We recently had the chance to connect with Jalonni Weaver and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jalonni, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
For me, integrity is the most important. Intelligence is great and energy is helpful but if I can’t trust you or your character none of that matters. I want to work with people who do the right thing even when no one is watching. People who keep their word. People who show up the same way whether a leader is in the room or not.
I have met a lot of smart people with no integrity and it never ends well. I have met energetic people who can hype up a room but if their character is shaky everything eventually falls apart.
Integrity is the foundation. Intelligence and energy can be developed but integrity is who you are at your core. That is what matters most to me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jalonni Weaver and I am a Senior Recruiter at a telecommunications company where I support our sales department. Outside of my 9-5 I have built a personal brand on LinkedIn that reaches almost 400k people and I use that platform to make the job search feel a little less overwhelming for candidates. I share real stories, practical advice, and encouragement because I know how stressful it can be to look for work and feel like no one is listening.
I also run a photography business that has grown through word of mouth and the community I have built. I love capturing real moments for families and helping people feel confident in front of the camera. It is one of the creative outlets that keeps me balanced.
What makes my brand unique is that everything I share comes from lived experience. I started my career as a first generation college graduate not knowing what I wanted to do and worked my way up through different industries without a traditional path. I leaned on grit, consistency, and honesty. I show up as myself and people connect with that. I am not trying to be perfect. I am just trying to make an impact and show others what is possible when you do not give up.
Right now I am focused on growing in my role, and continuing to practice healthy boundaries. My story is still being written and I am grateful for every opportunity that allows me to help others along the way.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has shaped how I see myself the most is my relationship with my daughter. Becoming a mom changed everything for me. It made me look at the world and at myself in a completely different way.
Before becoming a mom I saw myself through the lens of work, achievements, and how much I could get done in a day. Once she arrived I had to slow down and pay attention to the things that really matter. I learned patience in a new way. I learned what unconditional love felt like on a level I had never experienced. I also learned a lot about my own strength and what I am capable of even in the moments when I feel overwhelmed or unsure.
Motherhood made me more intentional. It made me think about the example I am setting and the kind of world I want her to grow up in. It pushed me to create boundaries, protect my peace, and choose environments where I can show up as the best version of myself.
She has shaped my identity in such a powerful way. I am still me but I am a more grounded and more self aware version. Being her mom helped me see parts of myself I never knew were there.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
Yes I do. The moment that stands out the most is when I did my TedX talk. That was the first time I felt like people were really listening to me and not just hearing words. They were listening to my story, my experiences, and the things I had carried for years.
When I stepped on that stage I felt seen in a way I had never felt before. I talked about masking, identity, being a neurodiverse Black woman in corporate America, and the weight that comes with constantly trying to fit in. Those were things I kept inside for so long. To share them and have people connect with it and tell me they felt the same way made me feel understood on a different level.
It was the first time my truth echoed back to me. I felt heard. I felt validated. And I felt like my story mattered. That moment changed the way I tell my story and reminded me that sometimes people are waiting for the thing you are scared to say out loud.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
For the most part yes the public version of me is the real me. What you see on LinkedIn is how I talk in real life and how I show up for people. I am direct. I am honest. I share my wins and my struggles. I do not try to be perfect because that is not my reality.
At the same time people get confused because I am very extroverted on the internet. When they meet me in person they are shocked to find out that I am actually a complete introvert. Online I am comfortable sharing my thoughts and encouraging people. In person I am quiet and observing and I keep to myself. Both versions are real. They just show up in different ways.
There are also parts of me that stay private. Not because I am hiding but because everything is not meant for the public. I protect my peace, my family, and the parts of my life that deserve softness and privacy. Social media gets the authentic version of me but not the full version and I think that is healthy.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I made them feel seen. I hope they say that I showed up as myself and that my honesty helped them feel less alone. I hope they remember me as someone who used her voice to make the job search less scary and the workplace more human.
I want people to say that I was kind. That I treated people with respect. That I made space for others to shine. That I chose integrity over popularity. That I encouraged people to keep going when they felt like giving up.
And I hope my daughter can say that I built a life that gave her love and stability. That I chased peace. That I worked hard but I never forgot what mattered most.
If the story people tell is that I made their life a little lighter or their path a little clearer that is more than enough for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lonnijphotography.com
- Instagram: @lonniiiij
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/jalonniweaver
Image Credits
Jalonni Weaver
