Meet Jenée Naquin

 

Alright – today, we have the honor of introducing you to Jenée Naquin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, which we’ve shared below.

Jenée , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I don’t think I’d naturally describe myself as resilient—it’s not a word I lead with. But since you ask, when I really think about it, I am. Being a business owner demands resilience. There’s constant rejection, unexpected setbacks, and the weight of everything resting on your shoulders. If you can’t bounce back from a lost client, a contractor quitting, or even an unplanned sick day, you simply can’t run a business effectively.

But for me, resilience isn’t just about pushing through—it’s about my determination to be happy and thrive. I know bad days happen, but what really fuels me is this deep frustration with stagnation. When I hear someone complain about the same problem for months (or years!) without taking action, I can’t stand it. And if I catch myself doing it? That’s my cue. I remind myself: If you know what the problem is, take the steps to fix it. And honestly? Each step, no matter how small, is cathartic. Just knowing I’m moving toward a better place makes me feel instantly lighter.

I might joke that medication makes me resilient—but I won’t joke about that. In the summer of 2020, I hit a wall. I started crying and couldn’t stop. And then it hit me—Oh. I’m not just sad. I’m depressed. I called my doctor immediately. She prescribed me medication and set me up with a therapist. It took a solid four months before I started feeling like myself again, and during that time, my mantra was: One foot in front of the other.

I had a great teacher in resilience—my “Best Buddy” from a program I joined in college. Donovan was in his 50s, wheelchair-bound from cerebral palsy, and every time we talked, he was in a good mood. His motto? Day by day. If he could keep that mindset despite the challenges he faced daily, then I had no excuse.

So yes, I guess I am resilient. But more than that, I’m determined—to feel good, to move forward, and to build a life I love.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I style and design personal brands on social media for founders who want to attract a discerning audience. As the Brand Stylist and founder of jSQ Creative Agency, I specialize in making personal brands unforgettable.

jSQ stands for Jenée Sais Quoi—a French wordplay on my name and a nod to my Cajun-French heritage. But beyond that, je ne sais quoi represents something more: that indescribable, magnetic quality that sets someone apart. My approach, Stylish Disruption, is all about harnessing that innate style to challenge expectations and command attention. It’s not about following trends or fitting into a mold—it’s about defining and amplifying what makes you stand out.

How I Work
I believe branding is about alignment—so before we begin, I always have a quick video meeting to ensure we’re the right fit. If we are, the next step is The jSQ Guide—a personalized playbook as unique as your business.

In just 90 minutes, we’ll dive deep into your current marketing strategy. You’ll walk away with a detailed written analysis, complete with clear recommendations and next steps tailored to your goals. From there, you have options: implement the insights yourself, or bring me on board to refine your brand and social media strategy. This process gives my clients both flexibility and confidence, allowing them to go from zero to one with ease.

Why clients choose me?
I’ve spent 13 years in fashion design—creating products from concept to launch—before pivoting into branding and digital marketing. That foundation in design, trends, and storytelling is what makes my approach to personal branding so distinct. I don’t just help founders show up—I help them show up powerfully.

My past work has been recognized by Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2017, and I was part of a marketing consultancy that scaled to acquisition by a public company in 2020. Innovation, adaptability, and sharp execution have shaped my career—and they shape the way I help my clients build standout brands today.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Curiosity
I know, everyone says this—but it’s true. Being curious opens doors you didn’t even know existed. The most exciting opportunities in my career have come from asking questions, diving into new ideas, and staying hungry to learn. The world is evolving fast, and adaptability is key. Your core skills and values will stay with you, but how you apply them will change. The more you learn, the more you realize how many different ways you can show up in the world.

Advice: Stay open. Keep learning. Be willing to follow unexpected paths—you never know where they’ll lead.

2. Honesty
There’s a lot of fake it till you make it advice out there, but I lean more toward dress for the part. I’ve attended two elite schools that accept only the best of the best. Do I consider myself exceptional? Not really. But I am honest—and ambition counts for a lot. I’ve always shown up as I am, with my work, my grades, and my portfolio exactly as they are. I never took on projects I couldn’t handle or pretended to have skills I didn’t. And you know what? That honesty has served me well.

Advice: Be upfront about what you can and can’t do. People respect transparency, and in the long run, it builds trust.

3. Composure
I know the world is telling women to be loud and disruptive—and there’s a time for that. But there’s also power in composure. Losing your cool often means apologizing for it later, and it can make you look less in control than you actually are. I believe in pausing before reacting. Taking a breath, thinking through your response, and handling things with grace.

Advice: When in doubt, pause. Composure isn’t about staying silent—it’s about responding with intention.

Bonus: Owning Where You Come From
I grew up Cajun, part of a culture that was historically made to feel ashamed of itself. Even being Southern in the Northeast, I felt that pressure. But instead of shrinking back, I learned to own it. Your background, your story—it’s not a weakness. It’s what makes you interesting.

Advice: Lean into who you are. The more you embrace your uniqueness, the more powerful your presence becomes.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

Over the years, I’ve worked with many different types of clients, but I’ve found that my best work happens with founders who have both a strong vision and a discerning audience.

My ideal clients are:

Visionary founders building a platform around their expertise. They have deep knowledge in their field and want to establish themselves as the go-to authority, but they need help refining their positioning and presence.

Established experts launching something new. They’re already respected in their industry, but their business is new and lacks brand recognition. I help bridge that gap by building their personal brand on social media to bring credibility and visibility to their venture.

Those who understand that aesthetics matter. My clients value design, taste, and presentation. They come to me because they don’t just want visibility—they want the right kind of visibility. They’re creating high-end products or offering premium services, and they know that attracting a discerning audience requires a polished, elevated, and tasteful brand.

Most of my clients are wary of social media because they fear looking desperate, gimmicky, or off-brand. That’s where I come in. I take the cringe out of it and ensure their presence feels sophisticated, compelling, and effortlessly tasteful.

These are the founders I do my best work with—helping them step into the spotlight with confidence while making sure their brand exudes the level of taste and excellence they’ve built their business on.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

DK Photography https://davidhebertphotography.com/

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