Today we’d like to introduce you to Jobi Jones.
Hi Jobi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ll never forget the day that Westside Skills Center, now called Frank H. Peterson Academies in Jacksonville, FL, came to my middle school. I was only 14 at the time. The skills center told a group of us middle school kids about an alternative to education during my high school years. They told us we could learn a trade, such as graphic design or cosmetology. I remember listening and hanging on to every word they said. When they spoke about the cosmetology program, something in me just knew I wanted to go and learn. After all, I got into trouble at home as early as eight years old for mixing lotions and perfumes and conducting science experiments in the bathroom medicine cabinet. I was always into makeup and hair, and that day I just knew that was what I was supposed to do with my life. I was never good at reading, writing, or grammar. However, I always loved learning with my hands. Fast forward to that summer, and I enrolled in the cosmetology program and attended the summer school program to get a jump-start on the hours needed to take my exam. By the time I was 17, I was a licensed cosmetologist, attending my regular high school at Terry Parker for half the day, then leaving to work in a salon for the other half. My career took me to an audition for the reality show Shear Genius, afforded me the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, and led me to open two salons. In 2019, after 28 years in the industry, I retired due to the physical toll it had taken on my body. However, I was still so young at the time, and because being a hairstylist was all I ever knew, I didn’t have a backup plan. I had to do something with all the creativity still brewing inside. So, I learned graphic design through all the online avenues available to me. I taught myself. I started designing websites, logos, and whatever else I could learn. Although that is fun, I still felt like there was more. That’s when the craziest thing happened. Because of all the self-taught design work I had been doing, I got a chance to help my husband publish his book, “Alternate Dominion- The Christian Fantasy Adventure Saga.” One thing led to another, and I said to my husband, “Hey, do you think we can do this for other authors?’ Now, sidenote: my husband is a literature major with a minor in journalism. I, on the other hand, struggled with spelling, grammar, and, well, just English in general. So, it makes no sense for me to become a publisher; however, I have always had an imagination, and that makes me a decent creative writer. With that said, we published our second author, and now the rest is history, as they say. Our latest ghostwriting project is very spicy. It’s about racism, war, and justice. If you had asked me in elementary school if I ever thought I’d be a writer one day, I probably would have laughed. Now, with my husband at my side, we have developed J3 Publishers, LLC.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have learned that nothing in life worth having is ever smooth. And with every opportunity comes obstacles. Struggles are part of growing. This is what I would tell any entrepreneur now, at age 52. If you’re not willing to fight for what you want, you might as well hang up the entrepreneur coat. I would say one of the biggest challenges I have had is in my own mind. Meaning doubts, fears, inadequacies, all of it will and has waged war in my mind. That obstacle is the biggest for any business owner, athlete, or anyone trying to accomplish something. You must master your thoughts and tell yourself you can and you will.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in telling and crafting other people’s stories by bringing them to life through writing, teaching, and publishing. I’m best known for being strategic and visionary when it comes to creating and completing a work of art, such as publishing a book for an author or writing creative nonfiction/fiction. I am most proud of my ability not to give up and to keep pushing until I get it. Whether it’s learning something new or figuring something out, I don’t give up. I’m most proud of being married to my husband for 25 years and for not giving up, even when it means failure. What sets me apart from others is the ability to hear a person’s vision, business idea, or dream of … and help them get there.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I was born and raised here. I don’t know of any other place in the world to call home. I remember when we had toll booths, when the Dames Point Bridge was being built, and when we had the original Gator Bowl. I remember the great snowfall of 1989. I don’t think I can say anything bad about Jacksonville. I love it here. If I could complain, I miss the good old days when there wasn’t all this traffic.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.j3publishers.com
- Instagram: @j3publishers
