Hey winners, Happy Thursday and welcome back to another fabulous I am Greatness feature!! This week we are getting to know ALL about publicity and brand strategist, JAMILLAH RAHMAAD of JR PR- BeFriend Youe Brand…

1- Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself? I am Jamillah Rahmaad, a Publicity and Brand Strategist. I help creative entrepreneurs and business experts connect with media outlets to tell their stories. Most business owners and startups struggle with conveying their brand messaging and getting audiences to latch on to their awesomeness. I help them get comfortable with what to say and assist in opening new doors of opportunity by building publicity around their business. I provide done-for-you services and coaching for small businesses and personal brands.
2- What’s a normal day like for you? I am a full-time entrepreneur? So every day is different. Most days, I work in my home office coordinating new opportunities for my clients. When out of the office, you can find me on-site with clients, at local networking events and attending business conferences or seminars.

3- What inspired you to start your business/blog? My inspiration was built from the need I saw in a previous business that I owned. In August of 2012, I started a networking organization to connect young urban professionals with each other. When people noticed the marketing for the event, I would always be asked to give advice. Years into the business, I realized I didn’t love event planning. I was in love with creating the marketing and connecting with new people. I realized that my passion was for what I had gone to school for and what I already had experience in – public relations. From the understanding of what I really wanted to do, I started JR|PR.

4- What are some of the challenges you face as a woman in business? I work in a female-dominated industry, unfortunately meaning smaller wages. PR professionals are extremely hardworking, detail oriented, and the backbone of most company’s success. However, we constantly have to fight to be paid what we are worth.

5- Running a business is not easy how do you stay motivated? Personal development. I constantly listen to self-improvement audio books and surround myself with individuals that push inspiration my way.

6-What are three things that no one tells you about being an entrepreneur?

1. Hire Help – No one wakes up “good” at business. Seek help from coaches and by investing in courses to improve your weak points in business. You will not automatically be good at marketing. You will not automatically be good at bookkeeping. You own’t wake up tomorrow and be good at graphic design. However, both are essential to keep your business thriving. Either hire someone to do it for you or learn the proper techniques to do it yourself.

2. Take Time Off – Entrepreneurship can sometimes be 24/7. It’s extremely important to take care of your body and mind by scheduling times of relaxation.

3. Seek Mentorship – Mentors help you avoid pitfalls and advance in your business quicker because they are able to share with you their personal experiences of failures and wins.

7- What advice would you give to your much younger self? Be fearless. There are over 7 billion people on this planet. Stop being fearful of rejection, fearful about promoting yourself, and afraid to try something new. There will always be someone that is looking for exactly what you have to offer.

8-What’s Next For you and your business? Creating More Opportunities for Smaller Budgets – I recently created one-on-one and group coaching to help businesses and entrepreneurs with smaller budgets obtain publicity. This project is so important because most creative entrepreneurs and startups are already struggling to budget their funds and time. These new solutions help them learn how to be their own publicist and how to properly market their businesses.

9- What are some of your favorite inspirational quotes?

“It takes more energy to catch up than to keep up.” -Louis Carr

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas A. Edison
10-Any words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Start your business while you are still employed. It allows you the opportunity to have an income while you build your dream.

Finish this sentence; I am greatness because I define myself.

Keep up with Jamillah via her social media channels  Instagram >> Twitter>>  Facebook >> LinkedIn …