Jasmine Grant: Senior Commerce Editor at Travel + Leisure

The power of trust in commerce writing, first hand experiences, and the benefits on internships are the focus of today’s Media in Minutes with Angela Tuell.  Listen as Jasmine Grant shares her perspective and experiences.  

 Follow Jasmine’s life and work here: https://www.travelandleisure.com/jasmine-grant-8425466 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jas_islike/ 

VH1: https://www.vh1.com/ 

College of Mount St. Vincent: https://mountsaintvincent.edu/ 

Vibe Magazine: https://www.vibe.com/ 

Pulse Magazine: https://www.cwupulsemagazine.com/ 

Danyel Smith-Wilson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danyel_Smith 

American’s Next Top Model: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Next_Top_Model 

Martha and Snoop: https://www.marthastewart.com/1522353/martha-snoop-dogg 

Essence: https://www.essence.com/ 

Commerce writing: https://impact.com/news/top-five-examples-of-commerce-content-types/ 

Shop Talk (IG Live serices, Apartment Therapy): https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/shop-talk-small-cool-2022-organizing-products-37077423 

AWAY Travel: https://www.awaytravel.com 

Dagne Dover: https://www.dagnedover.com 

Lo & Sons: https://www.loandsons.com/ 

Beis: https://beistravel.com/ 

Shay Mitchell’s bag: https://beistravel.com/pages/about 

Telfar: https://telfar.net/ 

Made Leather Co: https://www.madeleatherco.com/ 

Thank you for listening!  Please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to the Media in Minutes podcast here or anywhere you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/media-in-minutes/id1555710662  

Transcript

Angela Tuell: 0:05

Welcome to Media in Minutes. This is your host Angela Tuell. This podcast features in-depth interviews with those reports on the world around us. They share everything from their favorite stories to what happened behind the lens and give us a glimpse into their world. From our studio here at Communications Redefined, this is Media in Minutes. Today we are talking with senior commerce editor for Travel + Leisure, Jasmine Grant. Jasmine's career has spanned more than 13 years across lifestyle, entertainment and travel media. Prior to Travel + Leisure Jasmine served as a commerce editor at Apartment Therapy. She also spent time as a Lifestyle Editor at Essence magazine where she covered relationship and lifestyle content for both digital and print teams. In her spare time, she's probably jetting off to a beachy destination to snorkel and bask in the sun. Welcome, Jasmine.

Jasmine Grant: 1:01

Hi, how are you?

Angela Tuell: 1:04

Doing well, and I am very excited to talk with you today.

Jasmine Grant: 1:09

I'm excited to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

Angela Tuell: 1:11

Yes, I would love to start our conversation talking about your career path. You have quite an extensive background in lifestyle, entertainment and travel media. You When did you know that this was the career path for you?

Jasmine Grant: 1:26

You know, it's so funny, you asked because I feel like I've always known. I've always been a huge bookworm. As a kid, and my mom has this funny story of like, picking me up from preschool. And all the kids are like playing with toys. And I'm in the corner, pretending to read a book even though I couldn't really do that.

Angela Tuell: 1:47

Awe - I love that.

Jasmine Grant: 1:49

So she would see me in the corner like reading and I had the book upside down. So I've just always, I think it's a testament to the fact that I've just always been a lover of words and writing. And I've always felt like it was my superpower. So in school, I mean, all the way from Middle School on I just knew that editorial and journalism was something that I really wanted to do. I knew I wanted to move to New York and go to school there. And so that's just always been the path that my heart has been set on. And I'm glad I never wavered from that. Because I feel like I've had a really fun and enriched career. I'm excited to talk about that.

Angela Tuell: 2:31

Yeah. And that's amazing that you've stayed in it as well, you know, a lot of times people like, you know, some of us like me to go into journalism, and then we move into a different path. So I love that you've always wanted to do it, and then have stayed in it as well.

Jasmine Grant: 2:46

Yeah, you know, and it's, it's funny, you say that as well, because that almost didn't happen. You know, when I graduated, or was on the verge of graduating, I was meeting with my college advisor. And she said, you know, maybe I'm not supposed to say this, but are you sure you want to go into journalism, because at the time, you know, a lot of magazines and newspapers were starting to fold and go digital.

Angela Tuell: 3:11

Oh, right.

