Meet Dean Jackson: A Jamaican Entrepreneur in Japan

Hi, friends!

As I stated in my most recent post, I'll be adding new things to my blog. I've had the idea for a little while now to chat with a few persons who are here in Japan and have launched a business here. Well, I've stopped procrastinating, and here's our first guest.

Welcome, Dean! Please tell us about yourself. My name is Dean Jackson. I'm 32 years old and I graduated from the University of Technology Jamaica with a major in Marketing and a minor in Human Resource Management. 

I've been living in Japan for the past 7 1/2 years teaching English and doing various endeavors from selling Jamaican T-shirts, Dj-ing, event promotion, phone case distribution and on the odd side,  wedding ministering ( don't ask , won't tell). I've always been involved in business. As a teenager, I can safely say my friends and I were the first to put sound system cassettes from parties and mix tapes  onto CDs in Jamaica and distribute them to cassette vendors in the Kingston area. Other things  I've sold include cell phones, cars , wrist bands, earrings, belly rings, candies and some things I can't even remember.

My problem was that I was too focused on making money and not doing what I liked and what had meaning to me.  My latest projects , Irie876.com® ( a Jamaican goods website, based in Japan, selling: seasonings, pepper sauces, ackee, soup mixes, snacks,  art, crafts, accessories etc  ) and IRIE iDRIN© ( a digital patois sticker collection now available for Line messenger)  have filled that void. 

How was your business idea birthed? - Irie876.com® all started from a painting I received from a friend just about two years ago. She was going to throw it out but decided to give it to me. The painting was one of those Ocho Rios craft market paintings with Rastafarians playing drums and singing. Another friend came to my house and saw the  painting and said "oh nice, you started selling Jamaican paintings" ( people who know me always know I'm selling something). I laughed and said "no , but that's a good idea". So I thought about it , wrote plans, discussed it with the same friend and decided that I'm going to start a website that sells Jamaican arts and craft. At that same time my job was going through a period of down time (contract rest /break time, one of those Japanese things) which entailed 3 months no work. So during the months before the down time I contacted a web and graphic designer and got the site built. During the down time, I planned a trip to Jamaica, went around to all these artiste and bought some of their work. While in Jamaica I got an inspired thought to buy a few Jamaican food products and accessories to sell on the site. Well, up to this day I haven't sold one painting ( except some smaller desk paintings) but the food and accessories are doing great. I have faith the right opportunity will appear for the crafts and paintings.

So you have LINE stickers out. Tell us about them. iRIE iDRIN© basically branched out from irie876.com®, I had made my designer create a few logos for 876 and decided to keep 2 of them (one is the logo on the site now and the other, a rasta character I named "iDrin". iDRIN was actually the sales rep for 876 for some time and was featured in various digital posters and adverts, I even got my brother (nivek productions) to animate him.  

One day I was looking at a message on "Line messenger" and the stickers I received and thought "wouldn't it be cool to have a Jamaican patois sticker set?" but I didn't think much of it. Then the idea kept on coming back to me now and then. One day I looked at the  iDRIN character on irie876's site  and thought,  "wow you are the perfect character for a Line sticker". So right then and there I started to think of the illustrations I wanted and wrote them down and drew a few. At this time there was no creators market where  individuals could sell stickers but I thought I'd just contact "Line" with my idea once it was finished and see if they would go into a contract or buy the illustrations from me.  A week after I got my ideas down on paper the creators market was announced. It was destiny. iRIE iDRIN©  was launched on September 2nd,  2014, and has gotten 1000 plus downloads in the three weeks since it's been up.

Interesting stuff! Any advice for others who'd like to start their own business? My advice to individuals that want to start a business (or are in business already) is to be open to ideas and opportunities by  being grateful about your situation now, because if you're not feeling grateful you can't see the opportunities around you.  Also take the first step in faith and every step after that, don't worry about not having enough money, time or know how. Do what you can do now to the best of your ability, and find people who can help you do the things you can't. Never doubt your abilities or the outcome. Use the power of visualization to create the outcomes you want in your mind first, have faith and prepare for the manifestation of that outcome and have fun. I  also recommend  having a group you can brain storm ideas with (mastermind) even if it's just one other person. The ideas and the support you will get through masterminding is priceless.

Thanks, Dean! All the best to you!

You may contact Dean from his website, or you may give him a call at +81-908-072-2409.

7 Ways to Make Money From Home

Hey!

I'm adding new things to my blog. Things that reflect my interests. :)

One of the things I'd like to do is to someday work from home. As I come across articles on the internet that talk about this, I'll share them here on my blog.

The article below from the Huffington Post website gives 6 ways that you can work from home.

I have a 7th one to add which you can find out more about here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/myglobcoffeebus/

Happy reading!

"These days more and more people are finding that they aren't limited to a single source of income. With all the unique money-making opportunities available, many people are finding that they can earn a few extra hundred dollars a month by thinking a little outside the box.

While all of the opportunities listed below are legitimate ways to make some money, it would probably be unrealistic to expect to make a full-time income from any of them individually.

So check them out and let us know in the comments which ones you like best and earn the most for you!

