Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Smith.
Hi Jay, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The thought of being a Young, Black and successful man inspires me everyday and keeps me going. I’ve always had the drive to do things above and beyond. I would consider my business journey a manifestation unfolding day by day. I dreamed of having a product being sold worldwide as a teenager but didn’t have an idea of what the product would’ve been. I imagined me waking up daily to batches of orders, making my own schedule and setting up monthly sales quotas. Today I’ve established a clothing brand called 2PAID, which was founded in 2019.
My brand name originated from my popular instagram name J2PAID. My passion for fashion has always lived in me since high school, my 9th-grade year to be exact. By 10th grade, I knew I was the best dress; no award needed. My style Inspo has changed so much over the years, but Kanye will forever be #1 for me. High school was definitely a start point for my entrepreneurship. I was able to develop and learn skills right at school without having to pay someone. I learned how to use photoshop, Microsoft, Excel and a few other software. These tools play a big part in my success today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
But with the good comes the bad. Not everything is perfect, of course. I’ve been striving to be great, but then there are always hiccups on the way. Along my way up, I was working for a company with a high turnover rate and bad management. One bad job would definitely have you out here questioning your character. All of these worries and doubts behind a job that could resign you today with know thoughts about your livelihood. That definitely wasn’t how I imagined my life and that’s where my drive comes from.
I put so much work into my brand, blood, sweat & tears, and years in the game. Another obstacle/frustration for me would have to be the fad surfers (those who jump on to the latest bandwagon of business ideas) that come in and think this looks easy “let me start selling trend”. It just hurts when you have people like me who really stand 10 toes down about their craft and what they have been doing not only as a brand but a mogul for the youth. Needless to say, pursue things you are passionate about, so you can have a background in it, and you are then able to relate from experience and create your own story !
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
SHOP J2P is a newly established apparel online store. As we emerge into our 3rd year of business, our top priority is to assure customer satisfaction at all times. I’m most proud that everybody gets to feel like a #PAIDBOY & #PAIDGIRL, The paid way of course! We offer Men & Women Clothing, Apparel & Accessories.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Quality’s that I feel has played a big role in my success would have to be my patience. Not rushing into things and letting things take their natural course. This shows you how to grow at your own pace and learn from your mistakes as they present themselves.
Contact Info:
- Email: Shopj2pcartl@icloud.com
- Website: Shopj2pcartl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopj2p/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SHOPJ2P/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shopj2p
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/J2PAID/videos
Image Credits:
Photographer; Ysp.photography
