Built on Belief

Summary

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Keep It Positive, Sweetie – "Built on Belief"

Host: Crystal Renee Hazlett
Guest: Jaleesa Seymour, Founder/CEO of SaltXO
Release Date: August 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Crystal Renee Hazlett sits down with Jaleesa Seymour, the powerhouse behind SaltXO, one of the most recognizable women’s wellness brands of her generation. The theme "Built on Belief" takes center stage, with an honest look at betting on yourself before the world catches on, building a business from scratch, navigating adversity, and leading with conviction, faith, and community. Through laughter, vulnerability, and practical insight, listeners are encouraged to trust what’s been placed in their hearts—even when there’s no blueprint.

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Major Themes and Discussion Points

1. Breaking Into New Spaces and Raising Representation

• Travel and Tennis
  • Crystal and Jaleesa recount their experiences at Wimbledon, noting how few Black people were present (04:36).
  • Jaleesa: “There is no limit to any space we can be in...we need to be in spaces like this. Like, we need to be on yachts. We need to be traveling and living life.” (05:10)
• Impact of Exposure
  • Both emphasize how important it is to see and take up space in arenas where Black women haven’t historically been represented.

2. Entrepreneurship: Grit, Resilience, and Starting Without a Blueprint

• Origins of SaltXO
  • Jaleesa shares starting her brand in her college dorm room, formulating products from scratch for herself and friends (10:47).
    • “It's very hard to trust someone giving you soap to use down there...but they trusted me.” (11:56)
  • Her recipe came from intuition: “That God-whispered recipe, yeah.” (11:59)
• Storytelling as Marketing
  • Jaleesa used direct contact with potential users to build trust and get early feedback/reviews (13:03).
• Family Support
  • Initially, her family was fearful of her non-traditional path, but ended up enthusiastically supporting her (14:40).
  • “They picked me—like, if you could just imagine a ladder, they’re pushing me up, like, let's go.” (14:41)

3. Resilience Through Challenges

• The 20,000 Lost Orders Story
  • In an early year, a hurricane and USPS mishap led to the complete loss of 20,000 shipped orders (17:47).
    • “I think somebody is up there bathing their life away. Still bathing to this day.” (17:47)
  • Jaleesa’s recovery centered on communication and community support (19:21).
  • She credits her faith, financial prudence (not living off the business), and her supportive family.
• Trial and Error
  • Never having a mentor, she learned about leadership, hiring, firing, and loss the hard way (14:05).

4. Business Expansion and Knowing When to Level Up

• Discernment and Faith
  • On making the right moves: “I was never a hustler...it was about service and impact.” (28:33)
  • Recognizing God’s direction: “He would push doors open for me, like break them down for me.” (28:46)
• The Growth Leap
  • SaltXO grew 137% in one year; the need for a larger warehouse led to an unexpected, divinely-orchestrated opportunity (35:16–38:39).
  • Overcoming stereotypes and winning over a family-owned property with “humility and persistence.”
  • Shoutout to her sister and team for facilitating a seamless move while Jaleesa was away (40:07).

5. Faith, Community, and Self-Care

• Faith-Rooted Leadership
  • Jaleesa credits her groundedness to her faith and supportive "wise counsel": her family, including her mother, stepdad, and siblings (30:12).
  • On community: “Community is so important...the right or wrong community can determine your outcome.” (31:34)
• Avoiding Burnout
  • Both discuss the constant need to pour into themselves, especially as women, leaders, and mothers.
  • “I need to make time...What that looks like for me is literally sitting down and doing nothing.” (32:58–33:15)
• Mental Health and Postpartum
  • Jaleesa shares a candid account of severe postpartum depression—how prayer, family, and honesty with herself became her lifeline (43:19).

6. Purpose, Authenticity, and Empowerment

• Becoming the Blueprint
  • Jaleesa on realizing her impact: “When people came to me and said, ‘Your product did this and I’ll never be the same’…that’s when I knew I was on the right track. This was all planted inside of me.” (50:26–51:33)
• Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
  • Don’t wait for the perfect moment or a perfect setup—start with what you have.
    • “I started in my dorm room...My background was grass.” (42:22)
• On Responsibility and Influence
  • “I want people to feel refreshed. I don’t want people to feel depleted.” (32:16)
  • She acknowledges the unique pressures on Black women in business, stressing the necessity of taking care of self (45:22).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Relaunching after Disappointment:
  “If it doesn’t work one time, I’m going to try again and again and again. Period.”
  —Jaleesa Seymour, (06:41)

• On Spiritual Discernment:
  “That inner voice is God’s voice, especially when you have discernment… I don’t like to commit to anything without going to Him first.”
  —Jaleesa Seymour, (07:04)

• On Competition:
  “What God has for you is for you. The room that I’m in is my room. I’m not worried about what’s going on in the next room.”
  —Jaleesa Seymour, (07:59)

• On Impact and Purpose:
  “It’s so much bigger than soap...the purpose is God-given. I couldn’t duplicate this.”
  —Jaleesa Seymour, (51:04)

• On Self Care and Burnout:
  “Taking care of myself. And that’s important. Especially with women in business. Especially Black women in business…you might feel like, okay, I can keep going...later you’re having headaches, migraines, strokes, because you’ve internalized all that stress.”
  —Jaleesa Seymour, (45:21)

• On Faith Over Fear:
  “Purpose doesn’t always come with proof. And if God gave you the vision, trust that He’ll continue giving you what you need for the journey.”
  —Crystal Renee Hazlett, (53:49)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction to Guest & Main Theme – 02:05
• Wimbledon & Breaking Into New Spaces – 03:30–05:43
• ‘Match Point’ Business Game – 06:05–09:41
• SaltXO Dorm Room Origin Story – 10:47–13:47
• Building a Business Without a Mentor – 14:05–15:48
• Major Business Loss: The 20,000 Missing Orders – 16:11–19:15
• Handling Growth, Faith, and Discernment – 28:04–30:56
• Community, Family, and Staying Grounded – 31:34–32:13
• Self-Care and Burnout for Black Women Entrepreneurs – 43:19–45:42
• Realizing She Became the Blueprint – 50:19–51:33
• Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs – 41:50–42:45
• Closing Reflections & Support for SaltXO – 53:00–53:44

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Resources & Follow-up

• SaltXO Products & Launches:
  • New launches: Probiotics and Slippery Elmo (53:16)
  • Appearance: Invest Fest as a premier sponsor (53:00)
  • Instagram: @SaltXO

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Final Note from Host

“You don’t have to have all the answers before you take the first step. Purpose doesn’t always come with proof. And if God gave you the vision, trust that He’ll continue giving you what you need for the journey.”
—Crystal Renee Hazlett, (53:49)

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For listeners: This episode shines as a blueprint for faith-fueled entrepreneurship, resilience through obstacles, and the necessity of community and self-care—especially for Black women blazing new trails. If you’ve ever been afraid to start because you didn’t see a path, let Jaleesa’s journey remind you that belief can build anything.

