoying. I recently found out that content creators use other editing apps and then upload their videos to Instagram. I really wish I knew that before I started to save me time, but I’m learning everyday and I’ll be using a video editing app from now on!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://simplysojourn.setmore.com/taajjones
• Instagram: instagram.com/simplysojourn
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/taaj-jones-m-a-3a64b7175
• Other: Request Form: https://forms.gle/E3ZYrLBj1DQC5d717