Starting a business is no easy feat, but Jenae Thompson, the visionary behind SAYQUOI LLC, has turned challenges into triumphs with resilience and passion. From helping artists and creatives navigate the complexities of social media to transforming into a global powerhouse serving diverse entrepreneurs, Jenae's journey is a testament to growth and adaptability. Her inspiring story is filled with valuable lessons on the importance of self-care, maintaining authenticity, and recognizing the transformative power of personal and professional alignment. As she continues to expand SAYQUOI’s impact, her dedication to fostering holistic growth and giving back to the community remains unwavering.
What specific challenges or struggles did you face when starting your business, and how did you overcome them?
Finding my groove and therefore, my people! SAYQUOI began as SayQuoi Entertainment. Back then, my primary focus was on helping artists, actors, and creatives with their social media presences and busines acumen. I've since then changed my mission, my business name, and my value proposition and am now working with entrepreneurs and businesses spanning multiple markets; globally. It took a while to Identify who exactly could benefit most from my services, and to consistently learn and hone my crafts and skillsets to best serve them as we grow and expand together and respectively.
What have been some of the most inspiring moments or milestones in your entrepreneurial journey so far?
When I started working on social media and branding campaigns for businesses like Chelsea Market, NYC; I knew I things had taken a turn for the positive and that there was no looking or going back. Hearing feedback from coaching clients and seeing THEIR milestones in online growth and in sales is MAGICAL and is one of the things that keeps me motivated to keep on keeping on!
Can you tell us about a time when you encountered failure or setbacks in your business, and what lessons did you learn from that experience?
Learning that not all money is good money and how to spot a client that doesn't align with your core values is not a lesson one soon forgets and may have to learn over and over again, and a contract not having been a good fit between two parties doesn't make either of them bad at what they do or make them bad people. You really have to have unshakeable discernment and know when to leave a party, so to speak--and have airtight contracts and systems in place to seamlessly and cohesively do so. I've had to "take the L" as they say a few times in that regard, and am grateful for how its forced me to grow as a person and as an entrepreneur.
How do you stay motivated and inspired when faced with challenges or obstacles?
SELF. CARE. I exercise. I eat well. I treat myself well and with kindness. I manage my emotions, my anxieties and my stress levels with the help of therapy and my hobbies that aren't related to what I do for work. I lean into my community, my family, and my wonderful partner. I remind myself that SAYQUOI does transformational work that I should always be proud of; and that I am surrounded by love.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are just starting their own businesses?
I'll say it once more. Not all money is good money! Get specific about who your energy and servitude are for and who they're not in alignment with. Seek legal advice early and often, and have boundaries as strong and protective as Beyonce's bodyguard Julius!
How do you incorporate personal growth and transformation into your coaching and business services?
I am a certified life coach, and I use that education and certification to understand my clients' humanity and that of their ideal clientele. Content is, at its core, psychology. When you intimately understand yourself and what makes your mind and spirit thrive; you position yourself to explore those same things in and for others. Mindset coaching and exercises, encouragements, and resources are a staple in my coaching. Personal growth and transformation and business growth and transformation go hand-in-hand. You can have one without the other; but at what cost?!
Can you share a success story or memorable client transformation that stands out to you?
I had a client who was struggling to find their voice between multiple social media platforms and in a period of transition with their brand. She had built a strong following from her fashion posts and was craving a more vulnerable; authentic approach to her media but was afraid to make that leap. With my guidance, we were able to identify areas of her content strategy where there could be a seamless crossover between what was already working for her audience and the pivot she wanted to make. Those small adjustments in posturing (both brand posturing and literal on-camera posture), copy, concrete and personable storytelling and authenticity caused a considerable spike in her viewership, following, and paid sponsorship opportunities that are helping her fund her production companies' latest upcoming independent short film. She now sits at 72K+ Instagram followers and 39K+ followers on TikTok. Much love to Brianna McDonnell and The B Word!
How do you maintain authenticity and holistic values in your content marketing and social media strategies?
Social media can be so curated, fake, and therefore daunting..and the expectations placed on entrepreneurs and business owners (particularly ones without a full team) are WILD! I like to reverse-engineer those challenges by identifying and amplifying what makes my clients SHINE, what makes them their happiest; fullest selves and finding the areas where there's the freedom to express that consistently in their content, online presence and business acumen and strategy.
My clients experience total transformation as entrepreneurs, in the health and sustainability of their businesses, in their content and messaging, and on an internal level. We work from the inside, out—striving for clarity, attainable solutions, and realistic actionable steps toward their goals.
As your Content Marketing and Creative Big Sis, nothing brings me greater joy than to help you spot the areas of your business and strategy that could use a refresh. I walk you through everything, from brand development and management to establishing your ideal clientele and client journey, what systems you can put in place to make said client journey seamless and cohesive, what types of content you should be creating on and offline to support your ideal clients, elicits sales and opportunities to scale; where that content should live, how to realistically create said content without burnout, mindset practices and more.
What are your future goals and visions for SAYQUOI LLC, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Putting gasoline on my 8-week intensive Booked and Busy Coaching Program; where we revitalize my clients' ideal client, map our their client journey and the systems that will take their prospective clients from "interested" to being a paid client, resourcing funnels, establishing and cementing their brand and brand strategy, their business plan and strategy and creating content that will support all of the above without burn-out! Also raising money annually upwards of 5k for SayQuoi Cares; the charitable branch of my company that provides aid for our houseless friends and neighbors in Los Angeles, Phoenix Arizona and in the future; more metropolitan areas across the United States.
Inspiring! Amazing feature!
Congratulations Curt's baby girl! Bravo Queen 🥰