Rikki Lee Joiner, a second-year in advertising, helps purchasers construct their on-line presence and marketability via her firm, The Rikki Lee Company whereas creating lasting connections with their viewers.
Credit score: Courtesy of Rikki Lee Joiner
Rikki Lee Joiner stated she didn’t anticipate a visit to Jamaica to be the catalyst for her profession.
Joiner, a second-year in advertising, arrived in Jamaica in 2018 with the only real intention of snapping photos to advertise the work of Sole Bros Inc. — a nonprofit her classmates began to distribute gently used sneakers. Throughout her journey, Joiner stated a younger lady approached her, inquisitive about her digital camera. Joiner confirmed her its buttons and let her strive it for herself.
When the lady captured her first picture, Joiner noticed her face gentle up.
“In that second, it was eye-opening for me that they should see extra folks like myself,” Joiner stated.
Joiner returned residence that summer season and based her on-line advertising company, The Rikki Lee Company, with the purpose of offering examples for what younger women are able to attaining, she stated.
Since 2018, Joiner stated she has helped to construct the net presence and marketability of greater than 25 younger manufacturers, entrepreneurs and influencers — similar to Michelle Organics and The Chef Nel Expertise — whereas additionally creating genuine advertising techniques for minority audiences.
“I used to be so bored with being ready the place each time I activate the tv, each time I take a look at {a magazine}, each time I look right here, each time I look there, there’s nobody that appears like me,” Joiner stated.
Joiner stated advertising businesses typically don’t perceive what relatable product placement appears to be like like, which may depart them unable to spark a long-lasting reference to their target market.
“So many occasions persons are doing it and so they’re getting it improper,” Joiner stated. “It’s not essentially that they’re not expert or geared up, it’s only a lack of connectivity and specificity in the case of how we’re going to interact a particular viewers.”
To reverse the disconnect, Joiner stated she makes use of a moderately unconventional method to advertising by intentionally together with her personal private experiences and beliefs with a purpose to create thought-provoking campaigns.
“I’ve been afforded the chance to be at a lot of these tables and communicate on behalf of those that appear like me, and I take that accountability with the utmost precedence and utmost accountability,” she stated. “I can’t draw back from my identification or my views as a result of it brings a lot to the desk.”
Joiner stated she begins the advertising course of by analyzing the present standing of her consumer, together with strengths and aspirations. Then, she works to create a model picture that establishes a private reference to shoppers, she stated.
“It’s simply extra of the large image and determining what their model voice is, their model character and what sort of tone and messaging they’re going to have on-line and in particular person,” Joiner stated. “That is primarily the place we get to begin teaching our respective enterprise homeowners, or if they’ve a crew, on how they’re going to talk what their model is about.”
Brittany Kinds, proprietor of inside design and occasion planning firm Type Home by Brittany and a scholar at Northern Kentucky College, stated she has labored on a number of initiatives with Joiner and understands the pressures of working a enterprise whereas nonetheless in faculty.
“As enterprise homeowners, once we take into consideration the worth that we deliver, it’s not simply what we’re doing or our service or our product,” Kinds stated. “It’s the vitality that we deliver and the perspective that can also be of worth.”
Kinds stated she believes Joiner’s willpower and grit are what set her other than so many younger entrepreneurs.
“It’s simply all the time so enjoyable working along with her,” Kinds stated. “I’m so impressed by her. She is so skilled, she’s on high of what she’s doing and he or she’s dedicated to doing it. I believe that’s the factor: folks our age have concepts and issues that they could need to do, however they’re type of timid about it. However she’s like, ‘No, I’m doing this.’ ”
Illustration continues to be essential, and Joiner stated she is maintaining her purpose of uplifting different ladies in thoughts as she continues her journey.
“I really feel like I do know what my function is,” Joiner stated. “I’ve to go after that wholeheartedly, recklessly and simply go for it as a result of there are ladies which might be ready for me to indicate up.”