Jasmine Grant: 3:12

And so you know, a lot of editorial staffs were being laid off, and it's all you know, we would hear about, and so it was a really uncertain time to really even pursue that profession. And so, immediately after graduating, I was working in retail, and I met a customer who I had a great conversation with, and she said, you know, if you ever want to intern at my PR company, at the time, it was a tech PR company. I'd love to accept your resume. And so from there, I started interning in, and tech PR and I was in I was in public relations for a couple of years. And after a while I said this is definitely not for me, the call to write and, you know, want to interview people and write articles was still there. And so I had to listen to my gut and be honest with myself about what it is that I really wanted and what made me happy. And thankfully, someone who I interned with in the past, gave me a call and said that VH1 was looking for writers, and that's how it started for me.

Angela Tuell: 4:18

Wow, that's amazing. So backing up a little bit. Where were you from you originally?

Jasmine Grant: 4:24

Yeah, so I'm from New Haven, Connecticut, originally. It's, you know, a very small town, you know, to college town, obviously, with the Yale University being there. And it's interesting because growing up I you know, I didn't really know any journalists and nobody knew my classmates. I didn't know anyone that really wanted to pursue it. And so I always felt like going to college in New York City would really put me at the center of that world and it did.

Angela Tuell: 4:53

Right.

Jasmine Grant: 4:54

So I ended up going to the College of Mount St. Vincent, which is a small school. In New York, in the Bronx, and that's where it all started, I got a great communications education there. And just being in that location also allowed me to grab some really invaluable internships in New York City.

Angela Tuell: 5:16

Tell us about some of those, and what you learned that helped shape you know where you are today.

Jasmine Grant: 5:20

Yes. You know, the life changing experience that was working and interning at Vibe magazine was amazing. I was under editor in chief Danielle Smith Wilson, who is a real veteran in music journalism.

Angela Tuell: 5:38

Yeah.

Jasmine Grant: 5:38

I got to work closely with her and her team. And we were really, you know, hitting the pavement. You know, with transcribing interviews, we even got to create our own intern run mini magazine called Pulse magazine.

Angela Tuell: 5:54

Okay.

Jasmine Grant: 5:54

And then my manager asked me to be the editor in chief of that, so it was really cool.

Angela Tuell: 5:59

Wow.

Jasmine Grant: 6:01

Like running a mock magazine. Yeah, it was, it was a priceless opportunity. And so many people had applied for that, that internship. And I just remember being a resident assistant in college at that time, and then taking the train from the Bronx, all the way to Wall Street where the Vibe offices were and, you know, we weren't getting paid, but we were having so much fun. And, you know, being able to interview celebrities, you know, as a college student, it was a really awesome opportunity that helped solidify that this was the path that I wanted to be on. And I created so many amazing relationships from that as well.

Angela Tuell: 6:43

Oh, yeah. My internships in journalism were not paid either. But invaluable. They're paid in what you learned and the connections you made. And we're always, you know, invaluable. What, um, so at what point did you go to the PR agency? Was that before Vibe?

Jasmine Grant: 6:59

So while I was a junior in college, I had the phenomenal opportunity to be selected for a spring internship at Vibe Magazine, which is one of the most prestigious music and hip hop, rain magazines to ever exist. And so, you know, it was a really cool opportunity, because I really got to see how a print magazine is made from start to finish. So one of the things that interns had to do was take interviews that journalists or editors had with certain celebrities, or musicians and listen to the entire interview and transcribe it. This was before transcription services. So you're, literally listening, and typing

Angela Tuell: 7:42

Yes. everything out word for word. And, you know, the editors really expected things to be clean, and, you know, without typo, and those were the things that were really humbling to me, because it showed me how much work goes into being an editor and how everything really hinges on being thorough, and how, when you're trying to, you know, get your foot in the door, the thing that always stands out is your attention to detail and how far above and beyond, you're willing to go to show people that you really want to be there. Exactly.

Jasmine Grant: 8:18

And that was a really cool experience. And while I was there, you know, I was still in college. So I would be, you know, on campus, working on my papers, and I was also a resident assistant. And then on my internship days, I would take the train from my campus and in the Bronx, and all the way to Wall Street.

Angela Tuell: 8:38

Oh, wow.

