It Girl | JAYLA MOODY
I have so much gratitude that God saw fit for Jayla and me to cross paths. Thankfully we both chose the same University and then the same ILLUSTRIOUS SORORITY and chapter. I have a feeling everyone who knows Jayla also feels grateful for that. She is an incredible soul who adds value to anything she touches. Honestly, I don’t have the words to give her a proper intro but you can meet her for yourself below.
Name: Jayla Moody
Age: 24
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Job Title/Company: Speaker and Writer at Joy by Jayla
Education Background:
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Global Development Studies
Master of Arts in Communications and Digital Media Strategies
In-depth Questions
1. Tell us a little about who you are.
Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to people and the amazing things they are capable of doing. My goal is to make a life and living out of helping others find their purpose. I am interested in using creative and innovative strategies to discover how people can marry who they are and the work they do. I can accomplish this goal of mine in several ways – through mentorship, through purpose-driven curriculum, through teaching people the importance of choosing joy in their work and personal lives, and through speaking engagements.
I am a writer, communications strategist, and an aspiring higher education professional. I am very passionate about development through leadership and mentorship. My heart for service and desire to help others grow to become the best version of themselves always bleeds through my work. I want to make sure each day I have done my best to make someone else’s walk a little bit easier. That may look different as seasons change, but the core goal will remain the same.
2. What sparked your interest in starting your business(es)?
At a very young age, I recognized that my strengths fell within the realm of interacting with people. As I learned and experienced more, I recognized that my true passion was stories and their power. The importance of people’s stories spans beyond imparting knowledge. If executed and told properly, stories have the power to sell, inspire, encourage, and define an experience. Since this realization, I have pursued opportunities and a career path that puts me right in the center of storytelling. I was blessed with a vision to share, and it came in the form of joy. In my personal life, I was faced with several challenges and battles that taught me the importance of choosing my joy and using my story to help others get through very similar seasons. This is where Joy by Jayla was born. Joy by Jayla is an inspirational storytelling brand. Through the brand, I aim to create a platform and safe space for people to tell their stories. I wrote my first eBook, Choosing Your Joy, this summer about the steps I took to work towards designing the life I want. By telling my own story, my goal is to inspire others to choose their joy and design the life they deserve. I also do this through a weekly newsletter, Joy Story, that has grown into a community of over 200 subscribers. I provide affirmations, books to read, advice on life’s seasons, and I offer myself as a set of listening ears to whoever may need it.
3. If applicable, tell us about your full-time job and/or any side hustles you might have.
I am currently a freelance writer and communications strategist. In this role, I help brands and organizations articulate their story through media relations, social media, and content creation. I have worked with universities, authors and speakers, and corporations. I work as a part-time social media coordinator for local non-profit organizations and small businesses. Being able to help these organizations articulate their visions into visuals has really helped me to expand my creativity and to put everything I have learned into practice. Social Media is just another avenue for me to help people share their stories, and now more than ever people are gravitating towards businesses and organizations that are so much more than a product but that provide an experience and a testimony.
I am also a public speaker. I have spoken at international conferences to over 100 people, graduations, schools, and youth empowerment summits. I also host sessions and personal workshops on building vision boards, chasing your purpose, and choosing your joy.
“I was trying to attach my name to titles and roles that were not meant for me and as a result, I fell short of the expectations in place. I needed to learn this or else I would have continued to aspire for status and influence instead of impact. ”
4. Who are you most influenced by?
I am most influenced by my mother who has always put people first in every aspect of her life. She instilled in me the importance of making people feel good through your work and allowing your life to mirror the kind of love you would want to receive in return. I am also inspired heavily by Brene Brown, one of my favorite authors and researchers who has made her life’s work about understanding people and how we can be better not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us. She is an author, speaker, podcast host, professor and so many others. These are all roles I aspire to hold someday, and by the grace of God, some of them I already do hold!
“I learned that people are more important than projects. I learned that investing in relationships and pursing opportunities to uplift others will always be more rewarding than giving time and energy to projects that do not directly serve others. ”
5. What was your first job and how long did you hold that position?
My very first job was as a camp counselor, and I worked in that role for 3 months. I loved every second of it. I loved how excited the kids were to see me and each other every day. I loved being a mentor, a friend and a role model for the students I served. I loved feeling like I was supporting and teaching something valuable, no mater how small the lesson was. It was a role that allowed me to be myself and make space for the students to do the same. I aspire to feel like that for the rest of my career.
