Janasha Bradford: Entrepreneur Spotlight

It all started during a moment of self-doubt and reflection, while studying for her series 7, again, because she failed the first time. Janasha, commonly known as Jay, was on an emotional rollercoaster. In route to the testing center for the second time, and naturally feeling the need to give up, she knew couldn’t, not that easily. Her mother didn’t raise her like that. She prayed and initiated a hype session right there in her car. She turned on her gospel music, then her hardcore rap, and then Beyonce’ of course, because as a loyal Beyhive member, what else could she do? That’s when it hit her. She was acquiring this information and going through this experience for a purpose bigger than her own. She knew she was going to pass the test and share this wealth of knowledge with others, starting with children.

A legacy begins…

The Mahogany and Friends book series was created to educate children on subjects that aren’t traditionally taught. Jay purposely titled the first book in the series, Mahogany goes to Wall Street, to disrupt the social norm of who is typically identified as a member of the financial service industry. In her career field, she noticed fewer people who looked like her (a black woman). Of those few, most had experienced racial bias and had to work 5 times harder than their counterparts. So, instead of complaining, she wanted to do her part of recreating what the financial service industry looks like for people, most importantly young people. She wanted children of all ages, but especially young girls who look like Mahogany, to know that they are fearless, intelligent, and can grow wealth through the financial market.

Introducing Mahogany…

Educational, imaginative, and adventurous. Mahogany goes to Wall Street is a fun-filled, inspiring story that serves as an introduction to the financial market. It amplifies the importance of making your dreams come true.  With beautiful and vibrant illustrations, this BIPOC book will allow parents to have fun conversations with their children about subjects that aren’t traditionally taught in the school system.

For a smart, sassy, imaginative, eight-year-old black girl from Charlottesville, a bedtime story can spark an idea. Mahogany and her three stuffed animal friends, a.k.a. business partners, set out on an adventure to make their Flying Candy Machine real. Mahogany knows where the money is. The magic of the imagination lands them on Wall Street. Educating her friends along the way about the financial market, Mahogany knows that offering an IPO is a guaranteed way to acquire money to build the machine. The only things keeping her from fulfilling her dreams are the fun snatchers.

Will Mahogany and friends make it to Wall Street? What would you do if you had the coolest invention? Would you go on an adventure to make your dreams come true? Or would you let your fun-snatching parents stand in the way?

Mahogany goes to Wall Street is the perfect children’s picture book that will grow with the child, serve as a reference guide, and also educate the parents who may not be as familiar with the information.

Where can you buy the book?

Mahogany and friends offers Mahogany dolls, children’s athletic leisurewear, jewelry, and bedroom decor, in addition to the Mahogany goes to Wall Street books.

All items can be purchased through the website: www.mahoganyandfriends.com. Free local deliveries and pick-ups are available in the Charlottesville area.

Books and dolls can also be purchased at: Shenanigans toy store, Books and Crannies, Charlottesville Barnes and Noble and online, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and everywhere else books are sold.

About the Author

Janasha Bradford, known as Jay, is a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones and the author of Mahogany goes to Wall Street. Born in Newark, NJ, and later raised in Charlottesville, she enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews, as she prides herself on being the best auntie! Jay is a huge foodie, proudly acknowledging that she’s probably frequented every restaurant in Charlottesville more than 3 times (no judgments). Her other vice is traveling. She and her partner, Keith, owner of The Pie Guy, have been as far as Thailand, and when they are not jet-setting, they enjoy the local gems of Charlottesville. Anything DIY, creative, fashionable, or home design, sign her up! She loves using her hands to create things and seeing her vision come to life. 

She has been in the financial industry for 5 years and is a firm believer in that your experiences shape who you are. 

At the age of seven, her father passed away. As in most homes, he was the patriarch of the family. Following his death, she witnessed her mother, a new widow, mismanage a large insurance policy due to her lack of financial education and poor financial advice – sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. This ultimately led to the loss of their family home, financial hardships, and her pulling out of college, only to later pay for it herself. That experience put financial literacy at the forefront of her mind and showed her the value of the entire family being financially educated. She set out to learn all she could and become a reliable resource for family and friends alike. Her lifetime goal is to provide financial guidance and bridge the gap in financial literacy available to children, in a fun story format.