Jasmine Grant: 8:40

So it was a it was a far far commute, but definitely worth it. And that's what really solidified that, you know, journalism and editorial was something that really excited me and something that I wanted to pursue. And so yeah, that was my second to last year in college. And then once I became a senior graduated, I had to figure out what was next. You know, obviously, you immediately want to start making money and Hopefully making money, right? Exactly. You know, the loan, you know, the the loans are coming. And so I took a temporary job after I graduated working in retail, I was a sales associate at Lucky Brand Jeans for a few months. And while I was there, I you know, was really kind of getting worried, like, Alright, I want to, you know, start my career. I met a customer at Lucky Brand Jeans, who basically said, Hey, I work in tech PR, I don't know if that's something that you're interested in. But take my card and send me your resume. And so through that connection, I ended up working in public relations, and I stayed in that industry for a few years, okay, only to discover that you know what, this actually isn't for me, I really do want to pursue journalism full time and so that's when I decided to follow my path and luckily an old colleague was working at VH1 at the time and reached out and said, Hey, we're looking for writers and I officially pivoted into journalism, and that was in 2016.

Angela Tuell: 10:12

Okay, so you've covered entertainment and celebrity news for each one, as you just mentioned. Lifestyle News, for Essence, and commerce for Apartment Therapy.

Jasmine Grant: 10:21

Yeah.

Angela Tuell: 10:22

Tell us more about those those roles in those areas, you know, what have been your favorites? Or any insight into them?

Jasmine Grant: 10:29

Yeah, sure. I mean, I think the one thing that I'm grateful for in my career is that, as an editor, I've been able to do so many different things, and I've been able to pivot so much. I think, you know, sometimes when you you get used to doing a particular type of writing or, you know, you've been doing entertainment writing for so long, you think, okay, you know, I can only through this type of writing, and I think, I've just been fortunate that the people and the editors that I've worked with have really seen my potential, and have been willing to give me a chance to do something different even when I didn't have the resume or the background in that area. So at VH, one, I was hired to really help support VH ones content, which at the time included shows like America's Next Top Model, and Martha and Snoop. And so all of my writing was really to support the clips from the shows that were coming out. And so I would be interviewing, you know, cast members from the shows, a lot of them were reality shows. So, you know, I would be talking to contestants from RuPaul's Drag Racea bout the season and about what they loved about being on the show. And that really was a great start for me, because it gave me the foundation to be able to up my interviewing skills, and to be able to support this really huge network that had all of these really popular shows. And then being a writer in that environment was also interesting, because editorial was just a small piece of this huge media company. You know, that also was, you know, hadn't had

Angela Tuell: 12:08

Right. network television, but they have a huge social media presence and digital video. So seeing how my work kind of supported all of these different facets of media was really rewarding. And I'm so glad that that was one of my first staff writing jobs, because Viacom was such a fun company to work for, and I created so many great relationships. That's wonderful.

Jasmine Grant: 12:34

Yeah. And then from there, you know, I got hired to work at Essence as a Lifestyle Editor. And that's really where I went from being kind of behind the scenes just writing to really being able to, you know, talk to people on stage at Essence fest, and, you know, be on video and do on camera hosting. And what was interesting about that is that I'm a very, very introverted person. And, you know, anybody who knows me will say, you know, she's super shy. And, you know, I'm very, it's not easy for me to put myself out there and do new things. And, you know, I, to this day, thank my editor, at Essence, Charlie Penn for creating opportunities for me to be seen in a different way. And I think she saw things in me that I didn't necessarily see in myself.

Angela Tuell: 13:25

Oh that's awesome.

Jasmine Grant: 13:26

And I think, yeah, I think it's, whenever you can get a mentor like that in your career that can really push you outside of your comfort zone.

Angela Tuell: 13:35

Right.

Jasmine Grant: 13:35

It's such a blessing. And I think that that's, like Essence is really where I started to blossom. As a writer and editor, and, you know, I discovered my own potential.

Angela Tuell: 13:49

And you would have never known without her pushing you on some of those things.

Jasmine Grant: 13:54

I would have never known without her pushing me. That's, that's exactly it. I just feel like, she saw that I could do more than what I thought I could do. She's like, Yeah, you're a great writer, you know, but you also have the potential to be on camera. You also have the potential to, you know, moderate, onstage, and I kind of resisted it at first I'm like, oh, you know, maybe we can, you know, hire someone else. But she really, you know, showed me that sometimes when you take risks they pay off. And it was an amazing moment for me in my career to be able to stretch the limits of what I thought was possible. Yeah. And so it was great, you know, Essence

Angela Tuell: 14:32

Yeah. allowed me to do so many different things. It was also where I was first introduced to Congress writing which I had no idea you know, it was it was a relatively new concept. It wasn't even a thing, right? Like it, it's fairly new as a as a thing.

