Young, Black, Creative & Lit: Interview with HBCU Money!
Photo Credits: Michael Victorian
Name: Jasmine “Bobby” Oliver
Alma Mater: Huston-Tillotson University, Class of 2015
Business Name & Description: VYRL Co. Design began from an honest place of desiring to have an opportunity to explore all that it means to be a creative entrepreneur, but also to showcase recent photography and web/graphic design projects that I have done. VYRLCoDesign.com became a space of passion, honesty, and inspiration where you can see a deeper side of a creative black-woman entrepreneur living, traveling, and pursuing a beautiful and fulfilling life that inspires others to do the same.
What year did you found your company? I first began as VYRL Media in 2010, then sometime in 2015 I started dabbling into design and the name evolved into VYRL Co. Design.
What has been the most exciting and/or fearful moment during your HBCUpreneur career? The most exciting and most fearful moments itself are when I realize that others are paying attention to my work and start asking me to do more challenging projects. Each and every project has allowed me to come out with a learning experience that I can take onto my next project.
What made you want to start your own company? Financial independence. Let’s be honest, this is probably the biggest reason people get into business from get-go. Which is a good thing! However we define ‘financial independence’ – retirement funds, unlimited cash potential or having the money to buy/do what you want….. entrepreneurship can allow you to achieve it. Another reason, I wanted to start my own company was because I had a hard time finding many places where myself, an African American creator/creative, could go to after graduation. So I figured that I would start small, build my own company and eventually hire other designers like myself.
Who was the most influential person/people for you during your time in college? Jeff Wilson and Clara Bensen. Jeff, the dean of our college, and Clara Bensen, local Austin writer.
How do you handle complex problems? Creatives are wired uniquely. As such, I think we have to navigate the world in a slightly different manner than non-creatives. How I handle complex problems is by trying to slow down. This is one I’m still trying to work out. While i think that multitasking can be useful, sometimes it does more harm than good. This causes my creativity to plummet as well as my mood. So as a resolution I......
Weekly Archive #Uno
For the sake of not only having new content, but also to encourage myself to keep posting all of my photography throughout the week, I'll be posting a weekly photo archive of my work.
I haven't mentioned this on my blog, but I am in the middle of transitioning from living in Houston to Austin, Texas. I've been living in Austin with friends during the week for work, then on the weekend returning back to Houston until my apartment is ready. It has been a very necessary, but exhausting process. I've always felt so uninspired and unhappy in Houston. I've experienced heartbreak, financial struggles, lack of opportunities in the marketing field and a cluster of fucked up situations that I've had to deal with alone. Although, I know you're not supposed to run away from your problems, but for my own sanity. I need to go.
And so Saturday, I'll be able to move into my 1 bedroom apartment in Central Austin (Just me and my dog, Jackson).
So I'll be posting pictures from my last week in Houston, plus some other commission work I snagged during my work week in ATX.
Photographed: Michael and Dillion Dorsey.
