“I have a better focus on what I'm doing.” - Jittaun Priest
Jittaun Priest has done decorative painting for over a decade for a small but loyal base of clients. Her brilliant use of color and texture create vibrancy in otherwise uninspired spaces.
Recently a client looked her up after eight years; she had moved from Chicago to Philadelphia and wanted Jittaun to take on a project for her home. “I had done something for her daughter’s bedroom back in Chicago,” says Jittaun. "She flew me out to [Philly] where I stayed with her, because we’re also good friends.” Jittaun applied her technique to the kitchen, dining room, and hallways working from her friend’s minimal input. “Clients often show me a piece of furniture or a centerpiece and say, ‘design that wall to look like this,'" she said.
Taking an abstract concept and turning it into functional art seems to come naturally to Jittaun. This can be a highly sought after skill, provided you have a way to showcase it in front of the right people.
Mike Williams owns his own contracting company, Butterfield & Sons. He has been volunteering as a mentor to help Jittaun with things like marketing and pricing strategy. Mike admits that he and Jittaun face the same challenge of creating brand awareness and getting their name in front of customers—though he’s especially motivated to help get the word out about Jittaun. “Not many people actually commit to quality the way Jittaun does,” says Mike. “She’s extremely good at her craft and brings a dimension of creativity that’s stylish and very cool—we just need people to know about [her].”
Recently, Jittaun also sat down with NPR’s Natalie Moore to share how Sunshine Enterprises has helped get her business “focused” and on the right track: Because of her participation in Sunshine's programs, “My books are more balanced and I believe that it’s given me more confidence to go out and talk to people more because I have a better focus of what I’m doing,” Jittaun said. “I’m not all over the place like I was. The focus (is) helping me realize what my niche is, and go out there and make that step.”