Today we’d like to introduce you to Guerds and Indjina Jean.
Hi Guerds and Indjina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Indjina: We were born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Our biological mother and I moved to to the US when I was only three for two open-heart surgeries for my heart condition, tricuspid atresia. Then, Guerds moved to join us in Naples, Florida, about a year later. When we were eight, our biological mom was deported, so we moved in with who would later become our adopted parents. We were officially adopted at thirteen, not long after our biological dad was shot and killed.
Guerds: Since then, Indjina went on to become a geriatric nurse and Indjina is back in nursing school in order to become a nurse practitioner. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Peace and Social Studies as well as another Bachelor’s in Spanish Studies, became a Spanish Teacher and I am now a law school student.
Indjina: Although we have gone through many obstacles, we’ve learned how to use our disadvantages to our advantage. While Guerds was teaching online due to the pandemic she came back home to Southwest Florida. With all the extra time due to the lockdown we decided to tap into our creative side. I always had the dream of creating a YouTube channel to promote positivity, health, and creativity while Guerds always had the desire to make a positive impact on our community but was not exactly sure how. We thought starting a social influencing brand would be a great way to inspire people, especially those that are like us.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Guerds: Social influencing has been a lot harder than we thought it would be. Between Indjina working a full-time nursing job and us both being students, having social lives and traveling, it’s sometimes hard to find time to focus on content creating because it often does not have immediate returns. We manage nine social media pages as The Jean Twins (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter, Clubhouse, and Pinterest) not even including our own pages. It can be difficult to check our PO Box; complete interviews; film and edit YouTube videos; and respond to direct messages and comments from supporters. It seems due time to hire an assistant LOL.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Indjina: We’re known for using social media as a tool for our success and the success of others around us. We post daily as a way to connect with our audience and to inspire and motivate our supporters. Due to the high pandemic rates we wanted to focus on fitness in all communities, but especially those of color so we began Workout Wednesdays on our Instagram live and Fitness Fridays on our Facebook live. Because we know that financial health is just as important as physical health, we also promote products for up and coming businesses free of charge. We’ve promoted for jewelry, accessory, clothing, t-shirt, esthetician, and skincare brands free of charge. Our goal is to uplift by giving back to the community that has given so much to us.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Guerds: We’ve had so much more support than we’ve imagined. You’ll never know who’s there for you until you just take the risk and put yourself out there. Our family has a group chat where we post our videos and they all subscribe and watch. Our older sister constantly reminds us to publish new content because she’s excited to see it. No matter how busy she is, she’s one of the first people to watch, like, and comment on our videos. Our adopted mom comments on every video and our birth mom makes our videos her social media profile pictures. Also, our little cousins join every YouTube premiere so we were so happy to hear that we inspired one of them to start her own YouTube channel. We can’t wait to support her influencer journey like she did ours.
Indjina: Our best friends post us on their stories and send us video ideas. A friend from college who owns a fitness brand called Diamond Mind Empire, partnered with us for weekly Instagram live workouts. Another college friend invited us to speak on her podcast, Element Agape. A friend from high school who owns another health company called Royalty Nutrition, partnered with us for weekly Facebook live dance sessions. Another high school friend featured us on her podcast, Girls Room Chat. A friend from work who owns a beauty company called Hair by Djuna even collaborated with us for her lash technician/esthetician services. We’ll be partnering again with her soon for her hairstyling services too.
Guerds: And that’s just the outpouring love from family and friends, but we did not expect so much support from complete strangers. We collaborated with an Afro-Latina based blog called Hashtag I Am Enough, a black-owned jewelry and accessory line called Onjule Exclusives, a Haitian-owned clothing brand called Ipagnola, and a woman-owned skin care line called Ur Skin Care Plug. We just can’t wait to see what more is in store for us.
Indjina: We notice every follow, subscription, like and comment from the supporters who get up early to join our work out sessions, comment on every picture, and sent words of encouragement when I was in the hospital. We make an effort to recognize the little wins like every view on our videos and we update our JEANies of our YouTube progress with real-time watch hour increases. We even share our goals because they’re on this journey with us and they’re what pushes us, especially on the days that we may feel too tired to edit or just be present on social media. Our supporters and God are who keep us moving.
Pricing:
- Story Promotion – $1 (on all three IG accounts & all 3 FB accounts)
- Page Promotion – $5 (on all three IG accounts & all 3 FB accounts)
Contact Info:
- Email: TheJeanTwins@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/
TheJeanTwins - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/TheJeanTwins/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
thejeantwins - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/channel/ UCZeL50wGw8eDcRJksI2RfbQ - Other: https://
hashtagiamenough.com/2021/03/ 17/meet-the-jean-twins- amplifying-the-haitian- identity-through-lifestyle- vlogging/