Multimedia personality Judy “Jae” Nash is the creator and host motivator of “Girl Power Hour” radio show. Nash has more than 12 years experience in the entertainment and sports industry as a radio personality, producer, television host, humanitarian and former cast mate on VH1’s “Tough Love.”
The Indianapolis beauty has worked for several popular radio shows including the 5.0 Sports Talk Show and “The Jae Nash Show.” In addition to radio, Nash has also hosted community initiatives, events and award ceremonies such as the BET Music Matters Tour, the Indie Hip Hop Awards and Annual Tri City #GirlPower Tour. Although she juggles many hats as a businesswoman, she uses her talent as a spokesperson for the American Heart Association, board member of the Wheeler Dowe Boys and Girls Club. The widow of the late great running back Damien Nash, she’s the co-founder of the Nash Youth Associate, a fundamental sports clinic for inner-city youth in her hometown.
Nash is an active member of Color Comm, Women of Color in Communication, and the Core DJs. She sits on the board of the Mackin Project providing relief to widows and children. As a host motivator, she encourages, enlightens and empowers women and men to achieve their purpose. In 2013, Jae Nash launched OMF! (Oh My Feet) known as Foot Kandy a trendy foot care/wear brand. Her mission is to transform heels into a comfortable, stylish place for your feet while educating women on the importance of orthotics. — a percentage of OMF’s annual sales benefit widows and children.
Read how this mom of a pre-teen daughter makes it all happen.
What inspires you to show up at work every day?
Every day is a new day to possibly change someone’s life and their mindset. A lot of times, we take the impact we (can potentially) have on people’s lives for granted. I take my platform (and the privilege of having a positive influence on others) very seriously. Why not make an impact and an income at the same time? “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
How did you determine your career path?
The sudden death of my husband, Damien Nash, in 2007, who was an extraordinary NFL player and teammate, coupled with being a new mother — both of these situations kind of forced me to step into the role of being a “provider” for myself and my daughter. I was in my mid-20’s when this happened and it was a very tough time in my life. I realized in that season that I wanted to “be a voice to the voiceless.” Additionally, I found this to be very therapeutic for me.
Describe the skills that will be essential to future business leader and innovators.
Knowledge is power. Continue to reinvent yourself. In order to stay ahead of the curve, you have to continue to move forward. If you continue to do the same things, you don’t grow. Always seek improvement & evolve into a better version of yourself daily.
Describe innovative methods you apply to your business and life.
Organization and scheduling.
Being creative.
Thinking outside the box.
How do you set goals and evaluate your success?
Self-accountability and confidence. Holding myself accountable is very easy to measure. I set goals, I give a timeline, and I get results. As far as confidence goes: It’s about believing I can reach my goals. Upon reaching my goals, I take pride in celebrating my small wins, which gives me the desire and confidence to set new goals.
Name three books that changed how you saw life that you would recommend to others.
The One Year Bible — it reaffirms my faith on a daily basis, plus it’s very user-friendly.
Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson —iIt’s about complacency. I learned not to be complacent and not always expecting the exact same results.
4,000 Questions for Getting to Know Anyone And Everyone by Barbara Ann Kipfer — this helps build networking skills.
Explain why lifelong learning is important to you.
Becoming a student of life allows you to think globally and mature in cultivating a global mindset altogether. During our journey in life, we have an infinite number of lessons to learn and the only way we can truly fulfill our purpose is by learning, developing new ideas/skill sets/languages, and strengthening your overall capabilities. Life + Learning = Growth. The bottom line is we all need to grow!
What are the three most important factors of being a successful woman?
Understanding that we can reach our fullest potential in life.
Being independent, but knowing when to secure professional assistance in those areas that I’m not naturally gifted/talented in. It’s impossible to be an expert/master in everything.
Being confident in your walk, your personal testimony, and your business.
What role does technology play in your daily life?
Gosh, it plays a huge role, which I think is a good and bad thing. Without technology or new technology, we limit our scientific approach to entrepreneurship and our reach globally. Not only that, but it allows our children to live in an advanced world. On the other hand, it consumes most of my time. In the industry I’m in, I need technology. In fact: Technology has played a huge role in my platform’s success.
What social media or digital tool has made the biggest difference in your life and why?
Instagram. I give all the credit to Instagram. Instagram has and continues to be my “go to destination” to raise awareness for and increase the exposure of my platform and business.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
Discrimination because we’re all a part of the human race.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Learn to delegate. Being the visionary and the brains behind the brand can be overwhelming. Radio is definitely a bit different from other professions/industries. It takes up a majority of my time. I create banners, flyers, I produce my show, I seek out guests, I engage on social media, I attend events, I’m the photographer, I’m the speaker, the event planner, I’m the, you name it. LOL!
What are the do’s and don’ts for young women in business?
At one point, I found myself competing to stay relevant. I have been in radio for the last 12 years, so I have had some wins accompanied with several lessons learned. In this current chapter of my life (and moving forward): I tell young women, Don’t compete and LOVE your fellow sister simply because we’re living in a time where we need (to be able to rely on & undoubtedly trust) each other like never before. Not only that, but we can WIN together! Collaborate more and do away with the notion and tendency to compete.
How do you successfully grow from business failure?
Take the time to assess what area(s) of your business you’ve failed in before moving on to the pursuit of any additional aspirations, goals, etc. The reality is, on the road to success or stability, you will fail. Sorry, but it’s life and the only way you can truly bounce back after failure is by not repeating the same mistake(s). Anything repeated more than once becomes a choice. My favorite quote by John C. Maxwell is “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn, but you never lose.”
What motivates me is the fact that I can give a voice to the voiceless. That I can be a catalyst for change. That my daughter will look back on my life and say, “My mom helped pave the way for feminists throughout this world.”
Name three successful female role models and share why you admire them.
Oprah Winfrey, sounds cliché I know, but Oprah is the epitome of someone who came from nothing to something. She built her brand by having a platform for the voiceless and found experts to assist her, similar to the goals of everything relative to my brand: Girl Power Hour.
Malala Yousafzai is a 20-year-old brave Pakistani girl who was shot at age 15 by the Taliban for going to school. She is easily my role model. This young lady was shot for pursuing her dreams to learn. Do you realize how important learning is?
Cathy Hughes is the founder of Radio One and made history by becoming the first African American woman to head a publicly traded corporation in 1999. I met Cathy and Oprah while enrolled at a Black College Preparatory school in Mississippi called Piney Woods. Both of these women are in media and I have grown to love their authenticity and desire to help other women grow.
“Girl Power Hour” is a global lifestyle radio show designed to compel and empower women toward greater achievement in business, philanthropy, individuality, authentic self-wellness and adventure. www.girlpowerhourradio.com