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Transcript

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Guaranteed Human.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Kris Renee Hazlett]

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

Hey, you planning a little adventure tonight?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Knowing your status is part of staying

[Jaleesa Seymour]

protected against HIV keeps it hot, keeps it sexy.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

So stay naughty and stay informed.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Cause keeping it real about HIV prevention

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

is part of the vibe.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

When you date, stay up to date on your HIV prevention and sexual. To learn more, talk to your healthcare

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

provider and visit carefortheculture.com

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host, Kris Renee Hazlett and this is the Keep It Positive Sweetie Show. Welcome to Keep It Positive Sweetie, the place where we heal, grow and learn together. Belief has a way of asking us to move before we have proof. Jaleesa Seymour reminds us to always trust what God placed in your heart. Building without a blueprint and believing so deeply in the vision that you move before the evidence ever arrives. Today's guest has built one of the most recognizable women's wellness brands for her generation. Jaleesa Seymour is the founder and CEO of SaltXO, a premium women's wellness brand that started with handing out scratch samples while she was still a college student and has since grown into a nationally recognized company and thriving community. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Essence, Inc. Black Enterprise, and Vogue. You know, but what inspires me the most isn't just what she's built. It's how deeply she believed in it before the rest of the world did. Kiss family, please give a very warm welcome to the founder of SaltXO, Jaleesa. Hi, Jaleesa. How you doing?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I feel good. You look beautiful. Thank you.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You look good. You walked in, I said, I should have dressed up, but my good stuff.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I got to put on a little dress now.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

No, you look beautiful. I love it. I love it. I actually had that in hot pink, so my girl has style.

[Milan Derou]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You have pieces.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Thank you. So we were both just in London for Wimbledon. Was that your first time going?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes, mine too.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That was a bucket list for me.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It actually was my friend's bucket list. Ashley. Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

She loves tennis.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

She loves tennis. She loves Paris. And she's like, um, let's go to Wimbledon and watch tennis. I'm like, girl, I don't. I don't really care. She's like, no, let's go. It's an experience. I'm so happy that she asked me to come because I'm going back.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes, same.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Me too. Yeah, I'm going back. Right.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That was. I'm doing the US Open and was this July next month. So I'm excited about that. That'll be my second time going to US Open. But I picked up tennis during COVID when we had to do, like, the social distancing. But I wanted to stay in shape, so that was something that I could do outside. Not, like, because you're across the court from somebody else that you're playing with. So I was able to do that and just fell in love with the sport.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah. My son loves it. I got him a tennis rack for his for Christmas. We went once. That was the last of that. However, like, I really enjoy it because it's just different. It's different from what I've seen growing up. So especially being in new environments is really important to me. Like, I want to be in just different rooms.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Same. And we talk about, like, when we went there, it wasn't a lot of us.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

No, that was represented.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, literally.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And it was hundreds of People there?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes, thousands. It was so, like. It was like. I'm talking about swarms of people like you. Like, you're just moving through, like, huge crowds. But it was not a lot of us there. So to be able to experience that was something that was beautiful to see. But definitely, I want to expose more people to things like that. You know, I feel like a lot of stuff has kind of just been like, for. Not for us, you know, not. Tennis is one of those sports that, like, we're just not really getting into.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Exactly. And I want to just, like, there is no limit to any space we can be in.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Any kinds of conversations we should be having, like, the. Even to the restaurants and the way that we travel. Like, I went to St. Bart's a few months ago. I was the only one. I was like, what is going on? And I was. I was kind of, like, overwhelmed because I've never been in a place where I was just so alone.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But I'm like, you know what? We need to be in spaces like this. Like, we need to be on yachts. We need to be traveling and living life.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

See the world.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

See the world.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Different.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Absolutely. Well, to get started, I want to play a game. We're gonna have a little spin off Wimbledon. It's called Match Point. So I'm gonna give you a few scenarios about decisions that may come up that you have to make with business, and I want you to tell me your next move. Okay? Okay. All right. So the first one is your biggest launch doesn't perform the way you expected. What's your next move?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Relaunch it again.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I know that's 500.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Please relaunch it again.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Why?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Because my customers may have not seen it or received it the way that I thought they would. Like, they. They're not a part of the investment of what goes into it. The conversations that I'm having, my team, my chemist, like, they're not a part of that. So they're not as invested as I may be. So I might deliver it one time, and they might feel like, nah, it didn't hit. So I'm going to redeliver it in a way that they can understand. And that's happened before. Like, sometimes I think a launch is going to go so, so well, and it doesn't go as well as I expect it'll go well, but not to the expect expectations that I may have.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I'm like, you know what? Let me relaunch it and do it differently. Put a twist on it. And most times, when I do that. It goes well. If it doesn't work one time, I'm going to try again and again and again, period.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

And that's why you were here.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Because you didn't give up. I love that. Match point number two. A huge opportunity comes your way, but something about it doesn't feel right. What's your next move?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Pray about it.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Come on, now.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

First thing.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes, first thing. Period.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I like to think that that inner voice is God's voice. Especially when you have discernment. Yes. Because I don't like to commit to anything without going to him first, especially when it comes to something that is going to impact lives. So I'm like, you know what? That's a big responsibility. Make sure that I honor him and go to him first. So that's the first thing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. All right, match point three. A competitor launches something that looks similar to yours. What's your next move?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hmm.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I've had to make this move quite a few times. I stay on track and do what I do because it's very important for me to not think about what other people are doing. Of course competitors are going to come. People that are going to mimic your brand. It's going to come. And some people might think of it as flattery. I don't. But some people do. However, I think that it's really important to understand that what God has for you is for you.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And the room that I'm in is my room. Like, I'm not worried about what's going on in the next room. And he will make room for you.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I'm. I'm okay. Like, even if competitors may have. Like, it's going to happen.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But I know that God always going to make room for us.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yep. Always. I love that I'm in the beauty space as well. With hair.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes, I saw that. Congratulations.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Thank you.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Congratulations. Didn't you do something in Times Square? You had a billboard.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes, Yeah, I had a billboard there. I did, like, the unveiling. Our big launch was in New York Times Square. It was a ball we had to

