Ignite Your Purpose. Unleash Your Potential

[00:00:00] Paula: Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of chatting. With the experts, the TV show hosted by me, Paula Okonneh, in which I showcase women from Africa and the Caribbean. These women can still be in Africa or the Caribbean, or some of them live abroad. In this show, my [00:01:00] guest’s mission and my mission is to ensure that at the end of the show, you would have learned something and you would be empowered, inspired and encouraged. And the show is for women globally. So today’s episode is ignite your purpose, unleash your potential. And, at the end of the day, it’s really about finding your gifts, packaging them, sharing it with the world for greater impact. Greater income and generational legacy. And those are actually the words of my incredible and remarkable guest, Jacquel Tucker. Welcome Jacquel to chatting with the experts.
[00:01:53] Jacquel: Thank you. Happy to be here.
[00:01:56] Paula: I’m so glad that you here. So would you mind just sharing with [00:02:00] my guests? I want to say who you are, but tell them a bit about you.
[00:02:05] Jacquel: Yes, absolutely. First of all, thank you for the opportunity to be on your wonderful show. And just everyone knows I am from the beautiful island of Jamaica. So I grew up way in the hills in a little community close to just a couple of miles from where Bob Marley grew up and is Barry Cullen Gensland. And of course, and I migrated to the US, I have eight brothers and sisters that I grew up with a dad who is a pastor and my mom, a youth director for seven churches, and they’re also farmers.
[00:02:35] Jacquel: So Fast forward, I got a scholarship, an academic scholarship to University of Maine, which changed my life. And then I entered into the hospitality industry. So I worked a little bit in Jamaica at the Jamaica tourist board office. So many things I did there. But then migrated to the U S where I then spent over 25 years in the hospitality industry. A [00:03:00] lot of that, I was a director of sales and marketing. So I’ve worked in the New Jersey market, in the New York market. And the last market I worked in was in Buckhead, Atlanta. And so here I am, I stepped into entrepreneurship in 2016 launched my own consulting and training company, and then also my nonprofit.
[00:03:21] Jacquel: So fast forward here. I am still doing it. I basically found my true calling and what I was brought back from the dead for. And now it’s really about, as you said, Paula, helping others find their gifts and, package it brilliantly branded and share it to the world for maximum impact on your life, on the life of others, and then also for greater income and building a generational legacy. So excited to be here to, whatever you’ve got for me today and want to talk about I’m all [00:04:00] in.
[00:04:00] Paula: You mentioned something about being brought back from the dead and, before the show, we spoke about that. And when I see all the work that you’re doing and how it’s impacting and changing people’s life or lives, I should say. We know that you’re here for a purpose. Wow. So I know that this show is called Igniting Your Purpose and Unleashing Your Potential. Let’s talk about finding true purpose. How do we go about that?
[00:04:33] Jacquel: A lot of times people, they go on this journey to where is it? What could it possibly be? And they’re just waiting one day for it to show up, but I’ve got news for you. It’s already here. It’s already right inside of you, if you were to take pen and paper and go back to when you were a child, start there because it’s already here. We come out of our mother’s womb already with this purpose already with who we were [00:05:00] meant to be.
[00:05:01] Jacquel: And so the whole journey from childhood to this point has been actually developing that thing. And what is that thing? What is this purpose? It comes so naturally to you that you might be thinking, Oh, it’s really just this, Amazing thing. That’s one day. It’s going to be a huge discovery, but when you find it, you’re not going to be surprised. And so when I take my clients through this journey off, what could it possibly be? It’s looking at a couple of things. Okay. What is it that you’re not? What are your natural talents and gifts? What comes natural to you that other people come to you all the time and say, Oh, you’re my person to help me do this. Or can you help me with this? And you go surely there’s somebody else who can help these people. Why are they always coming to me? Because you, that’s what you’re supposed to be doing. That’s the value they find in you. Okay. So that’s a part of it. And then of course. There are things [00:06:00] that we’re just passionate about, there’s a crossroad and intersection we’re going to come to and that’s your purpose intersection.