Jasmine Grant: 14:51

Yeah. It's a very new sector of editorial and it's still developing and taking on so many different forms, but that is where I really learned what commerce editorial was about. And, you know, learning service journalism as a whole. At the time, we had a commerce team that, you know, worked separate of editorial. And then eventually, Commerce kind of got folded into lifestyle. So I was curating gift guides, and really working on, you know, more editor curated pieces for shopping guides.

Angela Tuell: 15:25

Okay.

Jasmine Grant: 15:26

And so that really got me to thinking hmm, like, this is a really interesting path that editorial could take, I think I like this.

Angela Tuell: 15:33

Yeah. And for those who are not that familiar with, still, you know, that familiar with commerce, writing, editing, tell us a little bit more about or how you would describe it.

Jasmine Grant: 15:43

Commerce writing is a very interesting sector of editorial. And there's two kinds of ways that it serves our readers. One, it's a great way to help shoppers decipher between all the choices that are out there. So if you're looking for a new couch, you'll find that there's 1000s of options for couches, right, especially if you're shopping online, and it's sometimes hard to know what to look for in a certain item, and which items are worth your money. And so, you know, we try to look at or I always try to look at Commerce as a service to readers to help them decide what to buy, and why to buy it. And, you know, when commerce writers are recommending products in their articles, we are usually testing those products, you know, ourselves, and we're looking at not only you know, how it lasts and how it performs, but over time, like we're using these products over time to see, you know, does it hold up. I've written commerce content for Apartment Therapy, where I was previously their senior editor. And we wrote about a lot of sales that were happening in the home space, but we also reviewed products, ourselves.

Angela Tuell: 16:57

Okay,

Jasmine Grant: 16:58

And one of the things that I think, is really the cornerstone of commerce writing, is trust, establishing a level of trust with the reader, to let them know that, you know, yes, publications are making a small commission, you know, when we convert sales, but we are not solely writing, you know, to sell you things and to make money. We are writing to provide a service, and to, you know, really show like why these products are worthwhile. And yeah, really ease the buying decisions for those who come to our site, searching for the best product in a particular category.

Angela Tuell: 17:36

Sure. Do you feel it's always an editorial decision, and not necessarily money driven, even though you know, the outlets are making money if they convert a sale, like you said,

Jasmine Grant: 17:46

so it's always an editorial decision. We're always looking at the quality of the products that we recommend. And I think that's why, you know, commerce is such a valuable tool, because if you're looking for - Actually, the other week, I was, you know, shopping for an electric toothbrush, because I knew that I wanted to replace mine. And I wasn't really sure which one to buy. And I actually found a few commerce articles that all recommended the same electric toothbrush. And, you know, I was reading about the features and the things that really stood out to me. And it was kind of the first time I was on the opposite end of the spectrum where I was kind of like searching for something to buy, and, you know, really looking at what was being recommended. And I think - one thing that I know to be true, even as a shopper myself is that consumers are smarter than ever, and they can tell when products are being recommended just because there's commission involved or - Yeah, like, you know, we have to always show us

Angela Tuell: 18:49

Good Point. commerce editors that we've actually tested the things that we're recommending, and that we know what makes a good product, what makes a good suitcase, what makes a good toothbrush. You know, it's not just hey, here are like 10 toothbrushes we found on Google, it's always like, here are the things that we look for, here are things that dentists recommend, you should look for in a toothbrush. So, you know, all of the things that you can really put in an article to not only recommend products, but to provide that kind of supplemental information that makes the buying decision. less overwhelming is a service to the reader. Yeah, and it's helped, you know, I mean, obviously the media outlets need to make money as well. And so it's helped as a as a revenue stream, you know, when some of these things are being purchased. What is surprised you when you started in the commerce editor roles?

