Today we’d like to introduce you to Jhonita Strait.
Hi Jhonita, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am Jhonita Strait, CEO of Strait II Business, LLC. I am the mother of an inspiring 19-year-old son, Jabari and the aunt to a nurturing 6-year-old, Yavin. They are the most amazing beings in my world. I am recently divorced for the second time, living my life in peace, love, happiness, freedom and on purpose. So here I am, again…
I like to refer to myself as “The Resourcer” who is a serial entrepreneur. I’m a stylist, accountant and business consultant who co-owns several businesses with my “Sister by Law” and business partner, Sarita Strait, RN. We started this entrepreneurial endeavor first in 2010 with a jewelry line that really didn’t go anywhere. After attending nursing school together (I didn’t graduate as you can probably tell by the missing initials at the end of my name lol) we then decided to pursue opening a Nursing and technical school that has been on hold since that thought and dead-end research. After working in the food and healthcare industry and as an Executive Assistant and Junior Accountant in nonprofit for many years, letting that entrepreneurial spirit lay dormant, I decided to step out on my own and use the knowledge I had acquired in all of those sectors of employment. I resigned from my job in April of 2019 and opened Tax Brackets in December of 2019, a tax and accounting firm in Detroit, MI. During the pandemic, we opened a CLIA waived laboratory called Aggrandize Diagnostic Testing, as well as a staffing agency called Aggrandize Staffing Solutions where Sarita serves as the CEO, and me as the COO. We also relaunched our clothing brand name “Nuthin 2 Wear” from 2010 under our new Vintage Resale brand called Permanently Clothed. This past fall I partnered with an artist by the name of Slimmie Hauffa to launch an urban clothing line called Grounded Birds as well as a car rental service called Strait Luxury Cruising ran by my “Sisters by Law”, Sarita and Celeste. These past 3 years have been nothing short of challenging and amazing, but it didn’t start there.
My parents, Johnny and Brenda have 6 children between them. I have 5 biological brothers (Ronald, Tywan, Neivial, Walter and Antonio), and I’m the special one, the only girl, literally the “only female in my clique”! I also have 4 brother/cousins (Brandon, Tristan, Michael and Antonn) that I was raised with. Born in the 80s, I come from drug addicted parents who lost us to the system, making me a “Ward of the State” at the age of 10 by which I had already left my mom to go live with my grandmother and father. I grew up fast, watching drugs being sold and used in the house, running the streets with my brothers (Walt, Tony, Brandon and Tristan) as if we were grown. Fending for ourselves be it for money or food. Fighting, mainly men and boys off of me from unwanted touches to my private areas. I’ve seen our door get kicked in, I’ve feared for my mother’s life over dope debt, seen my brother get stabbed over defending her and so much more. We didn’t have it all, but we weren’t missing shit either, maybe a couple of meals, lights and gas at times, but nothing important lol. We had love, fun and each other regardless of what the “State” said. At the age of 16, I ran away from home after getting my last whooping from my father and I’ve been out here by myself since then. He was a strict, stern man and what I thought was hurting me was actually teaching me. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. My father is my best friend, my “homie” and my mother is too, the most hilarious individuals that I know. My mother is by far the most resilient woman I have ever met; she cleaned her life up to get her kids back and never used drugs again and that shit is DOPE! I’m dope because of them, embodying all the great things that they were from beauty, strength, fashion, tenacity, pride, shit-talking, no shit taking, gambling, hustlin’, driving, southern hospitality and city girl all in one. I am “Jai B”, Johnny and Brenda’s only daughter.