[00:06:06] Jacquel: There’s a big stop sign and there are 4 areas that are intersecting. And so it’s your natural gifts and talents. It’s what you’re so passionate about that you would do it for free. And then it’s like skills you have learned along the way, right? Skills that you gravitated to in your career or whether you volunteered and you pick these skills up and you’re like, yes, this is me. You learn it, you take it, you run with it, right? That is you. And then the other part of it is, your experiences. Your experiences, if you take the most impactful ones in your life, they’ve really shaped, refined, and honed what this true purpose is. And you might say I had some terrible experiences.
[00:06:50] Jacquel: Pain has its purpose too. And there was a reason why you, friends, you were allowed to go through it. Because you were the one who would be able to affect change in that [00:07:00] area. Because you’ve lived it. You’ve lived it, you know what you’re talking about. You’ve had to overcome it, right? And now you can help others. So a purpose and finding it, it never becomes this revelation where it always points to other people and by way of fulfilling that calling to serve other people, naturally, you’re going to get your heart’s desires too. And whether it’s food on your table or whether it’s a home, whether it’s a car, whether it’s whatever it is that you need, when you bless and give others what they want, you as a byproduct will get what you need from it.
[00:07:38] Paula: I love that. When you bless others with what they need. You as a byproduct would get something from it. Wow. And you have two businesses, you have the nonprofit and you have the for-profit. How do you separate the two because, byproduct from given sounds more like nonprofit, [00:08:00] but I know that one of the things you talk about is how to use your gifts. Find your gift, package it, in other words, brand yourself so that you can have greater Impact, and great greater income. So let’s talk about both.
[00:08:16] Jacquel: Okay. Alright. Of course, my nonprofit is near and dear to my heart. So I did launch both at the same time. And what I can say about the two ventures is this, when we find our true calling, or we find our gifts, and we launch it to the world. Even if it’s a business, I hope that somewhere in there, you find that this is meant to happen so I can help these people over here who can’t even repay me, but I thank you. That’s how we’re making the world a better place. Not just working to say, Oh, I want to buy this thing for myself and that thing for myself or my kids and us four and no more. Real impact is made when we can [00:09:00] extend what we’re blessed with to other people who are less fortunate, right? That’s how we change the world.
[00:09:06] Jacquel: And so both intersect for me, the separation, like you said, one’s business, one’s a nonprofit. So if I were to go, let’s go to the business and explaining that first. I’ve taken my skills, my leadership skills, sales, marketing, branding, training, all of these I’ve learned in the hospitality industry at the highest levels. Cause of course, they had all of the money to do this. And so in learning that I did learn what the true standard of excellence is. And so now that I’m an entrepreneur, one of the things that I do, I am a business brand sales and marketing strategist for professionals for small businesses and for nonprofits. And so I do have an online course that walks through the process.
[00:09:55] Jacquel: If somebody says, you know what, I want to launch this business, I want to launch my [00:10:00] gifts. I really call it purpose-driven businesses because this is what you were born to do. So if somebody says, Hey, I want to start this thing, can you help me? Whatever I’m going to the heart of, is it them or they’re just doing this cause joe’s doing it or, Mary’s doing it or whatever, Janet’s doing it and it’s making them money? What is your thing that you’re gifted to do that you’re passionate about doing? Let’s talk about that and let’s see how we can turn that into a viable business. And so it’s starting from scratch to launch.
[00:10:33] Jacquel: It’s gaining the clarity, establishing it as a legal entity, and then branding it at the highest levels, but in a frugal way. And so I teach through branding from colors, logo, everything. Because what I want to see happen is, step out in excellence. Don’t step out where somebody says, Oh, you’re just starting out, bless your heart. One day you’ll get there. I know you’re new to this. [00:11:00] I want when anyone who works with me step out. People go, Wow, you’re here and it looks good, and it doesn’t take. A lot for that to happen. So I teach the simplicity of that and then launch strategies, sales and marketing strategies that are core fundamental strategies I’ve learned in my corporate career that do work.
