As JinJa says, “Having my own agency allows me to express myself and be curious without shame, and bring people to my company whose curiosity I can champion. Though she enjoyed the jobs and the people, she wanted more ownership, meaning, and independence in her career, specifically the freedom to own her work, collaborate with people more creatively, and drive social change.

The inspiration to focus on creation over consuming came to JinJa years before Birk Creative, when she worked for a variety of businesses-from corporate spaces to nonprofit organizations to small mid-market companies. Marrying business, autonomy, and social impact They include the publishing house Birkdigital, the digital coaching program Journey of Gratitude, an entrepreneur-centered podcast called The Honest Field Guide, and Utah Carol, an Americana dream-pop band created with her husband. This journey began in 1997 with her nationally recognized marketing agency Birk Creative, and since then she’s formed many other initiatives under that umbrella. The creator mindset has aided JinJa personally in her many pursuits, allowing her to prioritize the growth of her business ventures and make a positive social impact. JinJa believes that by adjusting the focus toward creating, an owner can take advantage of technology to grow and profit from their small business. JinJa Birkenbeuel is a Black entrepreneur who’s helping small businesses discover opportunities for growth through a mindset shift: from thinking solely as a consumer to thinking like a creator. Making the leap from idea to successful small business is no easy feat-and it’s even harder for people in historically underrepresented groups, who comprise only 20% of business owners.

Dropbox for small business