Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Shely.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2014, I took a leap year to travel the world serving the underserved. On a life-enriching journey, I traveled with 42 other strangers to 11 countries in 11 months – backpacking through Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, and Swaziland.
In November 2014, while serving at an orphanage in Africa and preparing to return to the United States, I was inspired to become a social entrepreneur. I launched GPD Creative Agency in January of 2015 on the pillars of sustainability and social justice.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If a coach tells you that entrepreneurship is a smooth road … find a new coach!
Entrepreneurship is full of challenges. It’s also full of indescribable moments of victory.
As a full-time entrepreneur and mom, maintaining harmony between work and life is a daily quest. Entrepreneurship can be isolating and lonely. I think it’s important to network and build community to get out of silos.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
GPD is an award-winning creative agency that assists small businesses and nonprofit organizations create meaningful and memorable digital spaces that tell their organizational stories and converts users into buyers or donors. Our core services include brand strategy, web development, audio/visual production, user experience design, and social media marketing.
Named by the Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council as the ‘2021 Emerging Business of the Year, GPD is a team of professional creatives who utilize digital emotional intelligence and design thinking to solve problems. Our company mission is doing good, doing business, and enjoying the moment.
Our “Digitizing Social Justice” work at the height of the pandemic and civil unrest in 2020 was recognized and awarded Best Digital Strategy and Execution by the American Marketing Association – Cincinnati. Our organization assisted the Cincinnati NAACP to revamp its digital presence garnering an unprecedented donor campaign and membership subscriptions.
GPD is a 100% remote organization based in Cincinnati, serving businesses and nonprofits throughout all Ohio and the United States.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I do not subscribe to the notion of “luck.” I believe that what you put into life and business is what you get out of it. I believe that proper preparation prevents poor performance. To me, luck leaves circumstances (good or bad) to chance. Opposed to a leader who prepares and plans for success. With every passing year, I create a vision canvas and set goals for the desires I wish to manifest.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@
gpdcreativeagency.com - Website: https://
createwithgpd.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/createwithgpd/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/createwithgpd - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
createwithgpd - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/channel/ UCC77Upy7NYnaqGPLNNFjwOg - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.
com/@createwithgpd
Image Credits
Jessica Simone Photography
