We were lucky to catch up with Vanessa Jackson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was when I started feeling uncomfortable. This quote says, “When God wants you to grow, he makes you uncomfortable.” This quote has been the epitome of my life but has pushed me to discover new levels of myself. Any transitioning part in my life happened when I began to feel uncomfortable not just physically, but every part of me felt uneasy. Growing up I was always creative and loved fashion, I had dreamed of being a fashion designer or a model. My creative side is a big extension of who I am, so after I graduated with my master’s degree in Human Resources Management, I thought my life would look completely different. No matter what I pursued my creative side has always been a space of liberty and self-discovery. I said this to say, I always knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally because it shows up in any work I do.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

To truly know me is to understand that I am a woman of unwavering faith, proud to be a daughter and disciple of Jesus Christ. With that understanding, I am deeply passionate about beauty, fashion, and my faith. My mission is to empower, make a lasting impact, inspire, strive for excellence, and constantly evolve into the genuine version of myself that God intended. I achieve this by imparting advice and guidance to women on how to dress to highlight their best features and to find clothing that complements their body types. Additionally, I take pleasure in crafting content centered on travel to diverse destinations, lifestyles, and uplifting others on their journey of faith in God. What I am most proud of is the fact that I can use all the gifts and talents God has given to me to walk into my divine purpose. If you love fashion and beauty, need inspiration while navigating your faith walk, like to travel the world, or simply are a creative person, then I would love to connect with you.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I want to emphasize the importance of embracing change and pivoting when necessary. One of the valuable life lessons I’ve learned is the ability to adapt and grow through pivoting. Life naturally presents us with various challenges and transitions, and it’s essential to approach them with a positive attitude.

Reflecting on a significant pivot in my life back in 2017, I was completing my undergraduate studies with the intention of earning a Bachelor’s in Science for Nutrition and Dietetics. While gaining experience as a Diet Clerk in a hospital, I began to realize that pursuing a career as a Dietitian was not aligning with my long-term goals. After careful consideration, I made the courageous decision to change my major to business, ultimately graduating with a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology with a concentration in Business. This profound shift led me to delve deeper into the business aspect of my field and pursue a master’s program in Human Resource Management, from which I graduated in May of 2023. This experience has taught me the value of being open to change and following a path that truly resonates with my aspirations.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Honestly, my entire life has been a journey of resilience. Let’s start with the meaning of my name, which is Butterfly. I truly believe that I encapsulate that because the journey of a caterpillar to become a butterfly is a journey of resilience.

One story about resilience that I’d love to share is when I graduated with my bachelor’s degree. My senior year of undergrad was really tough for me. I felt like I was going through one of the hardest seasons of my life. In the summer before school started, I experienced a lot of transitions. I was laid off from my job for making an irresponsible decision, my lease was over, and my roommate and I decided to go our separate ways at the last minute, leaving me with no place to stay because I couldn’t afford another apartment at the time. The worst part was that my mother had passed away from breast cancer.

When school started, I made the decision to stay with some friends and sleep on the couch, which I thought would only be for a month but it turned out to be longer. As I entered into the last semester of my senior year, I started working a job that was taking up all my time. However, by Spring break I eventually quit so I could finish my last couple of weeks strong. Despite everything I was going through, some of my classes were challenging, but I still showed up and met with professors during office hours for additional help so that I could pass all my classes and graduate.

During the final week, I was nervous because even though I tried my best in some classes, my grades didn’t look very good, and I was worried that I would not graduate. During one of my finals, my computer cut off halfway through, and unfortunately, I was not able to retake it. When grades were due the following week, I went to the professors’ offices to talk to them. One teacher told me my final grade was an A, and another saw how hard I worked and decided to increase my grade so that I would graduate. The administration let all the seniors know that if we received a call that Wednesday, it would mean that we could no longer graduate.

Well, that day I received a call telling me that I was ineligible to graduate because I received a D in one class, which was considered not passing. I audaciously told the man not to take my name off the graduation list because I would be graduating. The next day, after praying, I went back to my school and talked to many people, and at the end of the day, they found a solution that allowed me to graduate. There were so many times that I cried and wanted to give up, but with God’s help, I was able to demonstrate resilience and graduate.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: _love_vanessa