Meet Krysta James: Influencer & Contract Analyst

We had the good fortune of connecting with Krysta James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Krysta, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In order to understand the risk I’ve taken, I wanted to ensure I truly understood what it means to take a risk. According to Webster, a risk is defined a potential exposure to danger, harm, or loss. Ironically, when I think of a risk I automatically think of fear. Fear is your way of protecting yourself from a potential risk – the unknown. Essentially the two run parallel to one another. A risk is something we usually fear and fear typically holds us back. In order to start taking risk in my life, I had to get to the place where I decided that fear would no longer be a factor. Taking risks has freed me from me. It has allowed me to live authentically and unapologetically.   

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
At 26 years old I have achieved so much. I have my master’s degree, which has landed me a great job. I own my own home. I am married to my Highschool Sweetheart, and recently gave birth to a beautiful son in September. Despite all these accomplishments, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. I knew there was more to me than just my 9-5 job, but for whatever reason I have always felt inadequate. As someone who is surrounded by family and friends, who from birth have always known their passions; I began to sell myself the narrative that I had nothing to offer. However, I believe that deep down I knew that was not the case. I have always loved taking pictures and sharing my authentic self through social media. I talked by self out of admitting that this was a passion of mine because of the negative aspects sometimes associated with social media. However, I have grown to realize that being able to connect with people from different walks of life is the greatest gift. When I post a picture on Instagram or a video on my youtube channel sharing my experience (good or bad) of being a young mom, wife, and juggling a career, I am allowing someone to know they are not alone in the struggle. I have learned to drown out the noise and fear of being critiqued and instead focus on my impact. If one person is impacted by my story then I know my sharing was not in vain. It took a lot for me to get to this place. Having grown up in a Caribbean/Christian environment where the opinions of others were heavily emphasized, getting to this place has been my hardest challenge. However, I want the world to know that there is not one way to be a good wife, mom, and Christian. You can be all of the above and live a fulfilled life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in the 305 is a blessing, to say the least. One of my favorite spots to visit is Area 31 located in the heart of Bricklle. Area 31 is a rooftop restaurant/lounge on the 16th floor of the Epic hotel that offers an amazing view of the city. On a Saturday, the atmosphere is perfect for a nice brunch and the pictures are to die for. If you’re looking for a good time Kiki on the River is another great spot in Miami. It’s a greek restaurant and mixed in one – OPA! If you’re feeling a little chill Wynwood is always a vibe. You can take a stroll down the Wynwood streets and admire the artwork, and if you’re a little thirsty, the Miami Mojito Company is a cute little hole in the wall that offers AMAZING handmade mojitos.  The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
2020 was a challenging year, but it undoubtedly was a year of growth and introspection. In September, I gave birth to my son, which only further fueled my desire to unleash my purpose. I realized that I had so much I wanted to say and do, but I was unsure of where/when wanted to start. I reached out to my friend Martina, who founded her company The BloomPrint, designed to help new entrepreneurs get unstuck and transform their passionate ideas into thriving brands. I owe a lot of who I am today to her.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krys_marie/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJjLijJ86XiYXhEN_w0-Hjg