The Brand Bar

Want to know what separates people who get promoted, land opportunities, build powerful brands, and stay relevant for decades? In this episode, Katrina Jo sits down with Jakiya Brown Thiaw to unpack the five biggest career lessons she learned while working at one of the most influential beauty and marketing companies in the world. From boardrooms and billion-dollar brands to relationship building...

Pull up a seat at The Brand Bar! This week, Katrina Jo and Jakiya Brown Thiaw unpack the conversation that’s been taking over social media after their viral clip on introducing your friends, and what it really means to be “that girl.” Because sometimes the biggest difference between staying overlooked and stepping into your next level… is self-belief. In episode 008, we go Behind the Bar on: • Why...

Pull up a seat at The Brand Bar. 🥂 In this episode, Katrina Jo and Jakiya Brown Thiaw go Behind the Bar for a rapid-fire conversation on the marketing lessons, brand details, and career insights they’ve learned from building campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world. From experiential activations with global artists like Kendrick Lamar & Meek Mill to brand partnerships across the...

Pull up a seat, we have our first guest at The Brand Bar! This week, we’re joined by Atlanta radio personality, community curator, and cultural connector Su Solo for a real conversation about success, alignment, and knowing when it’s time to evolve — even when you’re “at the top.” From growing up on Section 8 in Atlanta to hosting the #1 midday radio show, Su did what many dream of. But what happe...

As your brand grows, your circle shifts. In this episode of The Brand Bar, we go Behind the Bar on something every founder experiences but few talk about — what happens to your friendships when your business evolves. From being “the Hennessy girl” in one city to crickets in another…
 From moving across continents to watching who really supports your brand…
 From lifers to proximity connections… We...

We’re diving into kicking off 2026 with intention — from redefining daily habits to shifting money mindsets and building sustainable success as entrepreneurs. Katrina Jo and Jakiya break down what it really looks like to grow without burnout, ditch unrealistic hustle culture, and create routines that actually work for your lifestyle. This episode is all about new energy, new perspectives, and buil...

We’re diving into KJ’s not-so-linear career journey — from ballet academy kid, to NFL & NBA dancer, to entrepreneur, to building a career across Reebok then over to LVMH. It’s a journey full of intuition, community, and a few bold pivots that shaped everything. If you’ve ever wanted to switch lanes, reinvent yourself, or follow a feeling you can’t shake, this episode is your sign. Listen to th...

What does it really look like to leave corporate and build a global brand on your own terms? In this candid episode, Jakiya shares the unfiltered path from L’Oréal boardrooms and burnout to a one-way ticket, a $30K course launch from an empty apartment, and building Hustle to Ease—an accelerator that’s graduated 150+ women and driven $8M+ in collective revenue. We dig into microaggressions, knowin...

Pull up a seat. In our first pour, Katrina Jo and Jakiya Brown Thiaw share how they met working with Hennessy, why this show exists (no gatekeeping), and what really separates a brand from “just posting content.” We talk white space, pricing power, and the insider realities of brand budgets (yes—$100K for a 60-second video happens), plus how to design 5-senses experiences even on small budgets. If...