[00:11:25] Jacquel: Yeah. I basically share those and say, yeah, this is what you’ll need to do to launch. To get out there and find your tribe, build your audience so that you can make revenues and so then you could. Be blessed and then get that funnel through you some of that to a cause. And so you might not have a cause yourself. I encourage everyone always find one to give back to. But for me, I then have my nonprofit, which is the Jamaica Project USA to transform rural schools and communities in Jamaica and to serve lower income communities here [00:12:00] in Georgia.
[00:12:00] Jacquel: Our goal is going to Jamaica on mission trips and being able to do improvement projects there, whether repurposing space for computer labs and libraries for schools. Since 2016, when we officially became a 501c3, we started improvement projects and I’ve done nine since then. We also sponsor students for the school year at the primary and early high school levels, and we’ve done 79 since 2016. And this year we’re looking to do 45 and yeah, we donated land to build our 1st rule community center there. So there’s a lot that can happen and you won’t even see the big vision unfold until you take the 1st step to either start your business or start your nonprofit, right? And God will send you the resources and the right people alongside you to help you expand that vision. And my LLC is called the J Tucker group. And my program for my [00:13:00] online course is called My Purpose on Fire.
[00:13:03] Paula: My Purpose on Fire. And because the show is to empower and encourage and inspire women globally, how do you find your purpose so that you can even be on fire? There, I had a guest in which she talked about a tool that two tools that she used. One of them was called a Kolbe and I’ve heard about other tools like the DISC and but obviously in talking with you, I know that’s not what you do. So if at the end of this show, I want to know a bit about how you’ll enable me to find my purpose. Is that something you can share?
[00:13:45] Jacquel: Yeah. And absolutely. Because DISC is one of them that you learn certain things about yourself, but these specific questions I ask when I take someone through my program. When I ask these specific questions and you’re writing it down, you start seeing [00:14:00] similarities right between what you gain skills and expertise in your adult years, or even as a child, what you are passionate about and you wake up and do for free and just things that you’re really skillful about, sometimes it’s so close to people, they can’t even see it.
[00:14:17] Jacquel: And I’m a praying girl. So I pray about these things and ask God to show me for this person. And it’s really this unique situation because that’s such a big part of it. Because when somebody doesn’t know what it is and they come to me and we’re talking about it, and I’m saying, write this down, write that down. And for them, it’s just, okay, I’m just putting down a whole bunch of stuff. I don’t know what this means. But to me, it means something it’s almost like as they’re talking and writing down It’s like darts going behind on a dartboard behind me This is how it is. And I don’t want to say okay It’s a unique gift God’s given me but I do [00:15:00] believe that for the most part because when they’re finished I actually can say, that’s it, because there’s a pattern that’s been formed, and when you’re too close to it, it’s hard to see it.
[00:15:14] Jacquel: But when we break that down, there is a reason why you were, you went through the experiences that you did that have challenged you, that have shaped you, there’s a reason why you’re passionate about helping or working a certain group of people, right? They’re your people, whether they’re paying you or not, right? You happily do it. And then there’s a reason why you’re gravitated towards certain jobs. From which you have learned certain things. So it’s like pulling all of that and connecting the dots for someone. So for me, I connect, I help to connect the dots. And when I do say it, for them it makes perfect sense. Or we come to the same intersection at the same time with this beautiful [00:16:00] discovery and there it is. Like, why am I not doing that? Why am I not taking this seriously and turning it into a business as well? People are trying to pay me money for this too. I could make something of this and believe that for them. Because the knowledge is not there as yet about how to do it and actually make it happen. There’s a lack of confidence there and that they can actually do it. So I have to help to carry that and see what’s possible for them.
