Jasmine Rucker JD shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Jasmine, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
My marriage. Yes, I am a newlywed. This girl from Eastern Arkansas married a welder from Accra, Ghana. It only makes sense to align with another entrepreneur. My husband and I have been enjoying our honeymoon phase. I pray that it lasts a lifetime. I have had the pleasure of laughing, learning, crying, and praying with my person since we last spoke. I am looking forward to possibly reading his article at a later date (wink, wink).
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
The third time’s a charm, right? Since we last spoke, I have still maintained my legal career Monday through Friday during normal business hours. I am still on a mission to encourage young and old to use their talents to build generational wealth and advance positive change in the community. Although I am still actively working to facilitate fact-finding hearings, I have embarked on a new journey. I have decided to seek a Master of Law in Immigration Law and Naturalization to further my purpose of teaching communities about the law and how it pertains to their rights.
JZLASHA’ has taken a new direction after the Covid era. I no longer focus on cosmetics. I only offer customized crochet products. After 5PM on weekdays and well into the weekend, I am focusing on filling crochet orders. My hobby is slowly becoming a business. I have not quite worked out all of the kinks of the transition, but we will get there. This interview might help!
JZLASHA’ began as a classy & sassy little online beauty store that I created for my eldest daughter. She has since grown and encouraged me to take over with my crochet. So I did just that. As a girl from Eastern Arkansas, it is a great honor to be able to offer my knowledge to others by developing the talents God has given to me. The mission is to pass it along through my crochet. Every piece is made with care, love, and determination. Each design is special to me.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I was bound by the statistics laid out by my little small town. I believed I had no business being a part of that 3.2% of the population with a graduate or professional degree. I was scared to leave my little town because I feared failure. Somehow I found the courage to leave to pursue a career with hopes of pouring back into the community. That is what drives me. I made a deal with myself my senior year. I told myself that I would leave, but only return when I could contribute to the growth of my little town. I believe I am well on my way now.
Now, I believe that I can succeed. God has opened a path for me to succeed. I am grateful.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me a lot about myself. My business has been in shambles. This temporarily stifled my creativity, but when I cleared my head, the ideas seemed to flow like water. The suffering help me find new ways to be creative. I picked up an old hobby, began to create masterpieces with yarn. Now I am working harder than ever to rebuild JZLASHA’ because I know how suffering feels. Success could not teach me that type of hunger to succeed.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My family. My family always sends me crochet ideas. They are always pushing me to the max. My family challenges me to learn new patterns, create new patterns, sale new products, and spend more time on my craft.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Complaining! It is annoying and does not solve any problems.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @drclassyjazzie
- Facebook: Jasmine L Rucker
Image Credits
High Version Films (Ghana)