[Jaleesa Seymour]

launch in Times Square is incredible.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

A dream. Like, right by the red stairs. It was crazy. Shout out to my team, Weston, Ashana, and the team at ors. Jilori, we love you, but, yeah. To have people behind me that believe in me and will pull all the stops to make it the biggest and best, that it can be minimized. So, yeah, yeah, no, I'm excited about it, but people talk about the beauty space being so oversaturated. And I do believe. I feel like there's room for everybody.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It is.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You know, and especially if you're doing it with excellence and your product has like a superpower, like something you're really honing in on, I think that there is space for everyone.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It is.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I mean, I just. That's how I feel. But like you said, like, your lane is your lane, your room is your room, and what's for you is for you. It's not gonna pass you by. Yeah, no, that's exactly how it feels.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Especially when. Cause actually it can pass you by sometimes if you don't. If you don't act on it and if you kind of sit on those gifts, it will pass you by. And God will give it to someone else.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

He will.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

If you're ready for it, it won't pass you by.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But if you're ready. And I stay ready.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, I know. That's right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You got to stay ready.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You do.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You have to stay ready.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

All right, last 1. Match point 4. The thing that got you here won't get you where you're going. So what is your next move?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

My next room? My next move is expansion. Expansion. I am taking Sonic so globally.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's amazing. Is that daunting? Like, absolutely.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

From starting in my living room in my college dorm.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

To thinking to take my brand globally when my first idea was to just make a hundred thousand dollars.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Wow.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

In six years. Six years. I said in six years, I want to make a hundred thousand dollars. In seven years. You were like, like just the thoughts that I was having. And I was so excited because it seemed so far fetched for me. So now to be eight years in business, I'm thinking, let's take this thing global.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Wow. That is incredible. I love that. Thank you for playing. I love it. That was good.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

That was a good one.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes. Great answer. Shout out Shelly. She always comes with the amazing games. So good. So you talk about starting your company in your college dorm room. In the living room. Tell me about that. Like, where were you? What sparked this idea? How did Saltxo come to life from your dorm room?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I discovered Saltxo because I wanted to use a product that was going to make me feel really good and feel confident in what I was using, because at the time, I was just using what was in the stores. And I realized that a lot of those products aren't really catered to the wellness. It's just catered to quick fix, get you in and out. If it works for you, it Works. And if it doesn't, so sorry, go to your OB gyn.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And I just wanted to be a little more intentional with what I put it in my. What I put in my products. So I started to research essential oils and the power of them and how they could heal the body. And I went to a essential oil store. I started making combos with it, and. And I started making samples, and I gave them out to my roommates because I was living in a dorm at the time. And they were like, what did you put in this stuff? Because it's very hard to trust someone giving you soap to use down there on your intimate spaces. But they trusted me and they were like, I need you to sell this product. Like, I need you to make it, I need you to sell it. And just me wanting to do something for myself and deciding to share that with other women, which I knew would be beneficial to them, that's what sprouted this entire idea.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Wow. You talk about God whispered things.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

The recipe. Yeah. It's so funny because that's been like, an iconic slogan that God whispered it to me, but it. He did because I didn't have any background in, you know, creating a recipe and things like that. So for me to be able to do this, it was only God for sure, you know?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, I love that. And shout out to your roommates that said, girl, yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Who believed in me.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes. So what was the next step? I mean, saying that is one thing, but then actually doing it is another.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

So how did you.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I gave it to them and we had a step show. I think it was the Deltas, and they were performing. And I said, you know what? I know the girls are going to be sweating it up. They're going to be. They're going to be going crazy. Right? So I applauded. I said, you know what? After this, calm down, I'm going to go.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

He's like. He is cracking all the sweaty Deltas. No, no, no.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

No shade. No shade to the.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

My mom is a Delta, so no shade. No shade at all.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All love.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But I just know, like, that's rigorous activity, you know, and you're going to want to freshen up after.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love this story.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You're going to want to freshen up afterwards. So I was plotting in the crowd. I had a book bag, and I packed about 10 soaps with me, and I started handing them out. I said, listen, this is all I need you to do. I'm going to give you my phone number. I'm going to give you this soap I need you to use this soap tonight, and I need you to give me a review. And I promise you, it is going to change the game for you.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

They didn't know me. I'm a stranger. But I was so compelling in the way I sold it.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

They're like, all right. So that same day, I had every single person send me a review via text, and I still have it in my phone till this day essays. Like, I've been struggling with this for so long, I had to deal with it in private. Like, thank you so much, because now I have something that I could use and feel confident. That was the start to the soap lady on campus.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

The soap lady on campus. I love that. So you are this newfound entrepreneur. What was it like growing your business at such a young age? Like, and where did you get that from? Did you have. Did you come from a family with business acumen, or was this something that you just figured out on your own?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah, so a lot of it I had to figure out on my own with trial and error because I've never had a mentor. I never had a coach or anything like that. I had to learn everything. Leadership, being a CEO, hiring, firing. I had to learn everything through trial and error because I. I don't know about you, but me, I didn't come from that. Like, my mom was a radiologist. My grandfather was a teacher. My grandmother was a librarian. They were all really solid in careers, but I didn't have anyone to give me guidance on being an entrepreneur.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So in the beginning, my family was kind of fearful. Like, I was in college. Like, I was doing pretty well. They're like, you're not going to get a career.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm like, y', all, I want to sell soap. And they were like, what, are you crazy? We spent all this money for you to go to college, and you're walking out of here selling soap Hope. But that faded really quickly because they believed in me so much. Like, they picked me. Like, if you could have just imagine a ladder, like, they're pushing me up, like, let's go. And I think that is a very pivotal part of my story, because my family believed in me so much. And as soon as I started to have the passion, the zeal to create, they just followed along and they were like, let's go. Like, whatever you need, let's do it. And I learned it through making mistakes, taking big financial losses, major financial risk, hiring people that weren't cut out for the job, but operating in desperation. I just needed to get it Done.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So a lot of that stuff came from trial and error, and I'm just grateful to God that it happened early on instead of it happening year eight. I rather. All of my mistakes happen year one through three. Come on, that's fine.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You know, and more mistakes will happen as you, as you grow. But those, like, those pillars in my business, I'm able to be strong in it now because I know how to maneuver much better.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. So. So let's talk about some of the losses. You talk about big losses. You talk about moments that were really hard for you. Take us through that journey of some of the things that you had to go through. Cause I want people to understand, they see you now, they see the products that are just selling out everywhere, doing amazing, about to go global. But year one through three, what were some of the biggest lessons you learned during that time?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Oh, my gosh. A really, really big lesson I learned which almost destroyed my business. So it was hurricane. I don't know if it was Hurricane Wilma. It was. It was one hurricane that really took a major hit, especially in Florida. I'm from Miami, if you didn't know. So we have hurricanes all the time.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

