Meet Kayla Jones

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kayla Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kayla below.

Kayla, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

As a young Black woman, developing my confidence and self-esteem has been a journey shaped by both challenges and growth. I’ve had to deal with people trying to tear me down, question my abilities, or make me feel like I wasn’t enough. But instead of letting that break me, I used it as motivation to rise even higher.

One of the biggest sources of my confidence has been staying active in my community. Whether I’m volunteering, leading, or simply showing up, being involved has helped me find my voice and my purpose. It reminds me that I matter and that I’m capable of making real change.

Running my own business at a young age has also played a huge role. Not many kids my age are doing what I’m doing, and I’ve been told I do it well. That recognition has helped me believe in myself even more. On top of that, people in my community uplift me by reminding me of my worth. Their support, encouragement, and genuine pride in what I do have made me feel seen, appreciated, and powerful. They help me realize who I am, and that I’m doing something special.

All of these experiences have taught me to stand tall in who I am. My confidence comes from within, but it’s been strengthened by my purpose, my passion, and the people who believe in me.

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?

My name is Kayla Jones, and I am a teen entrepreneur, community leader, and youth advocate based in Arizona. My business and leadership journey began in 2020, during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many others, I was stuck at home, and my mom encouraged me to use that time to be creative and productive. She helped me launch my first business which was, creating coloring books for kids.
With the support of my mom’s assistant located in the Philippines, I began learning how to design and publish books using Canva.com and Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). We met multiple times a week for hours at a time, working on layouts, cover designs, and content. Although I was dedicated, the process quickly became overwhelming for me. At that time, I was still very young, and it felt like too much to handle. I eventually stopped working on the coloring books, but the lessons I learned during that period stayed with me.

In 2021, I found my true passion, creating self-care journals. I picked up the skills I had learned the year before and began designing journals for teens and adults ages 12 to 40+. I used Canva to create the content and Amazon KDP to publish each journal. My mom’s assistant continued to meet with me and help me not only with journal design and publishing but also with editing my website (although I never learned how to edit it myself because it was still challenging at the time). Still, I continued publishing and growing.

In 2023, I participated in my first kids’ business entrepreneur fair. It was a major milestone for me. I showcased 17 self-care journals—and to my surprise, all 17 sold out within the first hour of the four-hour event. This moment confirmed that my work mattered and that people valued it.

Around that same time, I became a member of the West Valley NAACP Youth Council. I was honored to take on the role of Secretary, where I kept meeting notes, recorded minutes, and managed the membership contact database for our group. I learned how to be organized, responsible, and professional in a leadership space.

Now, I’ve been part of the NAACP for two years and served as the youth Secretary for the West Valley Branch. But just recently left that position to become the Youth President of Maricopa County. While balancing school, I’ve remained committed to being a teen entrepreneur making my own journals with no help, and creating my own website all by myself. Including a passionate community member. I’ve volunteered at Juneteenth celebrations, Black History Month events, and legislative advocacy events. I will soon also be the youngest workshop host at the Teen Self-Love Conference, a powerful annual event organized by the Youth World Education Project in Arizona.

Today, I’m preparing to be a vendor at all upcoming NAACP events, where I will showcase my self-care journals and connect with more people who care about youth empowerment, wellness, and equity.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, the three most important skills and qualities I developed were efficiency, consistency, and confidence. These attributes have been essential to my growth and success. Efficiency allows me to complete tasks in a timely and organized manner, ensuring that goals are met without unnecessary delays. Consistency is crucial for maintaining progress and staying on track, especially when managing long-term projects or building a brand. Most importantly, confidence has empowered me to take initiative, overcome challenges, and stay motivated. Without these three qualities, sustaining and growing a business would be significantly more difficult.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

If I only had ten years left to live, I would pass away at the age of twenty-six. In that time, I would strive to accomplish some of my most meaningful goals. I would graduate high school by age 18, complete college by 20, and earn my law degree—ideally through an online program—by the age of 22. I would begin my career as a lawyer shortly thereafter, while actively working toward membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I would travel the world with the love of my life, visiting places like Jamaica, Egypt, and the Virgin Islands. Most importantly, I would focus on becoming the most successful and fulfilled version of myself in every aspect of life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kaylacreates.shop
• Instagram: Kaylachanel09

Image Credits

State Capital Picture Credits: Xavier Span The Morning Show Picture Credits: Fallon Jones
Headshot Picture: Camron Jones