Welcome to "Morgan Entrepreneur Spotlight," our monthly-ish showcase where we shine a light on Northeast Ohio's entrepreneurial superstars. Each feature delves into the journeys of individuals who have participated in our programs and are harnessing their learnings to fuel impressive growth and innovation.
Jada Hobson is CEO of The INDI Group LLC and she has been a provider of a youth fashion design workshop on the YIPPEE Exchange platform for nearly two years. Jada also operates Destination Dream Foundation which provides workforce training and entrepreneurship opportunities to youth in underdeveloped communities in Cleveland.
Please tell us a little about your business.
“The INDI Group LLC is a creative marketing platform for art-based businesses, organizations, and creative entrepreneurs. We provide brand marketing, creative brand strategy, and digital media services, assisting with brand story-telling and tailored marketing campaigns. Alongside the marketing platform we also have a creative arts studio space ‘The INDI Art House Studio’, a residential property that belonged to my grandparents that we renovated into a community arts studio and creative hub for art-focused entrepreneurs. Inside of the space we have a fashion design studio, art gallery, music studio, and workshop/ vent space for local artists in Cleveland.”
Have you participated in any Morgan Foundation-sponsored growth programs? If so, please share your key takeaways and any benefits, growth, or key wins you’ve experienced since participating in the program(s)?
“I have been partnering with the YIPPEE platform for almost two years and I was awarded a Morgan Startup Grant this past January. My key takeaway for these moments is just being blessed to be seen and appreciated for my work in youth education, community development, and the arts. It feels great to be aligned with organizations and supporters that can not only understand our mission but can also assist us in advancing and inspiring the next generation.”
Can you share how being a provider on YIPPEE influenced or supported the growth of your business?
“The YIPPEE platform has been a major blessing for our business! For the YIPPEE platform we are partnered through our youth organization “Destination Dream Foundation” where we offer our youth fashion design workshop, educating youth in hands-on fashion design concepts. This workshop has inspired so many students, and our educators have shown nothing but amazing amounts of support for our workshop. We truly love educating the youth through arts and entrepreneurship so YIPPEE has been a great platform to be aligned with.”
What impact have you seen your YIPPEE programs make in classrooms or with students?
“Our entrepreneurship through fashion design workshop has had a major impact on the students by not only educating them on easy hands-on concepts that they can relate to in fashion, but by simply showing them that it’s possible to bring their cool artsy ideas to life through fashion and art in general. During our workshop we also do a mini business marketing presentation expressing how to market custom-made fashion products, so the value is infinite once they actually begin doing the workshop and creating their products. For the last year our Tie Dye Workshops have been taking off for our YIPPEE students and they truly love creating their own custom tie dye designs on socks and t-shirts. We also have our heat press workshop where we bring in custom patches, rhinestones, and heat transfers for the students to press onto t-shirts and denim, and just seeing how excited they get to create their own designs confirms that our mission is needed and that our students appreciate and will always remember these moments.”
What has been the most unexpected challenge you’ve faced in growing your business, and how did you navigate it?
“In 2018 I experienced an unfortunate house fire at my family home of over 20 years, which resulted in all of my business and media equipment being damaged along with all personal belongings and household memories. This set back my business tremendously and pushed me into a very depressing state of mind not knowing how I was going to navigate not only my business but my personal mental and emotional health.
I’m a very spiritual person and I walk with God, so I knew this was not meant to keep me stagnant but was meant to be my Phoenix Rising moment, so I began to work diligently on focusing that sad, angry, and confused energy into creating more art. I channeled enough energy to make over 50 pieces that I showcased in an art show that I hosted at Lake Affect Studios in 2019 called “Through the Fire”. The Showcase was covered by Channel 3 WKYC, and they captured the event, showcasing my art and the many artists involved, from musicians and poets to visual artists. This gave me the confidence that I had lost back in 2018 by transmuting my tragedy into triumph.
I revamped my business model by adding more artist-focused networking events in Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Texas along with fusing my love for the arts with real estate. I began to build on the foundation of the INDI Art House as my first investment property by purchasing my grandparents’ property in 2020 and renovating it into an art studio as my first proof of concept for future art studios and artist living spaces that The INDI Group will own and create in the near future.”
What are one to three goals you hope to achieve in the next twelve months?
“My goals over the next year are:
Goal #1: Securing capacity funding of $50K-$100K for the expansion of my business and youth organization
Goal #2: Expanding to a small staff of 2-3 team members
Goal #3: Expanding our youth programs in 5 additional CMSD schools or youth organizations”
What is your vision for your business in five years?
“In the next five years my business will be fully functional, and cash will be flowing consistently with the help of the coolest creative staff of artists that align with our company mission for the arts and community development. In five years, we will have more Art House Studios used as both artist & living spaces along with providing jobs for artists and up and coming creatives in Ohio.”
What is your favorite quote?
“'If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared’, Glennon Doyle”
What is the last book you read?
“Think & Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill”
What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs?
“Dream big and then dream bigger! Anything is possible as long as you have faith in the vision, and the ambition to make it happen no matter what.”
How do you define success?
“I define success as freedom. The freedom to express yourself and your authenticity through any form of creation.”
How does your work as a YIPPEE provider align with your personal mission or values?
“My personal mission has been to inspire myself through inspiring the uninspired to reach their artistic goals. I grew up in the 90’s and early 2000’s when art was not pushed as a main career and was introduced more as a hobby. My mission began early in childhood when I realized I had natural artistic abilities that seemed to consistently be stifled by the world's structure and vision for the standard way of living based on the 9 to 5 story line of how most should live their life. As a millennial our experience was a bit different being consistently surrounded by art, fashion, and music culture.
My dream 9-5 always looked like being an artist and doing anything I wanted with my creative talents. I keep this same passion and drive today by making sure I focus with intention on creating that reality for myself and making sure that the youth see that being a successful multi-dimensional artist is possible. I believe this energy and motivation is definitely felt and appreciated by my YIPPEE students, showing them that anything is possible through the arts.”
To learn more about Morgan Foundation-sponsored programs and opportunities for startup entrepreneurs, contact Angela Evans and for second stage entrepreneurs, contact Michal Marcus.
To learn more about YIPPEE, contact Emily Bean.
If you have participated in Morgan Foundation sponsored programs and are interested in being featured in the Spotlight, contact Gina Dotson.