I am Jhonita Strait, CEO of Strait II Business, LLC. I am the mother of an inspiring 19-year-old son, Jabari and the aunt to a nurturing 6-year-old, Yavin. They are the most amazing beings in my world. I am recently divorced for the second time, living my life in peace, love, happiness, freedom and on purpose. So here I am, again…
I like to refer to myself as “The Resourcer” who is a serial entrepreneur. I’m a stylist, accountant and business consultant who co-owns several businesses with my “Sister by Law” and business partner, Sarita Strait, RN. We started this entrepreneurial endeavor first in 2010 with a jewelry line that really didn’t go anywhere. After attending nursing school together (I didn’t graduate as you can probably tell by the missing initials at the end of my name lol) we then decided to pursue opening a Nursing and technical school that has been on hold since that thought and dead-end research. After working in the food and healthcare industry and as an Executive Assistant and Junior Accountant in nonprofit for many years, letting that entrepreneurial spirit lay dormant, I decided to step out on my own and use the knowledge I had acquired in all of those sectors of employment. I resigned from my job in April of 2019 and opened Tax Brackets in December of 2019, a tax and accounting firm in Detroit, MI. During the pandemic, we opened a CLIA waived laboratory called Aggrandize Diagnostic Testing, as well as a staffing agency called Aggrandize Staffing Solutions where Sarita serves as the CEO, and me as the COO. We also relaunched our clothing brand name “Nuthin 2 Wear” from 2010 under our new Vintage Resale brand called Permanently Clothed. This past fall I partnered with an artist by the name of Slimmie Hauffa to launch an urban clothing line called Grounded Birds as well as a car rental service called Strait Luxury Cruising ran by my “Sisters by Law”, Sarita and Celeste. These past 3 years have been nothing short of challenging and amazing, but it didn’t start there.
My parents, Johnny and Brenda have 6 children between them. I have 5 biological brothers (Ronald, Tywan, Neivial, Walter and Antonio), and I’m the special one, the only girl, literally the “only female in my clique”! I also have 4 brother/cousins (Brandon, Tristan, Michael and Antonn) that I was raised with. Born in the 80s, I come from drug addicted parents who lost us to the system, making me a “Ward of the State” at the age of 10 by which I had already left my mom to go live with my grandmother and father. I grew up fast, watching drugs being sold and used in the house, running the streets with my brothers (Walt, Tony, Brandon and Tristan) as if we were grown. Fending for ourselves be it for money or food. Fighting, mainly men and boys off of me from unwanted touches to my private areas. I’ve seen our door get kicked in, I’ve feared for my mother’s life over dope debt, seen my brother get stabbed over defending her and so much more. We didn’t have it all, but we weren’t missing shit either, maybe a couple of meals, lights and gas at times, but nothing important lol. We had love, fun and each other regardless of what the “State” said. At the age of 16, I ran away from home after getting my last whooping from my father and I’ve been out here by myself since then. He was a strict, stern man and what I thought was hurting me was actually teaching me. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. My father is my best friend, my “homie” and my mother is too, the most hilarious individuals that I know. My mother is by far the most resilient woman I have ever met; she cleaned her life up to get her kids back and never used drugs again and that shit is DOPE! I’m dope because of them, embodying all the great things that they were from beauty, strength, fashion, tenacity, pride, shit-talking, no shit taking, gambling, hustlin’, driving, southern hospitality and city girl all in one. I am “Jai B”, Johnny and Brenda’s only daughter.
In business, I literally started with nothing but the extra money I had left over from a check or two (which wasn’t much living check to check), some savings and borrowed money from my Mommy that I didn’t formally ask for but somehow, she knew already; a mother knows her child. I sold, pawned and maxed out all of the credit cards I had to invest in real estate and start my businesses. I literally got this shit out the mud. Today I co-own 4 businesses with about 4-6 others in the pipeline. I’m an investor in commercial and residential real estate and I am ecstatic to announce the launching of our new networking community called CEO Mafia.
In the last five years I’ve lost all of parents and co-parents (mother, father, grandmother and aunt Jean), and just this year one of my best friends, Camille and that shit crushed me. So, I owe it to them to keep going, the ones who raised me and believed in me before I even knew who I was. I owe it to my kid, my siblings (by law), family and friends because they support and root for me. This shit is personal, and I’ll be damned if I it ends here! I have so much more to give, so much to conquer… so watch me get “Strait II Business”, better yet, join me on this journey because there’s room at this table!
