Episode 009: Breaking the Mold - From Fitness Studio to Video Magic with Jaya Rose
I am so excited to share this conversation with you! I've been following Jaya Rose since 2020, early in my entrepreneurial journey when I was still working my "muggle job," and she has been such an inspiration. Jaya is a phenomenal business coach who helps entrepreneurs experience what she calls "video magic" - the power of connection, engagement, and sales that happens through authentic video content.
What makes this episode particularly special is that Jaya has never worked for anyone else. Yes, you heard that right - she's been an entrepreneur for over 20 years and has only ever run her own business. Listen, this is something we need to talk about because it challenges everything we think we know about the traditional career path.
The Autism Advantage in Entrepreneurship
Here's what I love about Jaya's story: she attributes her entrepreneurial success to being autistic. She talks about something I'm passionate about - the persistent drive for autonomy that many of us experience. This isn't about being difficult or rebellious; it's about how our nervous systems are wired to go into fight-or-flight when we perceive demands from others.
Jaya started her first business at 26 with a personal training studio after working for a gym for exactly one year. She hated being told what to do, so she quit and opened her own space. This is such a perfect example of what I call accommodating and embracing your neurodivergence instead of trying to fix yourself.
The Pivot That Changed Everything
Seven years ago, Jaya discovered the online business space and everything shifted. She had been running a successful fitness business but felt this pull toward something bigger - helping more people, making more impact, and yes, making more money. She had secret desires to be on stages and help people at scale.
Initially, she tried to take her fitness business online with something called "Booty Mind and Spirit." She built a 21-day ab challenge, sold 150 of them, and created a whole community. But here's the thing - she realized this wasn't really what she wanted to do. The common thread through everything she'd built was video. She had done over 300 videos by that point, and when Facebook Live launched, she knew she'd found her calling.
This is so important for all of us to remember: you're allowed to pivot. You're allowed to let go of something that's working if it's not feeding your soul.
The Magic of Co-Creation
One of the most powerful things Jaya shared was her approach to launching. Instead of forcing herself into a hustle mentality, she does meditation around each launch asking: "What am I being asked for? How can I show up for this?" Then she gets little messages and follows them.
This is what I mean when I talk about building your business in a way that works for your brain. Jaya understands that if something doesn't allow her to feel fully expressed and truly impactful, her nervous system will shut everything down. She needs to be doing something bigger than just herself - something that's both self-serving and soul-serving.
The Bottleneck Breakthrough
Jaya had this incredible breakthrough while we were talking about her new membership, "Being Well Known." She realized she'd been creating parameters around her offers that kept her safe but also kept her small. Every time she launched something, she'd create bottlenecks that would prevent too many people from enrolling because she was terrified of being overwhelmed or burnt out.
Her daughter Becca Luna (who has a multimillion-dollar online brand) gave her this advice: "When I create an offer, I never have anything that I would have to change if a certain amount of people enrolled." This hit Jaya like lightning - she was unconsciously limiting her own success.
Listen, this is so common for neurodivergent entrepreneurs. We're so afraid of overwhelm that we sabotage our own growth. But here's what Jaya figured out: instead of limiting enrollment, she redesigned her delivery method. Now she has people categorize their questions, and she answers them in themed live videos. Brilliant, right?
Integration as a Business Practice
Here's something unique that Jaya shared: she believes integration is a business practice. Those times when you feel stuck or stagnant? Those are beautiful opportunities to reinforce what you desire and integrate that next level you're being asked to hold.
This resonates so deeply with me because as neurodivergent entrepreneurs, we experience those high highs and low lows more intensely than neurotypical folks. But instead of seeing the low times as problems to fix, what if we saw them as necessary integration periods?
Your business will be dictated by the parameters you internally set for how much you're able to receive. Jaya has so much evidence of this in her own journey, and I see it with my clients all the time.
The Power of Calling Out Harmful Rhetoric
I love that Jaya isn't afraid to call out toxic behavior in the online coaching space. She recently made a video about someone claiming that "when you're aligned, you'll never be burnt out, overwhelmed, or have imposter syndrome." This kind of messaging is so harmful, especially to neurodivergent people and marginalized communities.
Here's the truth: being aligned doesn't mean you never struggle. It doesn't mean you have some magical immunity to the very real challenges of being human and running a business. This kind of messaging is just another way to gaslight people into thinking their struggles are their fault.
Building Authentic Relationships
When I asked Jaya about relationships in entrepreneurship, she gave such an honest answer. She's really good at parasocial relationships - building "know, like, and trust" quickly through video - but she doesn't have a lot of deep personal relationships in the business space, and she likes it that way.
Her reputation is built on integrity: doing what she says she'll do, and when something goes wrong, really showing up to take care of it. She'll overgive to make things right, and she walks her talk. There's nothing she teaches that she doesn't do herself.
This is so refreshing because we're often told we need to be constantly networking and building relationships, but the truth is, you can build a successful business by being authentic and having integrity, even if you're not someone who thrives on constant social connection.
The Video Magic Strategy
For those of you ready to step into video, Jaya shared one of her best hooks: instead of just starting to talk generally about entrepreneurship struggles, specifically call out who you're talking to. Instead of "Well, being an entrepreneur, you often get in your own way," try "If you are a neurodivergent entrepreneur who's struggling with imposter syndrome..."
The pattern is: call out + call forward. Who are you talking to, and what are you going to talk about - their struggle or their desire?
What This Means for You
If you're someone who's been trying to force yourself into neurotypical business strategies and wondering why you keep burning out or losing interest, Jaya's story is proof that you can build something incredible by honoring how your brain actually works.
You don't have to choose between success and sustainability. You don't have to hustle your way to burnout. You can build something that grows and scales while still taking care of yourself and staying excited about what you're doing.
Ready to learn more about building a business that works for your neurodivergent brain? Join my newsletter at mindsetmelanie.com/newsletter where I share strategies specifically designed for entrepreneurs like us who refuse to sacrifice our wellbeing for success.
Connect with Jaya Rose:
TikTok: @withjayarose
Instagram: @thejayarose
Website: thejayarose.com
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