Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaslyn Harris.
Hi Jaslyn, 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?
Hello Voyage ATL! Thank you so much for wanting to learn more about my story. It’s truly an honor to be a part of such a great community platform, and I hope that my story touches the next creative leader to do the same. As an aspiring dancer, I graduated college excited to pursue life as a professional performer. However, I’ve experienced many obstacles and hardship in the industry; where I’ve realized that I was being used and abused while doing the thing that I loved most. While I battled with post-grad depression, I fell in and out of love with my craft, and I ultimately lost myself. During Covid, I searched far and wide for something I can settle into as a young adult; something that I could eventually be proud of. But the more I searched, the farther away from myself I became. While in quarantine, I did a lot of work on my personal healing. I soon realized that I’m not someone who can settle for anything, and I knew that I had a greater purpose on my life. With the experience I have in the dance and administrative industries, I knew that I could make a name for myself; and with that; I founded MyMovesMoveU LLC. I have a passion in motivating others through having transparency in my journey; both personal and professional. I now use my love for dance and well-being as a tool to inspire and provide platforms for others wanting to walk in their purpose. Today, I am working hard to provide services such as consultations, private sessions and choreography to those in the entertainment industries, and I also host community-wide events under my brand from Pop Up Shops and Pop Up Classes to Mental Health Workshops and more!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
If anyone tells you that running your own business has been a smooth road, you may want to bring out the lie detector test. The road to success through the entrepreneurial lens has not been easy at all! Building an organization out of nothing takes a lot of work and consistency. There is a lot of investment of your time, skills, and money that goes into building your brand before you see any type of return on your investment. A big struggle that I often face is a lack of time. In addition to owning my own business, I work in the film industry full time; so juggling two professions while trying to also have a personal life has been a juggling act for sure. There’s so many ideas that I have for MyMovesMoveU, but I only have so much time to put my focus on my business before the day’s over. I am the only person running this business currently, so it’s been a struggle getting everything on my to-do list done in a timely manner.
I will be the first to say that running a business on your own is hard! I need help in more ways than one, so not being able to have reliable help on a consistent basis is definitely a downer. However, I greatly appreciate everyone who has helped me during my events. I’d like to give a special shout-out to my sister, my cousins, and some of my friends for volunteering; I truly could not have pulled all of this off without you all! Funding has also been a struggle. I’m not where I would like to be financially to fully invest in my business at the level I’d like, so I have to be really mindful of my spending when it comes to my events. There’s been a lot of times where I’ve realized that carrying out the event and getting the exposure my business needs takes priority over any profit. I’ve put faith in knowing that my hard work will pay off if I remain consistent and develop better business strategies along the way.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Currently, I am a secretary in the film and production industry and I’m also a professional dancer. In film, I assist with many administrative needs for my department, and I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work on set and meet some amazing people along the way. I graduated with a degree in Modern dance from Kennesaw State University in 2018, and I specialize in hip hop and stiletto dance. As a freelance dancer, I perform in shows in the city and book Music Video projects for various artists. Within my business, I teach private sessions, pop-up classes, and I choreograph for special projects that come my way. I am most proud of the impression I leave on my clients after I work with them. Whether they book me for a dance lesson or a consultation, I always make it a priority to inspire and motivate them to do what they are called to do. I encourage self-love, mental health, and well-being over everyone I come in contact with.
I think what sets me apart from others is my level of professionalism and transparency. I hold myself accountable just as much as I would hold anyone else. I make an effort to be a reliable asset to those who work with me, and my level of communication is always top tier. A lot of people in my industry do not hold the same value in professionalism as I do, but they also don’t realize that it’s the key to maintaining the relationships and longevity you need to be successful in your career. I believe my level of transparency is an intimate and honest view into my journey toward success. A lot of people are unprepared for the amount of work it takes to make their dreams come true because they only see the flashy end result of some of their most famous idols. What some people don’t realize is that it takes blood, sweat, tears, and years to achieve your goals, and it’s never a quick and easy task. No matter how great it looks at what “appears” to be the finish line, it takes hard work and consistency.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
MyMovesMoveU LLC will be celebrating our two year anniversary on October 21st! We’ll be hosting a Pop Up Dance Class in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month at a studio in Marietta/Atlanta. If you are open to dancing in heels (not required), bring a friend and wear all pink to enjoy the festivities! There will also be vendors to check out at the studio as well. More details will be provided on our website next month!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mymovesmoveu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mymovesmoveullc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/herecomes.thestorm3
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY1I8CU1arY
- Other: https://www.mymovesmoveu.com/book-online
Image Credits
Purple Headshot by Daquan Williams Black and White photo by Brandon Bridges