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?
This entrepreneur thing is by far one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done but it’s what I knew I always wanted. People think you have it all figured out, yet I’m financially “disabled” most times because I’m always investing or trying to keep what I’ve invested in. The greatest struggle is revenue and not having enough of it to afford the team you need for the business as well as the systems you need in place to run efficiently. It’s a headache when you have to run all sectors of your business especially when you’re not knowledgeable in all. The other struggle is building a team of people who truly understand your vision and their position instead of wanting to be in your position. The greatest struggle I have is staying focused, disciplined and motivated when things are falling apart and there is no money being made. However, I have never not figured it out or learned from my struggles.
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?
I am all things business and style!!! I am a stylist of hair, fashion and homes. This year I’m shifting and finding my purpose in life and in business and bridging the two. I hold a degree in Business Administration, but I have been a hair stylist by trade for 21 years, 27 years in total, hustling since the age of 10 in my grandmother’s kitchen. Hair is my first love. I’m now finding my way in home decor as well as fashion styling; I absolutely love all things beauty, luxury, glam and budget. If you look good, you feel good and perform with great confidence, and I love doing that for myself and others. I plan to learn more about each of these industries and start my own business in the near future, but for now, maybe just a social media channel. I have had the opportunity to take on a few home decor clients, so we’ll see how that goes. As for styling, I’d like to show others my style and help them create their own on a budget by way of thrifting. Thrifting has become my absolute favorite thing to do, recreating looks from some of the most creative icons in the business. Elnora, my grandmother would laugh at me if she could see me now buying secondhand wear, something I did with her as a child and hated (LOL). Now I find myself trying to remember where those stores and yard sales were from almost 30 years ago.
Under the business sector of Strait II Business, I have recently launched a business credit course, teaching business owners how to build and leverage credit for their business. I am still focused on personal credit and finance as well as business startups as they all work together.
I’m known for talking, not on stages in front of people but to people, all people, all the damn time! I am a resource and that is my purpose in life! I have found myself in rooms and conversations with people of all walks of life, from poverty-stricken to millionaires. There, I learn and connect with extraordinary individuals, and I absolutely love it! This is the pure purpose behind CEO Mafia, a networking community bringing together business owners, professionals, individuals, creatives and aspiring business owners in a space where we can feel safe to collaborate, share ideas, educate and most importantly build each other up. This network is going to be super dope, not watered down or judgmental, not entitled or title driven but one that you don’t want to NOT be a part of. Our motto, “We ain’t for everybody, we for everybody else”!
I am most proud of how far I’ve come. Sometimes I get so caught up in where I should be and what I don’t have that I don’t acknowledge what I’ve accomplished. My 2 fond memories of my parents are my mother taking me to get my hair done on Grand River as a child and my father taking me along to get his taxes prepared at an office that was also on Grand River. Think it’s a coincidence that my Tax office and Barber Shop sits on Grand River? I think not, it’s God letting me know that my parents are with me and are proud. I’m also proud of the partners and individuals that I’ve connected with, the network that I’m building, the resource that I am to others and the vision that I’m seeing through. What sets me apart is my genuine heart, my want to help others to succeed and my dedication to them. My loyalty, professionalism and service to my clients are unmatched. I work for them, and I always act as such; without them, there is no me or business. I am a servant first and that’s what sets me apart from others.
In the last five years I’ve lost all of parents and co-parents (mother, father, grandmother and aunt Jean), and just this year one of my best friends, Camille and that shit crushed me. So, I owe it to them to keep going, the ones who raised me and believed in me before I even knew who I was. I owe it to my kid, my siblings (by law), family and friends because they support and root for me. This shit is personal, and I’ll be damned if I it ends here! I have so much more to give, so much to conquer… so watch me get “Strait II Business”, better yet, join me on this journey because there’s room at this table!
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?
