Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonae Bond.
Hi Jonae, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2020, during my junior year in university, I was part of a group project for my Advertising Management course and we had to create an advertising campaign. The project required flyers, social media content, brochures, a mini commercial, and other advertising and marketing materials to be created. My group members didn’t want to create the commercial or flyers, so I decided to take on that role.
After we presented our campaign, I received a lot of positive feedback and comments from my classmates, Advertising Management professor, and professors in the Marketing Communication department. My Advertising Management professor asked, “Who created the commercial and flyers for this campaign?” I mentioned that I did and he asked, “Are you into graphic design or videography? This is high-quality work!” At the time, I barely knew anything about graphic design or videography, but his comment sparked my interest. When I got back to my apartment after the presentation, I downloaded the free trial version of Photoshop and Premiere Pro and from there I knew I was meant to do something within the creative industry in the future. After a few weeks of teaching myself how to use Adobe softwares, I felt an instant connection and passion for design and creating as a whole.
Fast forward two months, I started a side business making YouTube content for influencers, which included intros, outros, and banner designs. That business endeavor was quite successful. However, after a few months I knew that I was meant to do much more than create YouTube content. After I graduated from undergrad, I started to question myself about what my next move would be. I had a Marketing background, but I wanted to know how I could incorporate my design skills with Marketing. That’s when I learned about branding. That was the missing piece for what I needed to build my agency. Branding and marketing go hand in hand, so combining both was key in order for me to create a valuable and beneficial experience for my clients. I spent nearly 2 years teaching myself about branding and working on branding passion projects. After those two years, I knew it was time to launch my own agency and help business owners and entrepreneurs understand the importance of branding and marketing in order for them to build an impactful and successful brand.
There were many times that I questioned myself saying, “Am I doing the right thing by not going into the corporate world and having a regular 9 to 5 job?” Coming straight out of university as a new graduate and starting a business on my own was a risk, but my passion and willingness to learn and help others with their businesses was so strong. Even when I would doubt myself, I always had this constant voice in the back of my head repeating, “This is your calling.” I knew it was God. Through this journey, I’ve learned that what God has for you will come to you.
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?
I’ve definitely had to endure some challenges and obstacles. Overcoming self-doubt played a major role in where I am with my agency now. As a young business owner with no other job, there was always that constant thought in my head saying, “This is really a risk” or “I hope this works out for me because if it doesn’t, I don’t know what will be next.” I also had people tell me I would never be able to support myself without a 9 to 5 job. But I learned to change those thoughts into positive ones. When I started believing in myself and my skills, there was no more room for second-guessing. The road to success is never easy, but it’s all about learning and enjoying the journey along the way.
I also learned to block out the noise from social media. Society today has altered young people’s minds, making them think that they need to have the nicest car, over $1 Million dollars, a big mansion, etc by the age of 25 for example. Back when I was 20 years old, I thought that I was just never going to be “successful” because people my age had all of those things and I didn’t. As I started to get older, I realized that those things don’t always equate to success. Success to me isn’t defined by my wallet, it is measured by my level of happiness and that happiness comes from my passion to help others elevate their businesses.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Truly Elevated Agency Inc?
I have a branding and marketing agency called Truly Elevated Agency Inc. I specialize in brand identity design, brand strategy development, social media management, product photography and videography, brand and event photography, creative direction, and website design. I rebranded from Graphics By Jonae to Truly Elevated Agency Inc in August 2022 and it was the best decision I ever made.
What sets me apart from others is my agency is described as a one stop shop for businesses. I offer services that I know go hand and hand with each other. My clients always tell me that they love to be able to work with one person to execute their vision for branding, marketing, photography, etc. When I was in the process of rebranding, it was important that everything that I offered was beneficial to my clients. Also, I tell business owners and entrepreneurs that keeping your branding and marketing materials visually cohesive is extremely important. My clients always mentioned that they disliked when they would have to work with a bunch of different designers because each of them had different design styles. With my agency, I make sure that your brand identity, brand messaging, and all other elements are cohesive and unique for your brand specifically. In order to stand out in your market, you have to be different from other brands. Truly Elevated Agency Inc strives to create unique branding and marketing materials for your brand.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My determination and passion are most important to my success. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had a strong go-getter mentality. I have the determination to work and I always make sure that things get done. I drive myself with purpose and alignment. The passion I have for branding and marketing is indescribable. Whether it is through design, photography, or strategy development, when I am helping business owners and entrepreneurs build their brands, I feel a strong sense of purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trulyelevatedagency.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trulyelevatedagency/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrzR6fUq-t5fxQjKNCvq_7w
Image Credits
Product Photos Captured By: Truly Elevated Agency Inc Portrait Photo Captured By: Truly Elevated Agency Inc Brand Identity Designs Designed By: Truly Elevated Agency Inc Website Design By: Truly Elevated Agency Inc