Jasmine Grant: 19:49

Honestly, I was just surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Because I had come from the entertainment world where I was, you know, doing more or reporting and interviewing and writing about people's life stories and, you know, movie announcements, red carpets, you know, really just, it was a completely different type of writing. And I think with commerce, you know, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, you know, you're really was products and, you know, the human element isn't there as much as it is in some of the other types of editorial that I've done. But I've really, really enjoyed being able to test products hands on. And really being a part of a sector of editorial that is growing as rapidly as commerce is has been really cool. I think, you know, whenever you can be a part of something during its, you know, early phases. And you can see kind of how Commerce has taken on all of these different forms, from video and social. And we even see on Tik Tok like, there's a tick tock shop now All right, and byproducts while you're scrolling. And yes, you know, Instagram has a shoppable component, too. So Commerce has really, you know, taken off in the last five years, I think, across all media platforms. And I think it's because, you know, again, consumers love choice, and they love, you know, comparing and demanding things that they've bought recently. And so, you know, to see the growth of commerce over the past few years has really been phenomenal. And I think it's just surprisingly, you know, the potential that's there for commerce to continue to grow and evolve.

Angela Tuell: 21:38

Yeah, in your commerce roles, you know, specifically in Apartment Therapy, how did it typically work, you had an idea for a story, you know, for, for what you're going to look at and compare, those items were purchased, or PR people sent them, and then they were reviewed. You know, what was the typical process?

Jasmine Grant: 21:57

Yeah, so typically, you know, our editors really wanted us to come to our editorial meetings, you know, with recommendations for products that we actually love and use, I think that readers really like to see what editors are, are loving, right. So if I'm a home editor here are, you know, the best organizational tools that I use to keep my house clean and organized, or, you know, I recently bought this new work from home desk, and here's how it's improved my productivity.

Angela Tuell: 22:30

Okay.

Jasmine Grant: 22:31

To really be able to bring your real life experience to the role is something that has always proved successful. That's when we would see, you know, our traffic go up is when you know, we really brought our personal experiences and the things that we were already loving and using to our site. Editor loved recommendations always do well. And then also, you know, sales that are

Angela Tuell: 22:53

Okay. happening that really present a great opportunity to get things that you wouldn't necessarily buy, you know, full price, or maybe you don't want to buy full price. So sales temples, like Amazon Prime Day, even, you know, sales that were happening at brands that we know our readers loved, like West Elm, those were always moments for us to really look at, you know, the items that were on sale that we felt were worth buying, based on our previous experience with the products or things that we you know, had researched and could tell that shoppers were loving. always the things that tend to do well, and I think when you can create a first person narrative and shopping you will always win. Yeah, I love that. Where do you see the future of commerce media rolls going?

Jasmine Grant: 23:47

I see commerce as being on the rise. And I see it taking on many forms beyond the shopping roundups that we all see and love and read.

Angela Tuell: 23:58

Right.

Jasmine Grant: 23:59

We're already seeing it take off and video on social. You know, when I was at Apartment Therapy, we started an Instagram Live series called Shop Talk, which is it was our little mini version of like a QVC show where we kind of showed off home products that our editorial teams were really falling in love with. We kind of showed how they worked. We've reviewed Dyson vacuums, we've reviewed digital coffee mugs, just really cool unconventional and most of all helpful products that make your day to day life easier. You know, so I see commerce just taking on so many different forms and continuing to be a resource for people who are just searching for products that you know are worth their money and eliminating the confusion out there. So

Angela Tuell: 24:53

Trying to break through the noise of everything that's out there.

Jasmine Grant: 24:57

Exactly.

Angela Tuell: 24:58

So how can PR perfect shuttle's best work with you? You know, any tips that you'd give? Do different brands and companies and products, you know, your way or to commerce editors? Or what's the best, you know, guidance you have?

Jasmine Grant: 25:14

Yeah, for sure, I would say, um, for PR professionals, one, I know that journalists can sometimes change their beat. I've changed my beat a ton in my career I've written about -

Angela Tuell: 25:26

You're on every list probably.

Jasmine Grant: 25:28

I want a lot of lists, yes, for from beauty, to wellness, to travel. And I love all the pitches, and I welcome them all. But I would say just, you know, take a scan and see, you know, where that that writer, that editor is now because a lot of times, you know, you'll change beats or you'll change focuses. And so you always want to make sure, and I know this from being on the PR side, too, that you're always keeping in tune with what editors are covering now.

Angela Tuell: 25:58

Yeah.

