Meet Jaleesa Mitchell in Augusta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaleesa Mitchell.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jaleesa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was younger, I had dreams and aspirations of being a singer, dancer, and/or actress. Essentially, I always knew that I wanted a career in the arts. However, what I did not expect, was the growth of my appreciation and love for literature. I was in third grade when I realized that I wanted to be a writer. My teacher, Ms. Weinstein, always praised me for my creativity during our free-write sessions. After writing my first short story, about a swamp monster, I was convinced that writing could be in my future.

In middle school, my writing became an outlet for me to vent my frustrations; it filled the hole inside of me that made me feel less than. And, no matter how much I was ridiculed or made fun of for it, I continued to do it. There was one teacher, in particular, I believe her name was Ms. Lewis, who always gave me great feedback on my material (my favorite was my Detective Casefiles stories).

I did falter, for a moment. To my dismay, I went to A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering High School. There, I realized that the medical field was interesting and, to a certain extent, had its appeals. However, knowing that my brain is not wired for math and science, I knew that I did not have a future in the medical field. Which, was great because it would have sucked to get through a medical program and realize that I hated it. Instead, I was able to skip that step and spring forward to doing what I needed to do to become an author and work in publishing.

After finishing a dual degree at Augusta University in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing, and Anthropology, I decided to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for grad school. It was there that I realized that my dream was not only to become an author but to become a content creator who used writing as my main medium. Becoming an author would be icing on the cake.

Somewhere in the midst of all of that my fiance, Alejandro Smith, convinced me that a business where we combined our genius would serve us and the area that we lived in better.

From there, The Jack and Jill of All Trades were born.

Has it been a smooth road?
The road from my past to where I am today has not been smooth. I lost my father when I was about seven years old, which has always left me feeling a bit incomplete. And, although I don’t have many memories of him, I do miss him every day. I guess that’s why a part of me loves writing. It gives me the ability to immortalize myself through the work that I do.

Another struggle is finding the time for work-life balance. In undergrad, and even now, I have the tendency to overwork myself as a way to achieve the dreams that I know are possible: a life that is supported solely by my business and freelance work. This “bad habit” of mine has landed me with chest and back pains, anxiety, and a plethora of other health issues. (Although, thankfully, that will no longer be the case after November.)

We’d love to hear more about your company.
We are a company that focuses on content creation. My side of the business, The Jill side, focuses on Writing, Editing, Research, and Marketing. This encompasses everything from creating flyers and writing resumes to tutoring and educating others.

My fiance’s side of the business, The Jack, focuses on Photography and Videography ranging from Weddings and Pet Photography to Conventions and Events.

Our proudest moment as a company was having other individuals within the field give us positive feedback about what we do. A kind word can go a long way and, in this case, can provide confidence and pride.

The thing that sets us apart from others is that we care about the well-being of our clients and try our best to foster those relationships. It also helps that we’re a small company, so our clients come first. Not all companies can say that.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel like Atlanta is a great place for businesses like ours because it is filled with creative people and creative voices of all backgrounds.

If someone was just starting out, I would recommend them coming to this area because there is a homeyness feeling about the place. In Atlanta, you’re not just “another business,” you’re a business that caters to the environment around you. And you don’t feel that love in all places.

Pricing:

• Writing Rates Begin at $15/hr.
• Editing Rates begin at $16/hr.
• Research Rates begin at $18/hr.
• Marketing Rates begin at $20/hr.
• Photography Rates begin at $125
• Videography Rates begin at $400
• Combined Service Rates are available upon contact.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thejackandjillofalltrades.com/
• Phone: 757-632-9657 OR 706-518-0524
• Email: info@thejackandjillofalltrades.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejackandjillofalltrades/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaleesaandAlejandro/
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/jaleesamitchell

Image Credit:
Alejandro Smith, Logo by Adreon Patterson

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