At the time, I was living in Orlando and I was shipping products out of my garage and my living room. And so I had about 20,000 orders that I was. I made every single bar in my house. Every single. Every single product was made in my house. Yes. Every single product was about 20,000 orders. I wish we, you know, I wish we could just show the pictures. My living room flooded. I have my baby and my. I have them. Yes.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Okay, perfect.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I have my. I have my baby in his playpen, jumping around my team. My mom is on the computer. My brothers are wrapping up soaps. I mean, we have a whole operation going. Right. So we ship out the orders. The guy comes up, he picks it up, and we're shipping out in garbage bags. Because at that time we don't have any, like, of the totes. We don't have all those resources. Like, just put it in a bag and he'll come and pick it up. So it was about 20,000 orders. I'm not even exaggerating. So he takes it to the usps and about. I say, maybe a week or so after that, I get a few emails from irate customers saying, hey, where's my order? Like, it's saying it's pending, but it's not going anywhere. So I told myself, I'm saying, well, we dropped them off a while ago. Like, you guys should have been received that right. They never received any of the packages.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

20,000.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

20,000 orders got lost. 20,000 orders. Every single order. And I'm still not convinced that they got lost. I think somebody is up there bathing their life away. Listen, right now. No. Still bathing to this day.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Or done bootlegging and selling it on the black market.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Okay.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I'll be upset when, like, no. 5 orders don't make it.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

No.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Seriously.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

No. Could you imagine?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I could not.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

20,000. And that was. I think that was year two of my business. So I took such a big financial hit. And thank you, God, for praying, Mom. Like, we have come on this. We have this group chat called the Negotiators.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, I love that.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And we negotiate, you know, and it's not. We don't negotiate business. It's like, we're negotiating with God. Like, we're talking to God. Like, hey, God, like, this is what we need. Like, intercede for us.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So we had a long chat going on about this, and I recovered everything. Of course, I had to put it back into my business because I was saving. Like, I wasn't buying anything. Like, I had an ultima making six figures, but I still. I preserved that because I understood that my business money wasn't to take care of my lifestyle. And I'm just happy I thought about that way beforehand. So I was able to remake the product and send it out again. But taking out, taking a loss like that and being in the deficit as a fresh business, really, it was a major hit. It took me a while to recover from it, but the way that I recovered from it, people were so happy that they were able to support and to see me come out of it.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You know, so did you have to get online or, like, write to your customers and say, so I did it.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I did an email blast for them, and I just communicated. My customers love when I communicate. They love when I talk to them and tell them what's going on. And a lot of them, surprisingly, were all so kind and open to it. They're like, yeah, girl, we love you. Like, we support you. Because they saw me growing up, like, I started in college. They're watching the journey in real time. They see me in private. Yeah. Like, I'm not keeping that private from them. Like, they see me. And I think a lot of times when people want to preserve the beginning, the start stages, because they don't think it looks esthetically pleasing, those are the best times to show the groundwork, to show people, hey, like, I'm doing this because this is something that is passionate for me. Like, I feel excited about it. And people can feel that zeal when you have it.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, no, they can.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

No, that's so true. That same with me. Like, anytime anything would go wrong, I always make sure I drive it home, guys. Make sure we communicate. I would literally be on the computer responding to emails. And they might get out the emails.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes, me too.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

No, me too. Like, I'm literally like, hey, guys, thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it. We're working really hard. Cause, I mean, my business started to take off during this administration where tariffs was happening. Stuff wasn't getting here in time. So it was so many different things that I was up against as a new entrepreneur in this space. You know, when it came to merch and trying to learn the ins and outs of everything and then being faced with delays and people emailing. I haven't gotten this. Or stuff getting lost in the mail. What is saying delivered on our end, you know, but my whole thing was make sure we communicate with them. I was like, people work hard. They spend their money with us every single month. We do drops. I was like, I want them to know that I appreciate that and they are valued. Don't ignore anybody. Like, so I'm like, I still go through and make sure the emails being respond like, hey, I know your team

[Jaleesa Seymour]

gets on you about that.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

They do. And I don't care. Because at the end of the day, it's Crystal. Hello, It's Crystal. Didn't do this.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yep.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Crystal got this business and ain't sitting. No, Nobody else is getting drugged through the mud. If it doesn't go right, it's me. So, like, yeah, no, that I don't care who gets upset about it. Because at the end of the day,

[Jaleesa Seymour]

like, And I still answer my DMs, someone's like, Hey, I placed the order. I'm DMing back. Okay, no problem. They're like, wait, I can't believe you actually DM me back. Yeah, absolutely, I will.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You're supporting my business.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm never too big for the program.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Hello.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Never too big for the program. Absolutely. Thank you for supporting me. And then I get on my team. My team is amazing. And that's just a major flex.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Just having a great team. Because every time I'm speaking or I'm on a panel, I'm doing any kind of interview, they always ask me about, how do you build a good team?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Because it's hard.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It's Very hard. Like, you have to go through so many people, and you have to learn how to fire fast asap. Because if you don't, you will have to face the.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

The.

[Milan Derou]

The.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

The consequences for sure. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The long.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You drag it out.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You drag it out.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's so true.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm glad you have a great team.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

No, me too. I'm grateful. People always ask me. I am so blessed in that area, because I know that's what people go through, trying to find the right people, people you can trust, people that have the same integrity as you do, people who will work. You know, I get in the trenches with my team. Like, when we were shipping out of the office, I was right there with him in the line. Come on, y'. All. They were like, crystal, go home.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Like, nope.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Let's go.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Let's rock.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

We had them trash bags, too.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Throwing them boxes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Big west to fill his truck up. Take it to the P.O. box.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Oh, that is so nostalgic. I love that.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

And it felt so good. Like, I loved it. It was something about actually touching the product, putting it in, packing it with love that meant a lot to me when it came to the people who support us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I know.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It's when you see people order from different states, like, what does that do for you?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, my gosh. It means so much because I'm like, wait, this person's from Iowa.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm like, what? How did you even do that? Right?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Africa.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