1. Get paid using your iPhone (or Android)

There seem to be many apps popping up that pay you to do simple tasks like taking a picture of a menu, or taking a picture of yourself drinking a Starbucks, or verifying that a road is closed -- you get the picture. Here are a few that I found:

• Juno Wallet
• Gigwalk
• CheckPoints
• WeReward "

Continue reading here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-lotich/6-legit-ways-to-make-mone_b_4638907.html

Please Don't Take Anything With You

Before takeoff on an airplane, there's usually a demonstration about some things, which include what to do in the event that there is a problem and you have to leave the aircraft. 

One of the things that you will be told is if you need to evacuate, please don't take anything with you. 

Isn't that interesting? All the things we treasure somehow, we are told to leave them behind. Why then do we trouble ourselves so with acquiring things? See, you can't take them with you when you die. And in the case of an emergency, you are being told to leave them behind. 

We are told in the Word of God that we shouldn't set our minds on the things that are on the earth, but rather on the things that are above. We are also told that while everything else will pass away, only the Word of God will remain. 

Please don't take anything with you. Perhaps you can think about this statement as you reflect on the fact that the things you have do not compare to the life you have. Things can and do improve your quality of life but they are not your life. 

Rhi-Keytta

What's Your Dream?

I think I haven't given myself the freedom to dream and desire something wonderful for my life. Stuck in a place of fear. I tend to suppress things I desire, instead of keeping them in my heart even as I try to enjoy the life I have now.

Let's say I have always wanted to go to Paris. I shouldn't have to shut the dream and desire away even if I think I can't afford it. I should be able to say, "one day", even if I know not when or if ever it will come to pass.

And so I feel like my life is dull and boring (and when I think about it, really is) because I don't dream. How can I stop suppressing my desires.

The fear of angering or disappointing God; of not being in His will. These are some factors that play into how I feel. I should be able to say (boldly), Lord this is what I would like. It's up to Him to say yes or no. But I should be bold enough to ask. But desire, desire, desire and expressing those desires is something I don't do.

I don't dream. Lord help me get unstuck.


Update:- I've been thinking that I shouldn't really say my life is boring. I have a lot of good things going on. I have a lot to be grateful for. I just think I've stopped expecting good things to come into my life. God wants to be good to us all you know. But He does expect us to be expecting it. So with that said, I don't have a boring life, I just need to become bolder in the desires and expectations I have for my life, of what God can do through me and for me ;)

Leave It Alone!

"Now therefore hearken unto their voice; howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them". 1 Samuel 8:9

I was reminded this week of the Israelites who had cried for a king, even though God was their King, and what that brought upon them. What is interesting is the fact that they were forewarned what would be the result of their decision; but they didn't care. 

How can I avoid such things in my own life? How can I avoid making some silly mistake and spending the rest of my life regretting what I did?

I suppose the comfort lies in the fact that God still helped them and was with them. Even if we make some dumb decisions, God is faithful enough to help us through them. I'd prefer, however, to not end up in that boat. I want to walk in such divine guidance that I never find myself in such a situation. 

How can that be achieved? Well, I believe that just like they were forewarned, God also lets us know what the end result of a certain decision might look like. As a matter of fact, I know that He does because I've experienced it. There have been times when I was contemplating a particular course of action and was able to gain discernment by seeing it in action in someone else's life. I was able to see that, hey this is a possible consequence from taking that course of action. 

There are other times when I just had a 'feeling'. I would have a prompting that if I should do so and so, it might result in so and so. It is better to be safe than sorry, and if the thing you'll lose will be greater than the thing you'll gain, I think you should leave it alone! 

There are times though when risk-taking is necessary, where you have to take a blind step of faith. But if you find that you're not having any peace about what you're doing or about what you want to do, that's wisdom speaking so you'd better leave it alone. 

It's OK To Not Be Sure

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thine ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6

It's OK to not know what to do! When I don't, my Daddy knows. He's not short of ideas and ways to lead me in the path of my success. It's OK to not know what to do!

Sometimes you have an idea of what you'd like or your desired place, but you're unsure of the details. Maybe you've done some research and have become confused. But it's OK! God is behind the scenes working, fitting everything together.

Every step you make - sure or unsure - is somehow leading you to where you ought to be! A step may sometimes seem ridiculous and downright impossible but you never know! I'm sure you can think of some decision you made, of something you did that didn't make any sense to you, but it worked out anyway! 

It's not always necessary to be sure, I say. God is the only 'sure' that we need. He will lead us to the place that we need to be. 

Just Keep Moving

I think the most important things in life is to just keep moving. Even if you have to go slow. Even if everything doesn't get done like you hoped. It only matters to just keep moving.

If you're a single mom with kids, you might not be able to get all the plates washed up. But perhaps you were able to get the laundry all done and ensure that the kids were fed. Don't lament or beat yourself up about what you didn't get done. You got some things done. So you did make progress. Just keep moving.

Before you know it one week has gone by and another one has begun. It means you made it through the week gone by. You'll make it through this one, too. So just keep moving.

Picture taken from http://www.foxnews.com/us

You might be like this 91 year old, just being able to get your high school diploma. But he got it done. See, you must just keep moving.

If you keep on moving - no matter how small the steps or slow your pace - you'll get 'there', wherever 'there' is. It might be to see your kids all grown up, on their own and taking care of themselves. I think of my mother, she'll be retiring from the teaching profession soon. She has the privilege of seeing her four girls all grown up. She had kept on moving.

Don't try to be like anyone else. Only you know how much you can manage. Just do the best you can. Yes, just keep moving.