Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazmine Franklin.
Jazmine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always been very crafty and creative. When I was a child, I would make Christmas gifts for my family, including greeting cards that I would put little barcodes on and brand them with the name “Jazmark” (like the famous “Hallmark” card makers)! My family still gets a kick out of that to this day! I am never, NOT creating, so it was something that sort of happened organically. I would make things for my home or for my loved ones and post them to social media, and before I knew it, I had many people coming to me to create and customize items for them.
Has it been a smooth road?
My biggest challenge has been the “Trial and Error” of perfecting new techniques. I am self-taught for the most part, but I have found a lot of useful resources and tutorials on Pinterest and YouTube. I learned very quickly that process or technique, you have to be willing to make some mistakes, and unfortunately, they can be costly at times. If I could offer advice on how to avoid costly mistakes, I’d most definitely say… find clearance items to practice with!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Jazi Creates story. Tell us more about the business.
The name of my business is Jazi Creates that is literally what I do. I create everything from tumbler cups and coasters to t-shirts, doormats, and I even restore/repurpose store furniture! Sometimes it’s something as simple as putting a company logo on a cup or mug, and other times I am asked to “JUST BE CREATIVE,” which I love!
One of the things that makes me very proud is that I was able to design and complete really cute tumbler cups for my favorite singing group of all time, EnVogue. I was able to hand-deliver the tumblers to them personally and they LOVED them. Cindy Herron Braggs of EnVogue actually took pics of her and the ladies using their cups and posted it to her Instagram account and tagged my business. I was incredibly happy about that!
What sets me apart from others is my customer service. I have been told by many that I have excellent customer service but to be honest, I really am just being me. I respond in a timely manner. I am honest about my capabilities (I will not take on a project I do not have knowledge in or haven’t practiced enough to charge a price). If there is something wrong with the order, I correct it. In doing all of the things above, I have formed really great relationships with my customers, and I believe that is the reason I have become their “go-to” for all their personalized items, branded business merch and gifts!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I don’t forsee there to be any shifts or huge changes to the industry within the next 5-10 years. People love the exclusivity of having something customized to their particular liking. Of course, there will be new and exciting innovations, but I don’t think there will ever be a downward spiral in an industry full of creativity and passion!
Contact Info:
- Website: Jazi-creates.myshopify.com
- Email: jazicreates@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jazicreates
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