Ja'nay B

08/22/2026

I don’t believe in work-life balance anymore.

Not because I think we should work ourselves into the ground - but because life has taught me that everything is rarely going to be perfectly balanced at the same time.

Sometimes my career gets more of me. Sometimes my kids do. Sometimes family needs me. And sometimes **I need me.**

The goal isn’t to somehow give everything 50/50 attention every day. I think it’s learning how to adjust, knowing what needs you most right now, and having a village you can lean on when you can’t do everything yourself.

My thoughts on this have changed a lot over the years, so I decided to write about it.

My latest article is up: **The Myth of Balance: What Life Taught Me About Work-Life Balance.**

Read it here 👇🏾

Back in May, I boarded a plane to Boston for Bullhorn Engage. It was a literal turn-and-burn. I flew out on Wednesday morning, and I was back home by Thursday afternoon. Not because the conference was over - my daughter ...

07/10/2026

I’ve been thinking a lot about my trip to Salt Lake City for WBENC.

When people ask how the conference was, I usually start by talking about the mountains, the Salt Flats, or the incredible views. They were unforgettable.

But what I really brought home wasn’t a souvenir or a stack of business cards. It was perspective.

Every conversation reminded me that growth happens when you’re willing to step into rooms where you don’t know everyone, ask thoughtful questions, and stay curious. Some relationships may become business opportunities. Others may become friendships or mentors. You don’t always know which is which in the moment, and that’s the beauty of showing up.

Of course, we made time for fun too. We celebrated a Best Group win at Sneaker Jam, laughed our way through karaoke, explored downtown, tried Utah’s famous dirty sodas, and stood on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Every experience made the trip even more memorable.

One of my favorite moments happened on the flight home. Looking out the window and seeing the Appalachian Mountains reminded me that while it’s important to explore what’s beyond your world, there’s something grounding about coming home with fresh ideas and a renewed sense of purpose.

As I’ve continued building my career and my business, I’ve realized that networking isn’t about collecting contacts. It’s about collecting perspectives. Every conversation has the potential to teach you something that changes how you lead, how you serve, or how you see your own potential.

That’s what I brought back from Utah, and I’m excited to put it into practice.

Until next year, WBENC.

06/28/2026

Have you ever talked yourself out of walking into a room?

Maybe it was a networking event.
A community meeting.
A new job.
A class.
Or even a social gathering where you didn’t know anyone.

I think we’ve all been there.

After attending my first WBENC conference, I kept thinking about how many opportunities begin with one simple decision - to show up.

Not because you’re the most experienced person in the room.
Not because you know everyone.
Just because you’re willing to start a conversation.

That experience inspired my newest blog, “Walk Into the Room Anyway: Shift Your Perspective on Networking.”

It’s not just about networking. It’s about changing the way we think about new opportunities and building relationships that are genuine and not transactional.

If you’ve ever needed a little encouragement to take that first step, I hope you’ll give it a read.

And tell me… what’s one room you’ve been thinking about walking into?

🔗 Link in the comments.

06/22/2026

Last week, I was in Utah attending my first WBENC conference.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t go in with a huge agenda. I wanted to experience it for myself, meet new people, and see what the community was all about.

And I left genuinely thankful for the experience.

I met some amazing women building businesses, pursuing big goals, and creating opportunities for others. I also met allies who understand the importance of opening doors and building communities where everyone has a chance to thrive.

Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to make every opportunity life-changing. But sometimes, the value is much simpler.

It’s in the conversations.
The shared laughs.
The encouragement.
The reminder that there are incredible people out there rooting for one another.

As I continue building Ja’nay B, that’s the energy I want to carry forward: community over competition, meaningful relationships, and growing alongside people who inspire you.

And honestly? That might be my biggest takeaway from Utah.

06/12/2026

Today was a good day ❤️

06/12/2026

Today was one of those days that fills your cup.

My kids and I joined my colleagues from Astyra to volunteer and help clean up the James River, and what started as a volunteer event turned into an adventure. We walked roughly 2.5 miles, explored a new part of Richmond, spent time outdoors, and had a lot of fun along the way.

One of my favorite moments was hearing my son say:

“We’re protecting a vital part of Virginia’s ecosystem.”

He’s right.

The James River is such an important part of our community, and it was rewarding to spend the day giving back while teaching my children the importance of caring for the places we call home.

I’m grateful to work for a company that encourages community involvement and creates opportunities for employees and their families to serve together.

Today was a reminder that community service doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s simply showing up, lending a hand, and leaving something a little better than you found it.

Grateful for the experience, the memories we made, and everyone who helped make it happen.

06/11/2026

Engage was all about the future with staffing!

06/10/2026

One of the things I enjoy most about conference season is coming home with new ideas and a fresh perspective.

I recently attended Bullhorn Engage in Boston and one message kept surfacing throughout the event:

AI isn’t a magic solution.

The organizations seeing the greatest results aren’t simply adopting AI—they’re preparing their people, processes, data, and culture to use it effectively.

What surprised me most was how often human skills came up in conversations.

Communication.

Relationship building.

Adaptability.

Leadership.

As technology continues to evolve, those skills may become more important than ever.

It’s exciting to think about where work is headed, but it’s also a reminder that growth still starts with people.

Looking forward to applying some of these lessons and continuing the conversation at WBENC next week!

06/09/2026

One of the biggest lessons I've learned from working with businesses over the years is that growth doesn't always require more marketing.

Sometimes it requires better follow-through.

Better communication.

Better customer experiences.

Better systems.

It's easy to focus on getting more customers.

It's harder to focus on serving the customers and opportunities you already have.

I've been thinking a lot about that lately while working on my newest article - https://janayb.com/insights/f/why-more-marketing-wont-fix-your-growth-problem

What's one thing you've seen hold a business back from reaching its potential?

One of the most common challenges I've seen amongst business owners is the belief that growth starts with more marketing.

06/07/2026

A few years ago, I started JanayB.com as a way to share business insights, support entrepreneurs, and document what I was learning.

Then life got busy.

Over the past few years, I've focused on growing my career, building relationships, serving my community, raising three amazing kids, supporting business owners, and learning what growth really looks like from the inside.

Recently, I realized my website no longer reflected who I am today.

So I've spent the last few days refreshing JanayB.com and preparing to share more of what I'm learning about business growth, leadership, strategy, community impact, and the realities of balancing ambition with everyday life.

Today, I published my first new article:

Why More Marketing Won't Fix Your Growth Problem

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that many businesses don't have a marketing problem—they have an ex*****on problem.

Growth often comes from improving customer experience, follow-up, accountability, and strategy before spending more money on marketing.

This is just the beginning.

I'm also launching something called The Growth Memo, where I'll share lessons, insights, and experiences from my professional and personal journey.

And later this summer, I'll begin a new series called Growth in Real Life—a more personal look at the wins, challenges, and lessons that come with building a career, serving your community, raising a family, and pursuing meaningful goals.

I'm excited for this next chapter.

Thank you for following along. Join my email list to stay in the know! Let's keep growing!