They're asking, africa, can we please get your products like we want it. Jamaica, Bahamas. They're like, we love you. Please start shipping here. And I'm like, wow. So we gotta go global, baby.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Global.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You gotta go global, Kips Global. But no, I feel you on that. And because I'm from a really small town in Tennessee to see the places that God has allowed me to go, and then the exposure to even know that certain things are possible. You know, sometimes I feel like when you're not exposed to things, you don't know that it's possible. So I'm so grateful that now I'm able to show people, hey, this is possible, you know, but, yeah, I mean, means a lot to see all the different states that are coming through. People in the military.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You know, I'm like. Because they have a different type of, you know, different type of sticker for their stuff. I'm like, this is crazy.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And it's. You have to do a little bit more to send to them, too.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It's a lot.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

It is. It is. You know, those moments when you're out with friends, everyone's catching up. Your food hasn't made it to the table yet, but your ice cold Coca Cola Zero Sugar arrives. First you tell yourself, I'm just going to enjoy one sip while I wait. Then the conversation gets going. Somebody tells a funny story and you take another sip here and there, and before you know it, your food shows up and you're thinking, wait, where did my drink go? We've all been there. It's one of those little moments that just seems to happen when you're enjoying good food and even better company. Coca Cola Zero Sugar has the real Coca Cola taste you love. With zero sugar. It's one of those drinks that's hard to resist whether you're catching up with friends, grabbing lunch, or sitting down to dinner. And since it's zero Sugar, you can always order another when you're ready. That's exactly why it's just too good to wait. Try it for yourself. Coca Cola Zero Sugar Real Coke taste Zero Sugar it's too good to wait Back to School shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks starting at just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about about including Love Shack, Fancy Cat and Jack Overtime and even personalized Oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place, because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

What's up y'?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

All?

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

It's Erica and Mila from Good Moms Bad Choices on the Black Effect in this mini episode, we're diving into the double standard around women and sexual partners, the shame and judgment tied to body count. We unpack where it comes from, who it serves, and why reclaiming your sexual history and knowing your HIV prevention options matters. Take a listen. And the crazy part is, is that body count shame actually discourages women and men from getting tested and talking openly about prevention. Honestly does, because HIV is still a real conversation and we need to be having it. And the crazy part is, is that body count shame actually discourages women from getting tested. And not just women, men too. And discourages them from talking openly about prevention because HIV is still a real conversation that we need to be having. And the stigma around how many is the same stigma that keeps people from getting the care and the prevention that they deserve. Knowing your status, knowing your options, that is what actually matters, right? You can listen to this special episode of Good Moms Bad choices on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

Trip booked and switching to T Mobile. Help make it happen with Experience beyond

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

And honestly, that hundred dollars back, I'm putting it towards the zipline now.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

That's how you do summer.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Exactly. Best switch I ever made.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

This is just one reason to join T Mobile this summer. There are 250 reasons. Find your course

[Commercial Narrator]

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[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Allow eight weeks now going through expansion because I know this is year eight.

[Commercial Narrator]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Okay. Year eight. Wow.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Wow.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's a good year. Yeah, that's a good year. I love that. I want to know through your journey, when did you, when were you able to discern that this was God's voice saying, hey, go, it's time to for the next level. It's time for you to keep moving. Versus, like, no, I just got to do it because, you know, sometimes as creatives and entrepreneurs, like, we're just eager. Like, when do you know and when do you discern that? Okay, this is God telling me to move.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Well, I think the first thing was I was never a hustler and I really value the fact that I wasn't.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Because it was never about the money. Like the money came. It wasn't about, okay, well let me get this so I can get to this point. It was about service and impact.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Who can I serve? How can I be a steward of what he gave me? And how can I distribute it? That's it. And so as soon as I had that mindset, I mean, the abundance, the overflow happened. And what made me also realize that it was God is because he would push doors open for me, like break them down for me, like, break them down. It's like I was coming in unqualified for certain things, even for certain opportunities. I'm like, y' all sure y' all want me to do this? Absolutely, yes. Like, he will make room for you. So I knew that this had nothing to do with me because I was going to be a kindergarten teacher. I got my job application. I mean, I had my acceptance letter and everything. I was going to be a teacher. And God said, yeah, girl, that's cute, but we're gonna do, we're gonna do something different. And I love teaching. Like, I loved it. It was my passion. But he said, you know what? I gave you this gift, and your gift is to heal, and you're gonna do that. And I'm going to make sure that you supersede any expectations of yourself. And because I didn't know, like I told you, I told myself, give me six years, I'll make a $100,000.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

God said, honey, that, that.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Just said, let me just keep working.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Keep working.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

You keep working, but watch what I keep working. Watch. Okay.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Won't he do it?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Won't he did.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Listen, I love that, and I love that you, you're the negotiators chat line because it's so important to have like minded people and wise counsel when you're making these decisions.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Wise counsel. I'm so happy you said that. Wise counsel. I have wise counsel.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I have people that love me. I have my mom who loves me. I have a beautiful stepdad. I have siblings who would go to war, you know, spiritual warfare for me, you know, and I would do the same for them. So I just, I love that. I come from that. Like, my dad was a pastor and so that's all I've ever known. But your relationship with God is totally different, you know, like, just because you were just a pastor's kid, that doesn't mean anything. Usually they go hay ryer because it's.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

It gets.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah, it gets crazy sometimes. But like, as you get older, your relationship is most important. So I'm just grateful that my family continues to keep me grounded. Because as you grow, you can start to lose sight very quickly.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

And that's.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And the flashing lights start to flash a little bit too much.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Hello.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Hello.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, yeah, come on back down. Yes. Family will keep you Grounded. The right people will keep you grounded. God will ground you if you need to.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Oh. And sit you down to be.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. I'm like, I would hate. Oh, that's the worst, worst grounding. Yeah. Yes, yes. So definitely. That's so true. When you are accelerating at a fast speed, sometimes you can lose sight of things. But I love that I have a family that keeps me ground. I talk to my dad every single day.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Oh, that's beautiful.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. We FaceTime and like, he has his group of guys that he hangs with every day and I'll face it time and they're in the car with him.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I love that.