6. Can you share one of your proudest achievements with us?
My proudest achievement is introducing Stacey Abrams, former Georgia governor candidate in January 2019 at a conference. I was selected to do so by an organization I work closely with, The Anti-Defamation League, and I went home with a sore mouth because I could not stop smiling. She was a shero of mine because she was a Black woman who grew up in DeKalb County just like me. She defied every odd that was set against her. Reading her biography, hugging her, and hearing from her felt like a confirmation from God that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
7. What were your initial goals with your work? How have they evolved?
My initial goals were to be a communications professional and to work in the corporate space executing communications strategy and digital media ideas. I quickly recognized that God had other plans for me. Going to graduate school and working with students became the first light bulb that went off, and several others would quickly follow. The beauty of my pivot was that I was still gaining some of the same skills I need to transition into a higher education role. I was learning to work with students, to translate ideas into projects and plans, to understand leadership and what qualities are important in different spaces, to better understand strategies and theories of communication, and the way people of different ages, races and cultures communicate with others.
8. What do you think is the most important life skill you learned through your work?
I learned that people are more important than projects. I learned that investing in relationships and pursing opportunities to uplift others will always be more rewarding than giving time and energy to projects that do not directly serve others.
9. Where do you hope to be in five years?
In five years, I hope to have finished my Ph.D. in Higher Education and Educational Leadership working in a role that would allow me to serve students in or outside of the classroom. I hope to study how we can better integrate practices of identity-development into the higher education space so that graduating students will have a better sense of purpose before they pursue jobs and careers.
God-willing, I also hope to be a blooming book author, public speaker and leader in my local community.
10. What is a typical day like for you?
When I wake up, I try to integrate Jesus into my morning immediately, whether that is through a sermon, worship, devotion or just reading a few verses before I start my day. I then make a cup of coffee, answer emails, and attack whatever task the day brings. Every single one is different as a virtual freelancer, but on each day, I try to make some time to write something. Whether it is writing for a contract job I am working on, writing for Joy by Jayla, or writing to a loved one. My intention moving forward is to not set any hard expectations on my days but to just live them fully, to practice gratitude throughout and to do everything Jayla wants to do. Sometimes I am full of energy for all the things and on other days I just want to binge Gilmore Girls. I have found peace in knowing that there are enough days in the year for both.
11. What was the biggest obstacle you have faced so far in the process of pursuing your goals?
My own self-doubt has been my biggest obstacle. I often question my position in an industry or whether I am prepared enough. This doubt has kept me from many rooms and out of many roles.
12. What is the best piece of advice you have received?
“Always thank God for the opportunity, regardless of the outcome.” I received that advice in high school, and it has stuck with me as a 24-year-old woman. I will carry it with me on each part of my journey.
13. When do you get your best ideas?
When I am traveling or in nature, I always have a clear head to think and visualize ideas and plans.
14. Can you share with us one time that you failed and what you learned from that failure?
I failed several times as an undergraduate student because I was trying to bite off more than I could chew. I was trying to attach my name to titles and roles that were not meant for me and as a result, I fell short of the expectations in place. I needed to learn this or else I would have continued to aspire for status and influence instead of impact. There is a Bob Goff quote that I really love that says, “I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I'm more afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.”
15. How do you unwind?
I like to unwind by spending some time outside or watching a good movie. I find so much joy in nature and escaping into a tv show or movie that I really love.
16. Can you share a sacrifice you have made to pursue your dream?
Money. I am sacrificing immediate gratification through a salary or a high-paying job because I know I am not looking to begin my career in a corporate space. I am willing to trust God as He leads me on the journey to discovering how I can uplift Him and pursue the things that bring me joy through my work.
17. What would you tell someone else who is interested in entering your field?
I would tell them to pay attention to the themes in their life. If you can look back and see that all along, something in your life has been pulling you and calling you to serve and inspire others in any capacity, do just that. I think sometimes we are conditioned to think that our passions or our inherent skills and talents can only be invested in as side projects and businesses or on the weekends. I want to encourage anyone regardless of the field to take yourself and your skills serious enough to believe that they are capable of being your life’s work.
18. What do you hope people take away from your story?
I hope people can understand that I always took a bet on Jayla, and that they should do the same for themselves. When the future does not look clear or easy, I still believe that through God I have everything I need to be successful. I will always take my shot.
19. Anything we missed that you would like to share?
N/A.
