Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasara Ponton.
Hi Jasara, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
First and foremost thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share my story! I was born in New Jersey and raised in Philadelphia for the majority of my life. along with my older sister and younger brother our mother was truly my inspiration and best teacher. I was always what my mom called curiously creative child lol from writing poetry, to drawing cartoons, designing and making clothes there was always a love for me in my life to mentally create something and bring it into reality through my hands and actions! It has been an absolute pleasure for me to always create what many will call making something out of nothing! Unfortunately, after joining the military I was medically retired at the age of 22 due to unforeseen circumstances while in the army that left me completely blind.
However as I always say, being without eyesight does not mean you are without vision or purpose! Keeping this mantra is my Northstar has definitely moved me through and forward in life and then regarding force and creating my own skin care Business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say easy would definitely be an understatement! A few of the challenges for me that immediately come to mind would be figuring out a logo that truly represented myself as well as my brand and worked well across many different avenues I wanted to use it for. Either for social media, merchandise, and especially printed materials. Because if it wasn’t functional up to specs in all these areas it just wouldn’t go over well with what I was using it for.
In addition to that another challenge that truly jumpstarted me would be labeling and design! I honestly have to say that was and still has been to some degree and a huge challenge. Finding the right design and label maker that could make my products stand out amongst many as well as at the same time be true to me and have my special touches.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Honestly growing up I was kind of shy but a tomboy! I was always involved in doing something in the neighborhood from being a shampoo girl at the local barber shop, bagging groceries at the local grocery store, helping elders in my neighborhood who couldn’t get to the laundromat and being an active member of several drill teams! Especially in my early childhood I often wanted so much to be like my mother so I adored fashion design and that’s what I majored in in high school as well as participating in the junior zookeepers program at the Philadelphia zoo at age 11 and 12! I know all of these things don’t sound like a shy young lady however I was very soft-spoken and I was often observing when I was in the spaces and places and taking in everything I was learning and people I was interacting with.
Each and everyone of these experiences and social activities helped me to develop into the woman I am today!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Well as far as business! I formulate my skin care products with beautiful all natural ingredients including butters, oils, fragrances and natural botanicals that are nothing short of being abundantly useful and helpful to the skin! from uneven pigmentation, to dryness, wrinkles, stretch marks etc. My skin care products can truly assist in all of these areas across-the-board!
Pricing:
- 4oz scrubs/butters $8
- Beard oil $9
- 8oz scrubs/butters $14
Contact Info:
- Website: handsofjoi.net
- Instagram: Instagram.com/hands_of_joi
- Facebook: Facebook.com/handsofjoi
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