[Milan Derou]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Community is so important and I think that a lot of times the right or wrong community can like determine your outcome in your future. Right. So just grateful for the people proximity. Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm telling you, it matters, man. I need everybody next to me, I need them to leave me and say, Jaleesa was one of. One of those ones.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

One of those ones. Like, she made a positive impact on my life. Even if I had to like be stern and tell you, hey, like, wake up. I need you to be your best self.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I don't mind, like, I don't mind getting in the field and letting my team know or letting my family know, letting my, my sons know. You better than that.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And I'm not going to accept anything less.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

No. For sure.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So you need that. Like, I want people to feel, like, refreshed. I don't want people to feel depleted. Like, I'm really big on that. Don't deplete me.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Come on. Because you get so much. Like, how does it feel? Because you have two sons, you're an entrepreneur, you are doing all the things. You travel, you, you have a very busy life, but you're also constantly pouring.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

When are those moments where you're like, all right, I need a moment. A moment. And what do you do to refill your cup?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You know, it's so crazy. I was talking about this last night because I've been really busy lately. I've been just back to back, which is a blessing. God is amazing. But I haven't had time in a long time and I need to make time.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I actually do. I really do need to make time because I went to Wimbledon, but it was so fast paced, so I didn't get to breathe and just relax. So I need that time, like, I'm going to make time at least within the next four days.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Good.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

To sit down.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Good. Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And what that looks like for Me is literally sitting down and doing nothing. I don't have to be entertained. I can sit down and get a blanket and watch my show. I feel so happy. I could feel so full. Read me a nice book and I'm good to go.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love that right now we. I have the Sweetie social club, and we have a book club, and we're reading the Company We Keep by Alexandra L. Oh, wow. So if you need a new book, send me that.

[Milan Derou]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

It's so good. It's really. And we talk about keeping good company, so it's perfect. But, yeah, that's the book we're reading this month.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Oh, that's nice.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But I'm so crazy. Milano Derou. She has pants. That's my. That's my sister.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Sister. Love her.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

That is my sister down. That is my. One of the group chats I have is her and Donnie, like, we're like. Yeah. We are like the amigas.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And so we just always just pump each other up like, those are my girls. But shout out to you.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

She has a pants that says, bad morals corrupt good character.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes. Bad company. Correct.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Oh, my gosh. She gave me the. The wool pea coat. Yeah. In red.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And I was like, that just made me think about it. Yes. I botched that up real bad.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

But it's okay.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You came through. You.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I got you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You got me.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I got you. But no, that's so true. Yeah. And it's Bible.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You know that it does.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

And it's funny because a lot of times we don't think about it that seriously, but, like, it literally is in the word.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Absolutely.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That bad copy company corrupts good morals. The people that are around Will folk will mess up your decisions. They can have a great impact or a bad impact on the decisions and choices that you make daily. So it's so important. Was there ever a season where God showed you something that did not match what was right in front of you? Where you were like, how. How we about to do this?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

In a good way or a bad way?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

In a good way. Where he shows you. Like, a lot of times, like, for me, God has shown me things. I'm like, you sure? Because what I'm seeing in front of me, I don't see how I'm about to do this.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

But he's planning something inside of me, and I'm like, all right, I'm gonna trust you.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So last year, we grew 137% in one year. Right. And at the time, we were bursting out of the seams of my Warehouse. And I was so comfortable in the warehouse. It's like, dang. Like, I've been here for five years. All of my inventory is here. In my mind, I'm thinking, it's going to take me forever to move this warehouse. So much inventory. And I had also leased another warehouse beside it because we needed more space. We were bursting out of the seams of that one as well.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Come on. Abundance.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I didn't have. Okay. So I didn't have any space. And so I'm thinking to myself, well, how am I going to be able to move that way? My business isn't suffering. I don't have to close up shop, and my team isn't out of work.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Because I have to think about all those things. Going days with the move and things like that. So I had a conversation with a banker, and he just randomly was like, hey, do you want, like, a realtor? I'm like, not really. But I just said yes because I didn't expect it.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I wasn't.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So we just connected. And so he's like, hey, like, let's. I'm gonna stop by the warehouse, and I just want to, you know, check you out and see what's going on. So he came by. He's like, I can help you. Wow. And I'm like, I wasn't asking for help. I wasn't asking for anything. He's like, I can help you. Like, I need. I'm gonna find you a space because

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

you need a bigger space.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You need a space. Like, I can. You're struggling right now. I can see that. And so shout out to William. He is a amazing, amazing person. Great realtor in Orlando, and he helped me find my current warehouse right now. And he did that without me being a part of it, like, because I was working on the internal structure. And so he's like, hey, I'm just going to hit the ground running. I'm just going to go find spaces. I'm going to FaceTime you when I'm there. I didn't know him from anywhere. I'm going to FaceTime you. I'm going to show you these faces, and then when you have time, come pull up. We can look at the best options.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Wow.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And so I found a really good option. And when I did, this is where God was showing me. Like, this is going to be for you. They did not want to give me this space. They didn't want to. They didn't want to even have a conversation because I was the only young entrepreneur on the street. It's a family owned street. So it's very like you have to be grandfathered in.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And they were very doubtful of why and how, but God, come on. So I was. It took about four months of negotiating, handing over financials, all kinds of things just to prove myself.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But with humility. I don't mind. Like, okay, I don't mind proving myself. I don't mind. I'll show you what you need. What documents do you need me to show you? Cool. I got them. Yeah. And so I did that. And they were really astounded. Like, what? Yeah, you know, and so I was able to get it. But I just think that me being able to have the opportunity to get that warehouse, it's massive.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But I didn't see it for myself. Like, God had already, like laid it out for me and he opened up the door like I was telling you. Like, he'll break down doors, whatever. I had in my mind that fear of, how am I going to do this? How am I going to do that? My team moved my warehouse in one day and I was. I was in St. Barts. They moved my team. I was on a yacht in St.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Bart's with all the white people.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Literally. Literally. I was on my own yacht.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I had. With nobody inside.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It was just you. And it was just like, nobody in sight.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And they were like, yeah, we got it. When you come back, you'll be moved in. They had my office ready. Everything that's love.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, everything. I don't know where I was.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

That happened to you?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. When we moved here. Yeah, they just. Yeah. And that was something like, they just literally. God. I was spending like crazy amount of money at this other space. And Tyler called one day and was like, what are you. What are you doing? Come home. I was like, bet, Say, Liz, I'm on the way. And we literally finished out our lease there and came over here. But I remember I was out of town and they just handled everything but shout out to a good team. But I'm sure in that moment goes back to having a good circle. You had Milan, who had done this before, so I'm sure you were able to lean on her to say, hey, sis, like, all right, I'm about to get this phase. What am I getting myself into? Was she able to give you good, good advice?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I. I told them afterwards. I didn't tell them. I didn't tell anyone. Really? No, I didn't tell anybody. I told them when it was done. Because when I'm doing big things, a lot of Times I just like to do it.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I don't want to. Like, sometimes I'll lean on my friends, but I just like to get it done.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I worked. I worked on it for four months, and then when it was done, I called her.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

She was freaking out.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I already know.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm so proud of you, sister. She was screaming on the phone as usual, so I was really happy. But my sister, she did that. She moved it. We didn't go a day with any delays.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's amazing.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