[00:16:31] Paula: I love that. Yeah. I’m also interested in how I mean we talked just about just now about purpose, showing up for maximum impact. I know just looking at you, the fact that you have two businesses, one for profit, in which you help organizations, companies, small business owners find what their purpose is so that it becomes a business, and then there’s a nonprofit. How do we show [00:17:00] up for a maximum impact for a nonprofit? Because I know that’s really dear to your heart.
[00:17:06] Jacquel: Okay, so the question is, how do I show up for maximum impact with my nonprofit?
[00:17:11] Paula: Yes. How can one?
[00:17:12] Jacquel: How can someone do that? Yeah. Alright. First and foremost. You’ve got to get it started. You’ve got to get it started. Okay. And I would say, start with what you have, start where you are and start with who you know. So if someone comes to me and says, I have a big dream about helping this group of people, serving the homeless in some way and they have this vision to just go out there and just launch it in a big way. And then you ask, how long have you had this? It could be for years because you’re waiting to launch it in a big way.
[00:17:48] Jacquel: But I say, start where you are on a Saturday, put some things together, go out there and serve somebody. Serve the people already who you want to serve. And then if you [00:18:00] find that, wow, I am really passionate about this and set this up as an organization, set it up as a 501 C3. Brand it, launch it, get a website going. Start showing some of the results that you’ve had even on your own and it will start attracting the people who need to come alongside you. God already said, Hey, I have people ready for you and resources ready for you. So you’ve got to set it up and talk about it, share about it because you never know who’s their position and prime to come on board with you to say, okay, I want to come alongside you. And help make this possible.
[00:18:40] Jacquel: So when we spread the word and when we are doing our part, give it 100 percent of what you can do. And God is looking for that faithfulness. So when that happens. You just automatically start getting the help and this person tells that person and you never know and also use [00:19:00] your social platforms as well. Use them not to just share the cat and the cute puppy stories. Share about why you are here and the impact you want to make in people’s lives.
[00:19:13] Paula: I love that share why you are here and the impact you want to make in people’s lives. Yeah. Listening and I’m musing on that. So do you have one story you can share with us about the impact of your nonprofit, whether it’s here in the United States or Jamaica? Cause I know that touches a lot of people.
[00:19:40] Jacquel: Yeah, absolutely. It’s funny when you start serving in that way. If you have what I could say, even if it’s a business or a nonprofit. When you get immersed in it, and you’re giving it your all, and it’s starting to grow and develop, God has a funny way of bringing you [00:20:00] back full circle. So one of the situations I’ll share with my nonprofit is, during COVID here in the U. S. The USDA was, saying to organizations, hey, if you have the opportunity and would like 18-wheelers of boxed foods.
[00:20:17] Jacquel: This is the initiative the government had that they were paying farmers to put together a box of foods, 30-pound boxes of rice, vegetables, starch, all of these things, and it would make a complete meal for a family of four. And so they would offer to organizations and a really great friend got us connected and so we started getting 18-wheelers. So us or a tiny little nonprofit, we were starting to get 18-wheelers and we would do 2 a month and they said, can you do 4? But if we were able to get the volunteers, we would have. But at the point, people were shut in their house. This is when lockdown was and so we masked up and we went out there [00:21:00] and we prepared for the first time we would be getting these trucks and it was cold out.
[00:21:06] Jacquel: And so as we’re in there waiting in the parking lot, there were about 10 other organizations, including churches, that came to get food from us because they had a line waiting at their church or at their nonprofit location to get food, a drive thru. And so I’m looking at this. Behind them are this line of cars of individuals who came to get food for their families. And as I’m looking at it, and I was like, wow, it took me back to when I was growing up in Jamaica. And, with the big family I’m from, sometimes we could barely afford dinner. And my mom would send me to, we call it just the shop. We went down to the little shop and it was, Can I get some rice and flour, whatever, so we can make dinner and then we owe you the money.
