Jenny Farias, Founder and CEO of Brands x Humans, is on a mission to help brands and people build authentic connections with one another.
During a successful career working alongside top-tier experiential marketing firms, Jenny felt like the companies were missing the mark when it came to cultivating relationships with potential customers. Though the intentions may have been pure, Jenny saw an opportunity to rewrite the typical relationship of buying and selling, and instead infuse more human-like elements into the interactions between companies and customers. Thus, Jenny founded Brands x Humans to support companies in building real, authentic connections with those they serve, and to do so in smarter and ultimately more profitable ways.
We asked Jenny about the founding story of Brands x Humans, how being “different” has played a part in her journey as an entrepreneur, and what resources have contributed most to her success.
Q: Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on Brands x Humans?
A: Do you ever get tired of getting “sold” to? I know I do. As marketers, we spend our entire career trying to help our customers see our brand as a living, breathing, and dynamic entity. Something that can be trusted, befriended, deserving of loyalty, and perhaps even loved. The problem is that while we focus on breathing life into our brand, we sometimes lose sight of the people on the other side of the equation—customers, clients, prospects. Humans. I started Brands x Humans as a way to bridge this gap. I’m on a mission to help the next generation of impact-driven startups unleash the full power of their vision by humanizing the brand experience.
Q: What are some of the most meaningful impacts Brands x Humans has had so far?
A: Partnering with founders has been super rewarding and sometimes eye-opening. Because we become so intimately involved in the nuances of the business at such an early stage, we’ve seen the best and worst of people. Our biggest impact has been our ability to work with founding teams to help them realize their full potential by implementing and overseeing strategic go-to-market launches, being brutally honest when we need to pivot, and celebrating our successes along the way.
Q: Have you ever felt like you’re “different”? If yes, in what ways has this contributed to your journey as an entrepreneur?
A: Absolutely, and I get this all the time from people I meet. “Jeez. You’re so different!” Those close to me have often referred to me as a magnet. I have the ability to walk into a room and attract the right people into my life at the right time. It’s these serendipitous encounters, my compassionate leadership style, and my courageous spirit that makes people want to work with me and my team of all-star creatives.
Q: Have you struggled with self doubt as an entrepreneur? How do you navigate this?
A: I think we all struggle with self-doubt or, as we call it in the entrepreneur space, “imposter syndrome.” Our brains are naturally wired to question our value and create narratives that we are not qualified to do what we are doing. Having an intimate understanding of psychology and how our minds work has been incredibly helpful in navigating these haunting thoughts when they surface. I recognize the thought, but reframe it with the use of some powerful tools so that I can keep moving forward.
Q: What resources or people have contributed the most to your successes?
A: Never underestimate the power of mentors and a like-minded community. Earlier this year I co-founded, gWen: growing women entrepreneurs network, a Charlotte-based community organization with the sole mission of helping female founders succeed. And let me tell you, it has been a total game-changer for my entrepreneurial journey. Having a safe space where you can be vulnerably authentic, ask questions, share resources, and lift each other up has been one of the most critical aspects of my current success as a founder.
Q: How do you celebrate successes along the way?
A: Giving high fives and popping a bottle of bubbly.
Q: How would you describe the journey you’ve had in a few sentences? And would you do it all over again?
A: Being an entrepreneur is an emotional rollercoaster that is not for the faint-hearted. But if you keep your seatbelt on and keep your eye on the prize, the impact will be exhilarating. I would 100 percent do it all over again.
Jenny is a member of Dreamers & Doers, an award-winning community that amplifies extraordinary women entrepreneurs and leaders by raising their profile through PR, forging authentic connections, and curating high-impact resources. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and get involved here.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
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Gesche Haas
Gesche Haas is the Founder/CEO of Dreamers & Doers, a private collective that amplifies the entrepreneurial pursuits of extraordinary women through visibility opportunities, resource exchange, and collective support.
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