Jasmine Grant: 25:59

And seeing like how your clients can be a resource or a tool. I love having coffee dates with my favorite PR folks out there to just see who their clients are. And I know, a lot of publicist change clients as well. So just always keeping tabs on what's current. Sometimes a writer could be working on a story where they need an expert voice, and they may not know that you have a client or a spokesperson who might have knowledge in a certain area. So if you have a representative from any of your brands, or clients that you work with that, you know, has a lot of great knowledge on any particular topic, whether it's travel, lifestyle, wellness, never be afraid to put them out there and say, hey, you know, this person can comment on this. And, you know, that's always a help. Because I think even in commerce, we're always looking for expert voices to really help guide our recommendations. So yeah, it's a great thing to be able to connect with anyone that you have in your wheelhouse that can be that expert voice.

Angela Tuell: 27:07

Yeah, that's great insight, because I think a lot of times we think of the commerce as the products and don't don't think is much on that expertise level. So I really love that. As commerce editors, or like when you were at, you know, Apartment Therapy, do you accept products to test out?

Jasmine Grant: 27:25

We do. Yes, we definitely accept products. And, again, it's always in line and in conjunction with what we're currently working on. So, you know, now would be a great time to pitch summer stuff, summer products, anything for beach, vacations, anything for your outdoor dining, or entertaining. Those are always, you know, thinking a little bit ahead about like when writers might be thinking about their content. And trying to align the product

Angela Tuell: 27:54

Yeah. recommendations with that is always a great way to approach journalists and approach a pitch I think. And yeah, I think product recommendations are always always being accepted, especially for us. You know, we we really rely on just knowing what new products are out there that we may not, that may not already be on our radar. So you know, we we love to hear about new product releases or things that are back in stock. Yeah.

Jasmine Grant: 28:26

Just being able to stay abreast of those, the product news has been really key.

Angela Tuell: 28:32

Yes. Is it always best to ask first and say, you know, here's my pitch? Would you like to try out this backpack? Or whatever it might be?

Jasmine Grant: 28:41

Yeah, definitely. I mean,

Angela Tuell: 28:42

Before sending something I guess I should say.

Jasmine Grant: 28:45

Yes, I do think that just asking if someone will be interested in a sample before sending is always preferred. And the reason I say that is just, you know, one, we don't want to waste products or

Angela Tuell: 28:57

Right.

Jasmine Grant: 28:58

Have someone send something and, you know, use the resources to send something that a journalist may not necessarily cover or may not be interested in. So, always offering first I think is just a great way to, you know, figure out if that sample is, you know, right for that particular editor. You know, I've received samples from companies and I'm like, oh, man, you know, I, this is a great beauty sample, but I don't cover beauty. But you know, I'll try to find someone you know, in those cases, I will always try to find a colleague, you know, who does cover that to see if they're interested in trying the product. But, you know, I never want any publicist to use the resources and blindly send anything unless they're for sure that the journalist has used for it or against the covers those types of products

Angela Tuell: 29:46

Yep, completely. And so all of this experience that we've been talking about has led to your current and pretty new role as a senior commerce editor for travel and leisure, where you focus on luggage, bags and travel accessories. What are some of your favorite products right now?

Jasmine Grant: 30:05

Yeah, so I am always a fan of a good reliable carry on suitcase.

Angela Tuell: 30:13

Hmmmm. Yes.

Jasmine Grant: 30:14

When I travel, I, you know, I know everybody has their preferences, but I love to, you know, carry my suitcase on with me because when we land, I just like to go. So I'm in a way luggage loyalist. I've been really loving some of the innovation that they've had with their suitcases and the colorways that they've announced. And so I just love the quality of their bags. That's one that's a personal favorite of mine. There's also a brand called Dabney Dover, they make these really beautiful neoprene bags that come in sizes.

Angela Tuell: 30:51

Yes! I have one.

Jasmine Grant: 30:53

Isn't it amazing?

Angela Tuell: 30:54

Yes, I just have the I have a smaller, you know, smaller size one. But yes,

Jasmine Grant: 30:58

Yes, I have their backpack and I use it all the time. I go into the office occasionally. Even though I work remotely, I travel from Connecticut to New York to go in for meetings. And I have the book bag, which is just really, really convenient and so lightweight.

Angela Tuell: 31:17

I'll have to check that out.

Jasmine Grant: 31:18

Yeah, it's amazing. And then, you know, whenever I can, I always try to highlight BiPAP own brands, just because it's really important to me to just create diversity anywhere I go and let people know about bipoc owned brands and every category.

