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Afros and Artisans: Meet Jodi-Kay
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I had the pleasure of discovering a young budding entrepreneur via Instagram. What caught me the most while glancing at her photos was the vivid imagery and personality she had illuminate through  her fashion and attire. It’s always refreshing to see young women creating a brand for themselves on the internet and in local towns. So without further ado meet Jodi-Kay.

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My name is Jodi-Kay Edwards I was born in Kingston, Jamaica. My name falls under the life path number of 3. Personality traits are said to be, creative and self expressive which makes sense because my hobbies all involve some form of creativity in one way or another. I’m a fashion and fitness blogger, content creator, dancer and I like to dabble in the piano from time to time. 

When and why did you decide to get rid of the creamy crack if you did?
My first decision to go natural was June 21st 2014. I was going through some trying times in my life and I took a good long look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t like what I saw and wanted to change that perception of myself. I wanted to know the real me underneath it all. Going natural for me was so uplifting, I let go of so much that day and I’ve never been happier.

What was your support system like after you made your decision to go natural?
 My mum from time to time would say things like, “I can help you relax your hair” or “Have you straightened your hair lately?’ She always meant well but it did hurt me a little because I was thinking why, she knows where I stand on my decision so why is she asking me. In today’s society I understand some of her concerns but I am making my own life choices. I used to be so worried about how I would be viewed in the corporate world, to my friends, family and peers. I have had a few nasty comments from strangers but I would say about 85% of the time people are kind, slightly confused but they are kind and have questions. 


It is true that we are not our hair, or anyone else’s, but do you have any natural hair crushes?
I believe that a queens crown is her hair so however she feels confident she should rock that! I wasn’t feeling confident altering my hair to “fit in” and the fact that I even had that perspective of my hair and myself meant that I was long over due for a change. Taking care of my natural hair is a bit of work but it has become a lot easier than my previous relaxers, weave and wig lifestyle. I wish this war on hair typing would end because to me hair is hair no matter what curl pattern, no matter if it’s scalp grown of store bought, long or short. Who are we to say someone should wear their hair natural or someone should relax their hair. We should come together and celebrate life and how beautiful it is and how beautiful each and everyone of us are with our unique differences. Speaking of which, I think Ella Eyre is stunning and her hair is just wow. 


What are your inspirations in life and inspiration for your hair?
My inspiration for life is to be happy and healthy I wish the same for my hair. Oh yeah and we both could stay hydrated a little more. 🙂

When you are going through your daily regimen what products do you reach for first and why?

 A good Shea butter always gives my hair life, I have my handy dandy spray bottle that I fill with water and some type of oil, it changes from time to time. Water, oil and a Shea butter are my daily go to’s.
What is your go to style in the winter and the summer?
 My go to style in the winter is a top knot, the weather can be so harsh on our hair and skin, so a bun keeps my hair protected from rogue zippers and tugging from scarves. During the summer time I am a big fan of the ol wash and go, I wash my hair about 1-2 times a week so there is just a lot of maintaining that needs to get done during the week.  

 What is the most important thing you have learned on your natural hair journey?
 I have learned the importance of self appreciation and self love. Whenever I find myself comparing my journey to others I take a step back and say, wait a minute girl your hair is on fleek too. Then I do the hair flip emoji and just like that the fro and I go back to living our lives. 
What does it feel like owning your own business with many other people owning larger business companies? Is it intimidating?
 I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, it started with seeing a book on my mums bookshelf when I was younger, she explained the definition of entrepreneur to me and I said I want to be that. I want to be self sufficient, I want to work hard to make my own dreams come true not someone else’s. There are so many other bloggers and Youtubers out there who are far more successful than I, but I look at how far I’ve come already and that keeps me motivated. No one really intimidates me anymore, I’m a big fan of networking and collaborating, so when someone with a great idea reaches out to me and vice versa, I see opportunity. 
What has been one of your biggest obstacles so far in your career and how did you face it?
 I have long legs so I jump right over that stuff. Haha, no but really I think the hardest part about going into business for yourself is getting people interested in your brand and in my case my brand is myself. I want to inspire, grow and connect with people who are just as positive and soul searching as I am, it’s not just all about numbers for me, it’s that genuine connection, because once that’s real you’ve made friends for life whether those friends are instagrammers, subscribers, tweeters or snap chatters, I’ve found that by staying true to myself I will attract the right crowd at the right time.
What keeps you motivated (pertaining to balancing your life and your company)?
As a Libra it’s really important for me to find balance and keep it otherwise my whole mood gets thrown off and I have to recalibrate before I can be productive again. What really helps me to stay balances is taking time for myself away from it all, away from people, away from social media and away from that busy on the go lifestyle. That means reading a book without tweeting, instagramming or snap chatting it! 
 How would you describe your signature style?
Fall Colours: Black
Winter Colours: Black
Spring Colours: Black
Summer Colours: Black
I am a style chameleon so I am a big mood dresser, but I love neutrals.
Where do you see your business in the next five years?
 Spreading unicorn magic all over the internet and possibly launching a clothing line. 
Any advice for your fellow natural hair folks? 
 It’s your journey and yours alone make mistakes and find out your likes and dislikes, pay attention to what products your hair reacts well to, sit back and enjoy the ride! 
Where can we find you on the net?
SnapChat: missjodik

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