This entrepreneur thing is by far one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done but it’s what I knew I always wanted. People think you have it all figured out, yet I’m financially “disabled” most times because I’m always investing or trying to keep what I’ve invested in. The greatest struggle is revenue and not having enough of it to afford the team you need for the business as well as the systems you need in place to run efficiently. It’s a headache when you have to run all sectors of your business especially when you’re not knowledgeable in all. The other struggle is building a team of people who truly understand your vision and their position instead of wanting to be in your position. The greatest struggle I have is staying focused, disciplined and motivated when things are falling apart and there is no money being made. However, I have never not figured it out or learned from my struggles.
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?
I am all things business and style!!! I am a stylist of hair, fashion and homes. This year I’m shifting and finding my purpose in life and in business and bridging the two. I hold a degree in Business Administration, but I have been a hair stylist by trade for 21 years, 27 years in total, hustling since the age of 10 in my grandmother’s kitchen. Hair is my first love. I’m now finding my way in home decor as well as fashion styling; I absolutely love all things beauty, luxury, glam and budget. If you look good, you feel good and perform with great confidence, and I love doing that for myself and others. I plan to learn more about each of these industries and start my own business in the near future, but for now, maybe just a social media channel. I have had the opportunity to take on a few home decor clients, so we’ll see how that goes. As for styling, I’d like to show others my style and help them create their own on a budget by way of thrifting. Thrifting has become my absolute favorite thing to do, recreating looks from some of the most creative icons in the business. Elnora, my grandmother would laugh at me if she could see me now buying secondhand wear, something I did with her as a child and hated (LOL). Now I find myself trying to remember where those stores and yard sales were from almost 30 years ago.
Under the business sector of Strait II Business, I have recently launched a business credit course, teaching business owners how to build and leverage credit for their business. I am still focused on personal credit and finance as well as business startups as they all work together.
I’m known for talking, not on stages in front of people but to people, all people, all the damn time! I am a resource and that is my purpose in life! I have found myself in rooms and conversations with people of all walks of life, from poverty-stricken to millionaires. There, I learn and connect with extraordinary individuals, and I absolutely love it! This is the pure purpose behind CEO Mafia, a networking community bringing together business owners, professionals, individuals, creatives and aspiring business owners in a space where we can feel safe to collaborate, share ideas, educate and most importantly build each other up. This network is going to be super dope, not watered down or judgmental, not entitled or title driven but one that you don’t want to NOT be a part of. Our motto, “We ain’t for everybody, we for everybody else”!
I am most proud of how far I’ve come. Sometimes I get so caught up in where I should be and what I don’t have that I don’t acknowledge what I’ve accomplished. My 2 fond memories of my parents are my mother taking me to get my hair done on Grand River as a child and my father taking me along to get his taxes prepared at an office that was also on Grand River. Think it’s a coincidence that my Tax office and Barber Shop sits on Grand River? I think not, it’s God letting me know that my parents are with me and are proud. I’m also proud of the partners and individuals that I’ve connected with, the network that I’m building, the resource that I am to others and the vision that I’m seeing through. What sets me apart is my genuine heart, my want to help others to succeed and my dedication to them. My loyalty, professionalism and service to my clients are unmatched. I work for them, and I always act as such; without them, there is no me or business. I am a servant first and that’s what sets me apart from others.
What makes you happy?
God, life, my son, music, photographs, flowers, my family and friends, rides and peaceful sittings by the water all make me happy. These things bring me so much peace and joy because for a long time I didn’t know what that looked like, I didn’t know what I looked like. I was in a place of hurt, pain, despair and depression. I still struggle from time to time but I’m healing in love and peace. So, reading a scripture eases my mind and feeds my spirit; conversing with my son builds our bond. Flowers freshens my home and adds beauty to the room. Music and photos put me in a great mood, recalling fond memories and the water calms my spirit. My family and friends genuinely inspire me and pick me up when world is against me. Self-care dates and conversations with them are the best, especially with my FC (Favorite Cousin) Nay. These things are must haves for my life, and I dare not live without them, they are my luxuries.
Contact Info:
- Website: thetaxbrackets.com
- Instagram: tax_brackets
- Facebook: Tax Brackets
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