She moved them in. She purchased the WI fi. She put hot. She put hotspot on her phone to have orders be shipped out at the new warehouse. She's incredible.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Come on.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Like, if I talk about this girl too much, I'll start crying on this podcast.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

She literally got a hotspot, like, set it up so that we didn't have any delays. She brought in about 3 of the employees, her best employees, for the floor. They shipped out everything. There was not one person that had a delay in orders. They were working. No ac. We had fans. She had it all set up. She's like, just enjoy. She's like, you worked hard, girls.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Enjoy.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Like, you got to have people that are happy to see you enjoy things

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

because you needed that time.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I needed that. And that was. That was the last time I rested.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I don't know.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Well, that was a good rest. That was a good rest. Let me tell you something.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I needed that.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

But shout out to Daria. She is my ace. Maria knows. That's my girl. J.J. is amazing. Everybody loves her. She's so sweet. You'll see her on my page all the time. That is my. That is my girl.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. It's so important. That's. Listen. And that was. I feel like that was also God showing you rest. You know, it was Tasha Cobs that came on here and she said that. Rest, trust. Yeah. When you like knowing that when I'm resting, I can trust that God is going to handle it. And he made sure that you had your sister and her best team to make sure that everything was smooth while you got the rest that you needed.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm not anxious.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I'm not worried exactly.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Not afraid of. Are they going to do it correctly?

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm sleeping like a baby.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's. I love that. That's so good. I'm happy for you. That's amazing. You have a very undeniable faith about you. I can see it. Especially. It's evident in your life. For someone who doesn't have that level of clarity yet. But they know that God is pulling them to do something bigger. How would you tell them that they should go ahead and cultivate that from where they are? Because that's exactly what you did. What advice would you give them?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm really big on not waiting for a perfect moment or perfect time or for things to look like they're prepared. Like, you have to be steadfast. You have to work. You have to be patient. You can't expect for things to just flow the way you expect it to in the beginning. Like, there'll be bumps in a row, but I think sometimes when people look at social media and they just see someone just soaring, but they don't know the story. Like, you don't know what they sacrifice to get where they are. You don't know what they compromise to get where they are. Like, you just don't know.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Right.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So it's really important to just stick to what you want to do and not really look at what somebody else is doing. Like we talked about before with competitors. Like, no, just start exactly where you are, and it doesn't have to be perfect. I started in my dorm room. I was taking pictures outside. My background was grass, and I had a picture come on. I literally had a soap. I put it right there. Aesthetic. There you go. Grass, period greenery.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes. You said, let me use what you gave me.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Okay.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

That's what I use. My iPhone. I had some grass. I'm lucky if I get a bush. Yeah, get a bush. Take a photo.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

And.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes, we love it. Oh, my God, it's so pretty.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. That's it, though. Use what you have.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Use what you have.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Never wait for the perfect moment.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Don't wait for the perfect. It doesn't exist.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, that is so true. You talk about sacrifice and the bumps in the road. What was one of the biggest lessons or mistakes that you made early on that you're grateful for now?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Well, one of the biggest lessons I learned was to take space for me because I just had a baby. My second year of salt. No, actually, my first year of salt, I had a baby, and I was. I experienced postpartum really, really bad. It was awful. It was awful, awful, awful. And I didn't take space or take time for myself because I didn't recognize what. The sadness I felt. I couldn't recognize it because I had never experienced it before. And my mom. My mom had never talked to me about it before. I don't think she experienced it. So I Was under a lot of pressure. My business was growing really fast. I was also grieving my grandfather, who passed away, like, a month prior to me getting birth. So it was a lot of compounding effects. And as soon as I was able to realize how much I was in the thick of it, I said, you know what, God? Let me sit down for a minute. And that's when my family had to take over and I had to sit back because it would be days I wake up and just sit in the closet for hours in the dark and couldn't get up because I didn't know how. Like, it takes so much from you. Especially, like, having a child and, you know, just feeling, like, this sadness and you don't have anyone to talk to about it. And I didn't recognize my own feelings.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Things.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah, postpartum was debilitating, for sure. And I'm just happy that I didn't let it consume me. And I tried to do this. Let me just be strong and get through it. No, like, the only thing that really brought me out of that dark place was prayer. That was all. And sometimes you don't want to hear that when you're having a really hard time. Like, just pray through it. I'm telling you, you don't have the language to pray. All I had to do was get on my knees. Sometimes I would just lament in the. In the closet. That's all I could do. But that's what really helped me overcome it. And I'm just glad that I experienced that earlier, because now I know how to better take care of myself and how to recognize, okay, well, when I'm reaching a point of feeling consumed with emotion, I'm not just going to pass it by and just work through it. Like, no, I'm going to take care of myself. And that's important. Especially with women in business. Especially black women in business.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Having such severe stress and being the person who has so much responsibility. Yeah. And you're doing it by yourself. You might just feel like, okay, well, I can just keep on going. And then later on, you're realizing you're having headaches, migraines, strokes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You know, heart attacks, because you've internalized all of that stress.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So now your body is trying to catch up.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yep.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

So I'm just learning, like, to take care of myself better. And like we talked about earlier, I'm going to take a good four days to sit down somewhere, get a nice blanket and relax, because I'm not going backwards, Right. No, you can't afford to own upward.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, I love that. I love that. You know those moments when you're out with friends, everyone's catching up. Your food hasn't made it to the table yet, but your ice cold Coca Cola Zero Sugar arrives. First you tell yourself, I'm just going to enjoy one sip while I wait. Then the conversation gets going, somebody tells a funny story and you take another sip here and there, and before you know it, your food shows up and you're thinking, wait, where did my drink go? We've all been there. It's one of those little moments that just seems to happen when you're enjoying good food and even better company. Coca Cola Zero Sugar has the real Coca Cola taste you love. With zero sugar. It's one of those drinks that's hard to resist whether you're catching up with friends, grabbing lunch, or sitting down to dinner. And since it's zero Sugar, you can always order another when you're ready. That's exactly why it's just too good to wait. Try it for yourself. Coca Cola Zero Sugar Real Coke taste Zero Sugar it's too good to Wait Back to School shopping is about more than just checking off a list. It's about helping kids feel confident walking into a new school year. Whether it's a favorite notebook, a cool backpack, or the perfect pair of shoes, Target is there to make a big difference. Target is showing up for families this back to school season with a huge variety of school supplies, apparel and accessories that help kids do their thing and express their personal style. And with low prices all season long, parents can feel good about getting everything they need at a great value. Think backpacks starting at just $5 and save up to 60% on school supplies. Plus, Target has the brands and collaborations kids are excited about, including Love Shack, Fancy Cat and Jack Overtime, and even personalized Oala bottles with stickers, charms and more. With the prices parents want and the brands kids love, Target has everything you need for back to school shopping all in one place. Because when kids feel confident heading into the school year, parents feel good too.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

What's up y'?

