We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Courtlyn Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Courtlyn below.
Courtlyn, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I love this question and it’s something that I’ve been more aware of these days. I was speaking about this recently on my podcast, “Fearless Narratives,” with my co-host Kia Minor and one of our guests. The topic of discussion was about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. I remember saying, “Whenever I enter a room, whether at a party or a conference, the FIRST thing I do is scan the room to see if there is another person of color.” We found out that day that all three of us do that. It’s a reflex.
As a young Black female entrepreneur, I have been put into more spaces where I am the only one who looks like me. It’s something I have also struggled with when I worked in corporate. I was the only Black person on my team for years and soon became one of only two Black people in the entire company. I honestly thought when I left corporate, I wouldn’t have that same problem, but it feels way worse now. I’ve participated in several founder and investor accelerator programs and have been uncomfortably aware that I am/was the only Black woman or person.
I saw this as a negative because I’ve had the honour of being selected to pitch to investors, speak on stage, and many other wonderful opportunities. I’m very hard on myself because I know that I’m not the strongest speaker and I have a stutter that makes me very insecure, so to me, being the ONLY Black woman represented puts more pressure on me because I’m always thinking “What if I mess up my words and then people in the room look at me and think, ‘She can’t do this’” and I disappoint my community.
It wasn’t until recently that I started to see this as a blessing because I know that I was chosen for a reason. There may not be many POCs in the room YET, but me being there is a start, and I ALWAYS work extra hard and do my very best, knowing that my presence in that room is opening doors for so many after me. I’m paving the way. I’m feeling the fear and doing it anyway and THAT’S what makes me feel successful.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
A few years ago, someone told me “We all have to do work in this life, so we might as well do work we LOVE that makes life worth it.”
I love what I do. Now.
I am the founder and CEO of The Design Database, the LEADING online community and job platform for female and non-binary Creatives who need more visibility so they can attract higher-quality clients and opportunities. I’ve created “The Support System for Women in the Arts.”
Think Indeed Meets Instagram.
We’re a social community that brings incredible women in the arts from all over the world together in one place to collaborate, make new friends, gain inspiration and guidance, and work together to build their dream careers. It’s an extremely special platform and one that I coded and developed myself, which is an amazing achievement that I’m very proud of because the platform is gorgeous and came out even better than I imagined. Plus, I saved $100,000.
I’m a graphic designer and visual artist, so this community is also for me. It’s the support system Creatives, especially women, have needed for so long. Female Creatives are the most underserved and overlooked community in the industry and now we’re banding together and showing the world our worth!
In addition, we’ve expanded our company and launched our podcast, “Fearless Narratives,” which I co-host with my friend, Kia Minor, to spotlight and share the stories of wonderful women in the arts and female entrepreneurs who are changing the world today.
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?
1. Determination. I’ve always said “I am the most determined person you will ever meet.” It’s been my catchphrase since elementary school. I don’t take no for an answer. I’ll rephrase it to mean “soon” or “not yet.” It’s not always easy, especially when you don’t have the support you’d like and the closest people to you think you’re crazy or delusional, but you HAVE TO BE DELUSIONAL TO SUCCEED.
Which brings me to my second.
2. Delusion. I’ve made the craziest moves over the last three years. In 2021, I literally moved, broke my lease from my old apartment, and moved into a luxury NYC apartment with a 15-month lease, without having the money. I only had the money for the first and last month and that was it. When I told my mom I was moving into this $3,000/mo. apartment, she’s like “Yeah right, one day.” About a week or so later, I had signed the lease and had the keys in my hand. My mom was shook. How did I find the money to pay? I didn’t. I took a leap of faith because I knew what I wanted my life to be, where I wanted to go, and knew my current home wasn’t serving me anymore. I jumped and I trusted God would catch me and protect me. He did. It’s now almost two years later and I am still currently living in my beautiful apartment.
And that’s because I had…
3. Faith. It doesn’t matter if you’re religious or not. I’m not. I consider myself to be spiritual, but it wasn’t until I had a traumatic life event (I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2020) that I leaned into it.
Having determination, delusion, and faith is what led me to leave corporate and create a new life for myself. The idea to create The Design Database came to me out of nowhere, but once I decided I was going to take that leap, I knew I would be okay.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I’m a very hyper functioning individual. Once I start working on something, I’ll work on it nonstop and go above and beyond. It’s horrible. It’s also the fastest way to burn out.
To be honest, I burn out a lot.
However, I make a point to meditate once a day, for at least 15 minutes, first thing in the morning so I can feel grounded before I enter into the chaos. This helps me start my morning on a positive note.
When I’m finding myself hunched over at my desk for too long, not taking a bathroom break for hours, I’ll stop (go to the bathroom first before my bladder explodes, of course! ) and then I’ll do yoga to loosen up my body or go outside to Prospect Park and take a 30-min walk around the loop.
Feeling the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair is sometimes the only thing that keeps me sane, so I try to make an effort to do that every day, especially if I can’t make it to my yoga mat.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thedesigndatabase.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedesigndatabase OR www.instagram.com/courtlyn.jones
- Facebook: www.facebook.com.thedesigndatabase
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/courtlynjones
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/thedsgndatabase
