Today we’d like to introduce you to Jia aka “Miss Ikonic” .
Hi Jia aka “Miss Ikonic”, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Thomas Jefferson once said, “I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery,” – I felt that and it’s safe to say that it’s this ideology that fuels my entrepreneurial endeavors.
I graduated high school as valedictorian and I graduated from college cum laude. I figured being book-smart would pave the way for my success as an adult but au contraire. When you get into the real world, most jobs don’t care about your extracurricular activities and your high GPA – some might, but most don’t. After a few years in corporate America, post-college, I realized that the 9 to 5 life wasn’t for me, not because I wasn’t capable but because I desired more freedom.
If you had asked me in high school what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would’ve said a lawyer or a real estate agent, not a writer, songwriter and entrepreneur. Those last three didn’t even cross my mind, yet writing, music and a love for ownership had been consistent themes throughout my life.
That said, sometimes we ignore the obvious and in 2015 I started my own blog The Ikon and in 2019, I decided to start my own business / online store – Kulturally Appropriate.
Both of these endeavors were born from closed doors. Publications wanted me to have writing experience but wouldn’t let me write for them to garner that experience, so I started my own blog instead. I knew that I wanted to secure my own stream of income birthed from my own creativity – so I did that with Kulturally Appropriate. It’s a brand dedicated to empowering the kulture and encouraging supreme excellence. It includes witty phases and definitions that you’ll only find on my gear with a strong emphasis on women in entrepreneurship hence my ever so popular “She-EO Kollection”. It’s mine, it’s my baby and when you work for someone else you know that it’s not yours – call me selfish, I guess.
That’s my start, one day I just woke up and did it – I haven’t looked back since and never will. Remember, a closed door is just an opportunity for you to build your own.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Becoming an entrepreneur is not for the feeble and indolent. It is not a faster route and it is not an easier route to success. If you aren’t willing to put in 40 hours a week for someone else, you more than likely aren’t going to put in 80 hours a week for yourself. You’re trading your 9 to 5 for an all-the-time, 24/7 commitment. Yes, you can choose your off days but the off days come later – way later – but the work you put in now can shape a better tomorrow and that’s the point of it all.
In my opinion, entrepreneurship requires outsourcing. You can’t do it all by yourself. The road becomes far bumpier when you are unwilling or too cheap to outsource certain aspects of your business. It took me about a year or so to learn and accept that thus my journey to success in entrepreneurship has been rockier than it needed to be. Your weakness is someone else’s strength, remember that and then outsource accordingly. Places like Fiverr and Upwork are your friends. They provide affordable resources and access to Facebook ads managers, copywriters, social media managers, etc.
The road to success is a long one, it’s wild, sometimes I’m uninspired, the pay is inconsistent, I’m tired but it’s mine. It’s my baby so I take care of it, gift it the proper care and outsource when necessary.
The road will look different for everyone but the destination remains the same. Give way for alternate routes, be open to change and remember why you started.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My brand Kulturally Appropriate melds my love for words, music, creativity and entrepreneurship into one eclectic entity. When I started this business back in 2019, I had no idea what I was doing, truth is, I’m still learning. Being an entrepreneur means that you are willing to dedicate your entire life to being a student of the game.
The phrases and definitions on my t-shirts, hoodies and mugs are unique to my brand. As a black woman, I’m immensely proud not only of my ability to garner a title like CEO but for my tenacity. I could’ve given up and many days, I wanted to but I didn’t, I’m still here and part of my brand is dedicated to those women that are still doing it.
My “She-EO Kollection” is my most popular one but it’s also the one that represents me and other women just like me best and for that I’m grateful. Just 50 years ago, starting a business required financing, the proper connections and ideally wealth and although those things still help, they are not a requirement. You can just do it and I represent the people out here that just did it and I hope to inspire others to do the same.
My blog The Ikon is my little slice of the internet where I write about topics ranging from love to life to music. I put my life and my experiences in my blog and it’s my goal that when people read my articles that they resonate with them, finger snaps and all. Being a blogger is another career route that has an unknown road, it doesn’t include guaranteed success but I’m okay with that – I like that actually. My love for writing propels my current and continued interest in my blog not the desire for a specific outcome.
Some entrepreneurs don’t mind the unknown, I’m one of them.
What does success mean to you?
Success, for me, isn’t about a specific dollar amount or a certain class level, it’s about the freedom. I’m not chasing money, it’s the freedom I desire. The freedom to live my life on my own terms, to vacation when I choose, to see my family whenever I want and yes, I’d like to purchase the things I want as well without it breaking the bank but it’s not the “things” I care about, it’s the freedom.
Success, in my opinion, is defined as the freedom to live your life on your terms – that’s it.
Think about your idols and those you deem as successful, I promise you this, they all have one thing in common – freedom.
Pricing:
- T-shirts start at $27
- Hoodies start at $47
- Mugs are $15.00
Contact Info:
- Website: My store: https://kulturallyappropriate.com/
My blog – https://the-ikon.com/ - Instagram: My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missikonic/?hl=en
My store: https://www.instagram.com/kulturallyappropriate/
My blog: https://www.instagram.com/theikon_/ - Facebook: My stores: https://www.facebook.com/KulturallyAppropriate/
- Twitter: My stores: https://twitter.com/bekulture
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/missikonic - Other: https://linktr.ee/MissIkonic
