Meet Jae Marie | Artist, Screen Writer, Podcaster & Clothing Brand Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jae Marie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jae, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
God gave me the many gifts that I have, and if I’d chose to not use them, I believe I’d lose them. If I’d stayed in my own way and my own head, I know for certain it would not have happened for me, “success”. Whether or not this move has proven to bring residual success to my brand, personally or professionally, is ever evolving. You cannot have success without failure, that comes with the territory. I believe success is not a destination, but a journey and I’m in love with this journey – I am committed to my journey. I know that success will look different for everyone depending on their vantage point. My vantage point is to continue to look up, stay grounded and rounded, ever learning and improving me, never allowing anyone to determine what I should become or control the narrative for me, that includes my brand and businesses.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What I think sets me apart is really being able to recognize when I need to pivot. In learning to pivot, this took me down many paths in business. This taught me mentally, emotionally and gave me an understanding that failure is apart of success. How you find what works for you – is by finding out what doesn’t.

At its inception, Dirty Words Apparel was the only merchandise I wanted to sell to complement the spoken word erotica music I was writing at the time. It was more than just merchandise, and I started to notice it right away. There was only room for one kind of message in my music because of its subject matter. Simple graphic tees with lyrics that referenced my music were not the only things I wanted to create. For me, it was a means of articulating my different points of view and beliefs. Even more crucially, it gave me the opportunity to learn about market positioning, product placement, and purpose. I started looking into my rivals and really put the business classes I took in college to work. Also, the fact that there are millions of competing brands started to sink in. I needed to figure out how to make my brand stand out.

I felt I couldn’t give the brand its due and set it aside for a while after getting disappointed. I’d purchased more physical products, without having the demand to match it. I was juggling too many things at once; I was a second-year student in a bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity, which I started relatively late in life. In addition to all that, I was attempting to host a remote podcast (The Dirty Pleasure Show) which focused on relationships and sexual intimacy topics and went live every Friday. This pushed me out of my comfort zone on so many levels, if I am being honest. This taught me that disruptors are winning! I’m on to something remarkable, I knew then. This new remarkable idea at that time had too many scheduling issues, forced me to stop the live streams and move to pre- recorded shows and released as live shows later. I was as well trying to learn video editing so I can edit the video podcast, create graphics for my merchandise, have a general understanding of marketing and social media marketing in particular, record music, and but most importantly, be a mom to three children, all of whom were in their teens or preteens at this time.

The term “doing too much” was an overstatement! A graveyard shift job, that was a work – from – home role, doing technical support that would eventually not challenge me and cause me to level up and out of that company. I came to the realization that rather than just talking about it, I needed to actively engage and be about my goals in every aspect of my life, including my business. That meant after having graduated college, finding employment that better aligned with my work-life balance that I was seeking. Finding that meant I could give more to my business and podcast, it meant being able to be mentally present for my mommy duties and being able to enjoy them more.

Teach them some of the business side of things, and really help them see themselves as business owners and not just employees. Also, to provide proof that you can also do both, so long as you find balance. The very balance that was becoming more and more imbalanced the longer I stayed in my comfort zone at a job and in a role that was not challenging me or helping me become the better version of me. Presently working on another podcast called That Part Podcast, The Dirty Pleasure Show is in season 4. Dirty Words Apparel has taken on its true brand identity, working on 2 different movie scripts, a part of a film production company and getting more and more involved in the film and tv side than I ever would have expected or imagined. I’ve taken on more into the philanthropic side and really wanting to make a difference not just personally, professionally, but within my community too.

My brand Dirty Words Apparel “It’s What You Say and How You Say It” – so say it unapologetically, because your voice, art, craft. body, mind, etc. all matters.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Deep Ellum, the Bishop Arts District, Down Town Black History Museum. We’d eat at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Shell Shack, Slutty Vegan, Avanti Restaurant, and ITSO Vegan. Definitely would go to the gym because I know for certain we are not eating the most healthiest every day. We’d go to various places like Top Golf, Dave and Busters, etc…keeping the fun simple, the food flavorful and then have plenty of time to catch up and mingle with some Dallas upscale clubs (I’d have to Google! ha!).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had countless mentors in business, professional, personal, and educational that I’d be lying if I said I can remember everyone’s name. I’ve got my sorority sister of Sigma Chi Psi to thank for the encouragement and the ability to know when I am out of focus or off track and reel me back in. To my 3 amigos aka my babies – they keep me grounded and never let me win – unless it’s a deserving one, especially my baby girl. Ha! Then to my given family, my niece and my great niece and nephew aka the twins – they keep me on FaceTime laughing at their 2yrs old antics. To my two little brothers who keep me humble and love to crack jokes! To my legal team – keeping me in the position to win! To my best friend, the world will soon know more of once the movie drops! To my actors, actress, film producers, directors – all those in the newest world to me – thank you for your wisdom and guidance! To the fans of The Dirty Pleasure Show, the growing customer base of Dirty Words Apparel, the new fans of That Part Podcast, my fellow podcasters. Last but certainly not least, those who told me no, said I couldn’t be this or wouldn’t be that, who bet against me – threw dirt on my name in private, but clapped for me in public – shout out to you too, without opposition I wouldn’t be in this position to show you – that “dirt” was fertilizer I needed to grow me.

Website: Jmariepoetry.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatpart_pod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554112230329

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thatpart_pod

Podcast: Thatpartpodcast.com

Other: https://thedirtypleasureshow.com/