Angela Tuell: 31:34

Yes.

Jasmine Grant: 31:35

So a few of the ones that I've been loving recently are Lo and Sons, Base, Shea Mitchell's luggage brand, which is amazing. Tell Farr has a really great line of tote bags. If you haven't heard of them, I check them out. And I also am really liking Made leather, which is a black owned leather wear company. And they make some great duffel bags and backpacks. So those are just a few that I would really recommend everybody check out.

Angela Tuell: 32:01

That's awesome. We will link to them in our show notes as well. So anyone can can go there and take a look. Before we go I'd love to ask a little bit more about travel and your personal like time travel. I hear you like beachy destinations. What are some of your favorite places?

Jasmine Grant: 32:21

Well, I love to be on the beach anytime I can. I have grown up in the north east my entire life. And you know it's cold pretty much most of the years. So whenever I can get some sun. I'm usually in the Caribbean. You know, a couple years ago, I went to St Maarten for my birthday. And that was an amazing trip. A few months ago I went to Belize. Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the World.

Angela Tuell: 32:48

Yes, yes.

Jasmine Grant: 32:49

So I got to snorkel out there and just see some amazing marine life with a friend of mine. And you'll, you'll be surprised to know that I'm not shy to dabble in some more outdoorsy stuff when I get the opportunity. In December I travel to Switzerland.

Angela Tuell: 33:13

Oh, wow.

Jasmine Grant: 33:14

It was first of all, Switzerland is absolutely gorgeous. I recommend everybody tried to get out there at least once. We were - a friend of mine and I went out there to ski and neither one of us had been skiing before.

Angela Tuell: 33:30

Are you serious? That's where you went to learn how to ski?

Jasmine Grant: 33:33

To learn how to ski. And we were not. We were in Vermont, and it was absolutely gorgeous. First of all, we felt like we were inside a snow globe. Everywhere you go is just so picturesque. Do they even have bunny slopes there? Or are there beginner slopes? Thankfully for us, they did.

Angela Tuell: 33:48

Okay.

Jasmine Grant: 33:54

So we went to grab our ski equipment at this rental place. And, you know, they were asking for our measurements. So you know, for our boots and our helmets and everything. And, you know, we let them know it was our first time skiing. And you can see everyone's eyes kind of get a little big. And I was like, Oh, I don't know if we're in trouble or not. But I am so glad that my friend talked me into it because it ended up being a really amazing experience. And one where I kind of got to face my fears a little bit of the unknown. So yes, that was a really, really cool experience. But I would say you know, for me travel it. I'm so appreciative of the opportunity that I have to travel. We didn't travel much growing up, you know, and I did not get my first passport until I was 21 and living on my own. You know, I really didn't go out of the country until my early 20s. And so, you know, once I was working and you know, a little bit more stable in my career. I really tried to take advantage of that. Because I think yeah, traveling just gives you such a different point of view, and expands your worldview in such an enriching way to be able to go to other countries and see their cultures and their customs and how they live and what they value and how, how other places outside of America, value leisure, and community, it's just a really awesome way to expand your horizons. And so-

Angela Tuell: 35:32

It changes you.

Jasmine Grant: 35:33

It does change you and you come back feeling just incredibly grateful for the experience. So I'm lucky that I get to do what I do. And that, you know, I work for a brand that really values travel and, you know, gives us opportunity.

Angela Tuell: 35:50

One of the leading authorities, in travel.

Jasmine Grant: 35:53

The leading authorities in travel and, you know, that they, you know, give us a work life that supports, you know, the interest of travel. And so, it's really awesome to be able to work alongside the people that I do and, and be able to work in this industry.

Angela Tuell: 36:10

That's amazing. I cannot wait to see what else comes from you in the future. How can our listeners connect with you online?

Jasmine Grant: 36:20

on x at Jasmine Elise. And yeah, that is where I am.

Angela Tuell: 36:36

Thank you so much, Jasmine. It's been so informative. Really appreciate it.

Jasmine Grant: 36:41

Thank you so much. And thank you for having me. This was really awesome.

Angela Tuell: 36:47

That's all for this episode of Media in Minutes, a podcast by Communications Redefined. Please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to our show. We'd love to hear what you think. You can find more at CommunicationsRedefined.com/podcast. I'm your host, Angela Tuell. Talk to you next time.