Besides helping people forge relationships with individuals all across the world, social media is especially useful in this age of technology for its ability to assist individuals in making a career out of being themselves. Jayda Cheaves is perhaps one of the biggest examples of using various platforms for monetary gain, exposure and long-term influence.
Fans were first introduced to Cheaves as the girlfriend of rapper Lil Baby four years ago. The Savannah, Georgia, native quickly blossomed into a businesswoman after starting an online retail shop selling clothing and hair. Now, she has accumulated 6 million-plus followers on Instagram alone, and from the looks of things, she has no plans of slowing down.
Now appearing in campaigns for Savage x Fenty and Fashion Nova, as well as an upcoming film, read on to see how Cheaves successfully built an empire from the ground up.
Cheaves and Lil Baby share a son
Cheaves and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Lil Baby welcomed son Loyal Armani Jones on Feb. 18, 2019. According to his Instagram, Loyal released his first book A Day with Loyal on his second birthday this year.
Loyal is Cheaves' first child and the second child of Lil Baby (born Dominique Jones); the Atlanta-born rapper has an older son with ex-girlfriend Ayesha.
Cheaves started her business selling clothing on Poshmark
For a sit-down with Rolling Out in 2018, Cheaves said her clothes would "sell out in minutes" on resell marketplace Poshmark.
"So, it was, like, instead of selling clothes on Poshmark, I was, like, I could just start my own brand, so I started my own website. Since then, I just had it in me to be my own boss and to be [an] entrepreneur."
Keep in mind, that was just apparel. When asked how much she made selling hair, Cheaves revealed to the outlet that between 2016 and 2018, she made a whopping $2.5 million.
Cheaves is also a published author
Loyal Armani must have gotten the writing itch from his mother because Cheaves is also a published author. Her debut project, The Young Boss Blueprint, came out in 2018.
"A lot of people used to message me saying, 'What can I do to become a boss?' or 'What can I do to be where you’re at?'" Cheaves told Rolling Out about her decision to author a book. "I just got sick of responding to DMs all the time. I’m that type of person where, if I see you need help, I’m going to help you. So I wrote a book. It’s 14 steps on how to become a young boss. It tells you how to get your business license, the paperwork you need to sell online and all the steps I took to get to where I’m at."
She is set to make her acting debut next year
In addition to being an entrepreneur, author, influencer and mom, the title of actress can also be added to Cheaves' résumé. She is set to star in the upcoming film Bid for Love. She shared an image from the set on June 9, suggesting the name of her character is "Juvie."
Below is IMDB's summary of the forthcoming flick:
"After being injured and doing a bid in prison due to Memphis, her former drug trafficking boyfriend, Sasha comes out into the arms of Malik. Malik spoils her with gifts and gets her a job at his real estate office. However, Malik constantly uses his gifts and her past against her to keep her in his grasp. A lovestruck Sasha falls head over heels for Malik, who slowly attempts to alienate her from her close ones and secretly plots against her. Her therapist and unexpected new friends open her eyes to her history of relationships and give her advice on how to deal with them and getting her life back."
Bid for Love also stars reality TV personality Tami Roman and former Saints and Sinners star Dawn Halfkenny.
It's really Jayda Cheaves' world and we're just living in it.