[00:21:54] Jacquel: So in Jamaica, they call it trust. So we trust and then when they have money, then they’ll repay [00:22:00] it. But God took me right back to that moment. And I stood there and watch this 18-wheeler pull up with 1500 boxes of 30-pound boxes of amazing food products and I look at the line and I say, God, look what you’ve done. And just because I started with where I was started what I have started with who I know and just started because my life was this way growing up and now I’m impacting people’s lives in the same area. Do you see how intentional this is? In the same area that I struggled. And so now the truck pulls up, the guy hops out the truck and this is the first and only time we got this driver. He hops out and he said, the Jamaica Project USA. Waguan.
[00:22:50] Paula: He was from Jamaica?
[00:22:51] Jacquel: He was Jamaican, and he stayed and he helped us, but we from that point [00:23:00] never got another Jamaican driver. But I was standing there and he hopped out and said that because in that moment, it had to come full circle and I’m like, this is why I’m doing this. It’s no mistake and you’ll be shown when you start walking in your lane and in your true purpose and calling and you’re passionate about it. Make no mistake. You’re going to receive confirmation after confirmation, even when you have rough times. But it will constantly be confirmed that this is your lane and this is what you’re here for and the rewards are just truly amazing.
[00:23:38] Paula: Boy, that is really an impactful story. You said at the beginning that, sometimes finding your purpose and some people say I’ve been is through your experiences and you said, it may be a painful experience, but haven’t gone through that painful experience. It’s not just for yourself. It’s also to help impact and, [00:24:00] empathize because if you’ve never sometimes experienced something, it’s like theory. It’s, oh, yes, this is what you do. But when you’ve gone down that walk or gone down that road, it means a lot more. And as you said, full circle. You were able to find your, not able, but you knew this was your purpose.
[00:24:17] Jacquel: Yeah, absolutely. And, there are times that, for other people, it’s, they wake up every day and they’ll say, why doesn’t somebody do something about this? It’s a pressing issue that’s keeping them up at night. And every day you get up and you say, why can’t somebody do something and if it were me, I would do this. This is how I would do it. And it’s brilliant. So you do it. That’s your calling. You do it. You’re the answer.
[00:24:47] Paula: I love it. You do it. Just start. Oh boy. Jacquel, if someone wanted to contact you online, because your stories, and this is [00:25:00] really just a story. This is live. You’re telling us about lives that have been changed because of you stepping out there, seeing the problem, and believe in God, of course, because I know you’re a Christian. If someone wants to find out more about you and what you do, how can they?
[00:25:18] Jacquel: Yeah, absolutely. You can go to my website, mypurposeonfire.com. If you wanted to learn more, if you’re ready to say, Hey I have this business in my heart. Now is the time for me to get out there and do this. You can go to mypurposeonfire.com/BBL. Build, brand, launch. That’s what that means to just check out more about what that journey would look like. And then of course I’m on social media, my personal social media, you can follow me at JacquelTuckerOfficial on both Instagram and also on Facebook. I’m on LinkedIn as well under Jacquel Tucker. And of course I’m [00:26:00] launching, my YouTube channel, followed by my podcast in February. And it’s called, of course, My Purpose on Fire. So for me, it’s teaching and sharing how to find your gifts, brilliantly package it, and show up with it. From maximum impact on the lives of others, income on you, impact on your life, your income, your quality of life, and be able to build your legacy instead of spending your whole life helping other people build theirs. It’s your turn.
[00:26:30] Paula: It’s your turn. And this has been very impactful. And so to those of you who continuously show up and watch these episodes, I want to say thank you. And those who are just discovering Chatting with the Experts, you can find out more about me on my website, which is called Chatting with the Experts. Or, you can connect with me on LinkedIn, just search for Paula Okonneh [00:27:00] or I do have an IG handle, which is at chat_experts_podcast. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you. Thank you again, Jacquel.
[00:27:16] Jacquel: Thank you for having me.