We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tempestt Jackson-Poma a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tempestt, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

My parents taught me to believe in myself. My dad taught me business before pleasure; to make sure all my business is handle before anything else, and my mom taught me to always be honest; be a woman of integrity, always treat people well no matter how they treat you. My mother has always took in the less fortunate, sometimes I would come home from school and she would have somebody new moved in that she was helping get on their feet.

Tempestt, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi all, My name is Tempestt Jackson-Poma I started my business in Sept 2015, it first started out as my clothing line and then progressed into so much more. Now, I have a clothing line, cosmetic line, wholesale lip gloss line, skincare launching this year. But I started this business to bring generational wealth into my family, I came from hard struggles; turned all my negatives into positives. I make a lot of my products by hand. Honestly, making my own products is so therapeutic, it gives me a sense of peace & tranquility. I feel like the more i make things the closer I am to GOD, he keeps gifting me and I am amazed by his works through me. I am a true vessel; to whoever is reading my story if I can do it so can you, just be persistent.

The problems I solve for my customers are making my prices affordable and improving customer service. I definitely like to ask for their advice/suggestions on products because i want to increase productivity. What makes my company stand out from any other business is that I stand on principles & morals, I stand on being a woman of integrity; being transparent in business. Because sometimes you have those rough days just as well as those good days, but you got to keep moving.

I am most proud of my strength & the knowledge I’ve gained, so that I can pass it along to other future business owners; it’s all about building the community. I want you guys to know anything is possible with God in your life you can’t do it alone ask for assistance if you need it, be open to new ideas & be open to help.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I do manufacture some products but other products I use vendors; and with using vendors you have to know things will go wrong and some of your products want make it in time for your launch. Honestly I started manufacturing a lot of my products because of timing delays; especially with my clothing line, being a business woman I have to make it happen. I sometimes have to source out other vendors but now that I hand make a lot of my products i don’t experience a lot of delays. Delays in business is very frustrating.   

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was being in control. In business things happen out of your control and you have to learn to be ok with that and not beat up on yourself. God is in control, period.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.17thebrand.com
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