Finances FYI Presented by JPMorgan Chase
By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
In the heart of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Rhonda Faison has turned a passion for health and healing into RōJō Juice, a lifestyle brand focused on locally sourced, organic products designed to promote wellness. Drawing from her background in healthcare and personal experiences, Faison’s business is both a tribute to her roots and a reflection of her community-driven mission.
“Rojo is my name. Everyone calls me Ro, and the Jo part is basically just like your cup of Joe, which will give you that energy. Also, when I was a kid, I loved Flo-Jo, the runner, Florence Johnson, so I wanted to make a spin on her name,” Faison said.
Prior to launching RōJō in 2020, Faison spent a decade as an ER technician with plans to attend medical school. However, that pathway shifted when she began making hand-crafted juice for her brother after he became a quadriplegic.
“I got into juicing because my brother became a quadriplegic later in his life, and I started juicing for him to help wean him off the medications he was taking,” said Faison. “I had always been interested in medicine, and so I took a trip to Vietnam and learned about ethnobotany, and that sparked my interest.”
“My brother passed away, and I basically just started the business really to heal myself through grief and to make a product that was healthy for my community and people in general,” she added.
While RōJō offers its popular juices like the Lo, Flo, Glo, and Apple Ginger Cider year-round, Faison says that she really enjoys creating seasonal drinks using fresh, in-season ingredients. This approach keeps her menu evolving and reflects what she describes as a true labor of love.
“I think that the level of care that we take in our product and making it sets us apart from others,” says Faison. “If you know anything about juicing yourself, then you know the amount of cleaning and scrubbing that we do for all of our beets, carrots, and [other] ingredients. So, I think that is what differentiates us from any other juice places.”
“I think the value and the quality are what I am very passionate about,” continued Faison. “I am very stern about having the highest quality produce, so I work with smaller, local, and organic Black and Brown farmers specifically because I think that is the only way that the Black community can survive, by working with each other.”
A recent graduate of the Chase for Business: Coaching for Impact Program, a program designed to support business owners in growing their businesses through one-on-one consulting and executive coaching, accessible on-demand classroom education, and banking solutions, Faison was paired with Sheila Winston, a program consultant with Chase Bank, who helped her navigate a number of business-related issues as she grew her business.
Before joining the program, Faison played it safe in her business. One of the things that she was reluctant to do was produce her products in bulk. However, with the encouragement of Winston, Faison stepped out of her comfort zone and began exploring new strategies, including bulk production and sale of her products. This shift gave Faison the confidence she needed to grow her business.
“I didn’t come from a business background, so having Sheila and Chase as a resource and someone to speak to has helped me grow. Being an entrepreneur, sometimes it can feel like you are alone, so it is really nice to have them as a resource,” said Faison. “Sheila helped boost my confidence in some ways. I was afraid to sell larger bulks of my product, and Sheila was really trying to push me to do so and even start selling online.”
“I think the most important thing about this program and working with Chase Bank is that I am building a relationship. As an entrepreneur, one of the biggest things that I have learned is that it really isn’t what you know, it is who you know,” added Faison. “So, if I didn’t get anything else out of this program, I think just building my relationship with Sheila was something that holds a lot of value to me. Having that relationship already built with her is a true value, and I don’t think some people look at relationships in that way.”
Winston says that one of the most important things about the program is having the participants look at things through a different lens than they are used to, something she says that Faison has truly embodied.
“Rhonda was a wonderful client to work with, and I really enjoyed our time together. I love the fact that she was really intuitive to what I was saying and showed up,” says Winston.
“Entrepreneurs are out there all by themselves, having to put things together and strategize. So, working with her has been great, being able to strategize together and help her move forward, bringing fresh new ideas to her business,” said Winston. “The main thing that Rhonda and I accomplished was strategy meetings on how to move her business forward, just so she does not feel like she’s out there all alone.”
Winston saw trying a new way to sell Faison’s product as a chance to bring fresh ideas into the business. Even though there were some early challenges, she [Winston] didn’t see them as significant obstacles, largely because of Faison’s capabilities and approach as a business owner.
“First of all, Rhonda has it all together,” says Winston. “She’s a very strong business owner, and very smart. We did work through some things that she wanted to accomplish. We talked about her credit, and how to improve that. We also looked at the possibility of her growing as a business, having projections, all different things that she needed to do in order to be successful.”
For those like Faison who don’t come from a business background, but still have that entrepreneurial spirit, she recommends the Coaching for Impact Program with Chase Bank.
For Faison, access to a person like Winston through the Coaching for Impact Program with Chase Bank during some pivotal times for her business has been a blessing that continues to shine its light on both her and her business.
“It is nice to work with someone who does have the expertise that you may not have, especially for a beginning entrepreneur,” says Faison. “Having someone like that on your team and with you on your journey can help you grow yourself and your business in different ways.”
Winston is all smiles when she talks about Faison and the tremendous strides that she has made with her business.
“I’m very, very proud of her, because the last email I received from her was saying that she has grown, that she’s busy, and that she’s outgrown her space. Which is great because I want to see her get to that next level, because she puts out a phenomenal product,” said Winston.
Finances FYI is presented by JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase is making a $30 billion commitment over the next five years to address some of the largest drivers of the racial wealth divide.
