Most children grow up hearing some variation of the age-old idiom, "you can be anything you want," but Jenelle Coy took those words to heart. The confidence instilled in her early on inspired her to take leaps and bounds that your average twenty-something probably wouldn’t go after. Jenelle has created such an extraordinary legacy for herself that you’d never associate her with anything average anyway. Very few people make the Forbes’ 30 under 30 list or rank in the Top 5 Fastest-Growing Businesses in America, but Jenelle did.
She’s a fearless trailblazer who admits she’s not afraid to fail, one of the many reasons why I believe she was able to build a $500,000 business within one year out of college. She founded Spero in 2014 and never looked back since. What began as a two-week trial run has grown into a multi-million dollar empire. She’s mastered the quantitative aspects of marketing and advertising. And she must know what she’s doing since her AD got Beyonce (yes,
the Beyonce) to wear a pair of nude heels designed for women of color.
She’s an incredible resource of information and inspiration all her own. Jenelle also happens to be single - and you KNOW that triggered my inner matchmaker. Partnered up or not, she is a force to be reckoned with. This episode carries a special message of hope that I’m sure you need to hear. As a proud second-gen Trinidadian, we discuss the difficulty of owning your identity. Jenelle is a Howard Alum and she entered the world with the cultural richness of her Caribbean roots and the HBCU experience. She’s young, she’s Black, and she’s a woman; three characteristics that could’ve hindered her business success. Jenelle never asked for permission, she unapologetically took up space. I’m incredibly proud to share her story with you.
To learn more about Jenelle's work:
https://www.jenellecoy.com/Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review.