[Commercial Narrator]

All?

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

It's Erica Mila from Good Moms Bad Choices on the Black Effect in this mini episode, we're diving into the double standard around women and and sexual partners, the shame and judgment tied to body count. We unpack where it comes from, who it serves, and why reclaiming your sexual history and knowing your HIV prevention options matters. Take a listen. And the crazy part is, is that body count shame actually discourages women and men from getting tested and talking openly about prevention. Honestly, because because HIV is still a real conversation and we need to be having it. And the crazy part is is that body count shame actually discourages women women from getting tested. And not just women, men too. And and it discourages them from talking openly about prevention because HIV is still a real conversation that we need to be having. And the stigma around how many is the same stigma that keeps people from getting the care and the prevention that they deserve. Knowing your status, knowing your options, that is what actually matters, right? You can listen to this special episode of Good Moms Bad choices on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you you get your podcasts sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences.

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

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[T-Mobile Advertiser]

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

And honestly, that hundred dollars back, I'm putting it towards the zipline now.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

That's how you do summer.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Exactly. Best switch I ever made.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

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[Commercial Narrator]

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[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I want to know. You said that you didn't have a mentor. You didn't have the blueprint. At what point did you realize that you weren't searching for the blueprint anymore? That you actually became the blueprint?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Hold on now.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Come on now.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Wait. Love that.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Love that.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

That was. That was beautiful. I think when I realized that I didn't really have to seek when people were coming to me and saying, your product did this and I will never be the same. I had a woman come up to me. I did an event last year. She's like, you saved my marriage. Wow. I said what? She held my hand. I have video. Milan actually took the video. Oh, crying. She's like, you saved my marriage. I remember there was a time where I couldn't have intercourse with my husband because I was just going through so many things. My womb was going through a lot of things. And your soaps have helped me tremendously heal my body. And I was just like God is so much bigger than me. Yes. It's so much bigger. It's so much bigger than soap. Like, that's why when people ask me me about what someone else could be doing or what. It's not saltxo. Yeah. Like, this is the purpose is God given. I. I couldn't duplicate this. Like, I didn't come from this. So when people come up to me and ask me and tell me how much my products has impacted their lives positively, I knew I was on the right track. Like, yeah, this was all. This was planted inside of me.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

This was planted literally. It's so funny. You just touched on this, our theme. Every season we have a new theme, and it's this season is purpose. And you just said the purpose was God given.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

My goodness, that. That right there, that's so deep and profound.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It is.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah, it is.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Because I don't. I don't think that we understand a lot of times what our purpose is. And we find. We try so hard to seek and find it. Sometimes you have to sit down, spend time with God and let him talk to you. Like, but when your mind is so clouded, you can't hear anything, all you hearing are your thoughts, your doubts, your questions.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Stop questioning.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

They can get real loud.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

And it's. It gets louder than his voice. And I don't ever want his. My voice to be louder than his.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yeah.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

You know, I don't need him to intercede every time.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yep.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah. Hold on, Jaleesa, relax.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Let's do this this way.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

I'm like, okay, Daddy got you.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

I know.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's right. I love that. I love that. Jaleesa, I have thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with you. I could literally talk to you all day.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yeah.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

No, seriously, we're gonna exchange information after this because I want to check on you to make sure you take those four days.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes. I need it.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Because like you said, you can. The doubt and the thoughts start to cloud your mind. You need that clarity. You need that time for yourself just so that you can be at peace and really hear what God has next for you. Because I know it's some big things, honey.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Yes.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I really do. I'm so proud of you.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Thank you.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Yes. Thank you so much. Is there anything that you have coming up that you want to tell us about that we can support you on? Because we want to get behind you and everything you have going on?

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Thank you. Yes. So we will be at Invest Fest. We are premier sponsor, so we're going to have the biggest booth there.

[Podcast Host/Announcer]

Wow.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

It's going to be really nice.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

That's huge.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

A full activation. It's going to be wonderful. We've been working really hard on it for a couple months now.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Amazing.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

We just launched Probiotics and our Slippery Elmo on our website, so I'm excited about those launches.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

I love that. I love that. Make sure you guys check Jaleesa out. Follow you on Instagram, Salt Xo and make sure you purchase all her products.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Okay?

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

There we go. Period. I love it. You better be on it. I love that. Thank you so much.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Thank you for having me.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Of course, of course. Come back anytime.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Oh, I will.

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Okay, perfect. Thank you.

[Jaleesa Seymour]

Thank you.

[Commercial Narrator]

Yes,

[Kris Renee Hazlett]

Sweeties, if today's conversation reminds you of anything, I hope it's this. You don't have to have all the answers before you take the first step. Purpose doesn't always come with proof. And if God gave you the vision, trust that he'll continue giving you what you need for the journey. Jaleesa, thank you so much for spending time with us today and for reminding us what it looks like to build a life that is rooted in faith before anything else. And thank you, sweeties, for tuning in. If this episode encouraged you, inspired you, or made you think a little differently, be sure to subscribe, leave us a comment and share with someone who's waiting for a sign to start. Until next time, keep it positive, sweetie. Back to school is here and Target has everything families need to help head into the school year feeling confident and ready to do their thing. From school supplies and stylish apparel to accessories kids actually want, Target makes it easy to check every box on your list at a great value. We're talking backpacks starting just $5 and up to 60% off school supplies. Plus, kids can express their style with brands and collabs they love, like Love Shack, fancy Cat and Jack overtime and customizable Owalla bottles with stickers, charms and much more. The prices parents want and the brands kids love all in one place at Target.

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

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[Milan Derou]

Before we go, I gotta leave y' all with a question. What's a hip hop lyric that changed the way you saw music? Because that's really what the Sprite Living Track List is about. It's not about crowning winners, it's starting conversations. 50 tracks, generations of artists, endless debates. And Sprite didn't just put lyrics on cans. Nah, they went deeper, bringing together hip hop experts and tastemakers to help unpack the stories and impact behind every track. Check out the full Sprite Living track list and break down the stories behind your favorite bars@livingtracklist. Genius.com this is the Sprite Living Track List. Obey your thirst.

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[Jaleesa Seymour]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.