Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazmine Keith.
Hi Jazmine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was young, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents while my parents worked. They would take me camping and fishing nearly every weekend, Summer and Winter. Spending time outdoors is what makes me feel most connected to my roots and myself. As I got into my junior year of college, I began feeling this “calling” to create a personal brand that reflected the values I had acquired. I’ve always been pretty creative, too, so this was a wonderful avenue to express myself.
My grandma passed away while I was still in High School, so everything I began feeling in this “calling” was a way for me to honor her and the traditions we had. She has been at the forefront of nearly everything I’ve created.
The brand I came up with is Northcast, LLC – going by Northcast, MN.
The first thing I did was draw the logo – I would sketch for days in class, and write down words and synonyms to come up with what is now the name and logo. Then I created a business plan outline to hone in on what kind of business I wanted to do; where; and with whom.
Then I continued to work full-Time jobs, travel, and work on building my own foundation.
One day, perhaps right before the shutdown, I finally created my website with a domain.
Then I really hit the ground running making jewelry, candles, and fish fry batter. I listed all of this on my website. I’d stay up late into the night making jewelry and labels because I worked from home so my schedule was a little more flexible.
I see this as an ongoing project – a work in progress. And that is where I am today. I have my online shop, I sell things in the Creators Space Shop in Saint Paul, MN, and I am hosting my first ice fishing tournament this upcoming February.
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?
No! First of all, after I came up with the “outline” and the “look” of the brand, I continued working full time. It was not possible for me to spend enough time on building this brand. There were so many obstacles coming into adulthood that limited my time and financial resources.
Being able to financially support myself was so important to me, so the free time I had, I really tried to prioritize more and more my creative outlet; because if I spent more time making jewelry, I would sell more!
The first time I did a “show”, I set up at an ice fishing tournament. Sales were so slow. I think I just had too much stuff out on my table, and wasn’t engaging like I should have been. It really took some wind out of my sales and led me to contemplate the entire vision.
Another obstacle came when I had my car broken in to and many pairs of earrings stolen, as well as candles and pottery. Something like that is a little discouraging.
The display I have in Creators Space is something I am so proud of; I’m just honored to be part of that community. But it also comes with its own unique set of problems. Stolen inventory is something I can’t truly keep an eye on there. There was an instance where an accident outside broke the coffee shop window and destroyed the display inside, so I lost a chunk of inventory in that accident. Since it was already cleaned up by the time I saw it, I am unsure what was all lost!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I am a full time employee at a Commercial Ford Dealership – I sell commercial trucks and retail vehicles for Ford to many construction companies, landscape companies, delivery companies and more. I’ve been known for how many jobs I’ve had over the years; I have enjoyed taking employment with a plethora of industries (mostly service and transportation). I’m most proud of my collective experience; I’ve worked in many bars/restaurants, I worked for a private aviation company, I sold Cadillac, I sold International Trucks, and now Ford Trucks. What sets me apart, is I gained so much customer service experience early in my career, so I truly feel confident I can do anything because I have a good understanding of people and the things that motivate them.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are to continue saving money. To continue simplifying my life and downsizing. With Northcast, I plan to host events throughout the year including youth fishing days, maybe even a camp, and ice fishing contests. I also want to create some apparel and art. We are acquiring some land near the water too; so I will be able to produce more content and catch more fish! That is probably the biggest change for me.
Pricing:
- Candles are $20-$30
- Jewelry is $10-$40
- Dry Rub & Fish Fry is $4-$7
- Apparel is $14-$30
Contact Info:
- Email: Jazmine@northcastmn.com
- Website: www.northcastmn.com
- Instagram: @NorthcaastMN
- Facebook: Facebook.com/NorthcastMN
