Meet Ms. Jai (Josette Holness), a resilient strategist and visionary leader with over 30 years of experience in operations, leadership, and community development. Through her philosophy of the “positive drip cycle” and her company EMPIRE by Design, she empowers individuals and businesses to create sustainable systems that fuel growth, resilience, and purpose. Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature her journey to inspire our community of 5 million members—championing both He for She and She for She—to embrace strength, innovation, and self-awareness in building a better future.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself and what drives your work?
A: I’m a driven, resilient, innovative, and progressive strategist who helps people level up their “body”—their business operations, systems, and strategies. Over the years, I’ve worked in operations, logistics, leadership, and project management, as well as in community development supporting low-income families. What I realized is that many of us, especially women, can get stuck in a negative “drip cycle”—so focused on what we do that we forget to nurture who we are. This often leads to demotivation, resistance, isolation, and even pity. My goal is to break that cycle and help people rebuild themselves and their businesses through a positive drip cycle: drive, resilience, innovation, and progression.
Q: That’s powerful. Can you explain more about your “positive drip cycle” philosophy?
A: Absolutely. It starts with drive—knowing what you want and taking action. Then comes resilience—getting back up when you fall instead of giving in to resistance. From there, you tap into innovation—opening your mind to new ways of growing. And finally, progression—continuously developing who you are and how you show up in your business and life. This cycle has become the foundation of my work.
Q: What kind of people or organizations do you work with?
A: I work with solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and organizations of all sizes. Startups need help building a strong foundation, while larger organizations often need to revisit their systems for sustainability and growth. Whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or a not-for-profit, the fundamentals of leadership and innovation remain the same—what matters is how you delegate, adapt, and build communities that sustain your vision.
Q: Would you describe your work as business coaching?
A: It is business coaching, but it’s very strategic. I focus on the human side of business—helping CEOs and leaders understand not just the technical side but also the language and mindset needed to succeed. A business is like a baby: it needs to be nurtured step by step. My job is to guide people in spoon-feeding their business until it can grow and thrive on its own.
Q: With all that experience, what challenges do you face personally or professionally?
A: Honestly, my biggest challenge is personal care—making sure I prioritize my physical health while managing clients and projects. It’s easy to get caught up in the grind and forget to stretch, meditate, or exercise. I’ve made progress—I’ve dropped about 40–50 pounds with my trainer—but mastering balance is ongoing. Professionally, I’ve always been a high producer, so the challenge is more about pacing myself and ensuring I sustain that balance.
Q: What message would you like to leave with our readers?
A: Continue developing your knowledge, skill, and capacity. Level up your drive, resilience, innovation, and progression, and put real systems in place for your business. I live by the three C’s: Commitment—stay committed to who you want to be; Consistency—show up every day and give your best; and Community—be part of one and build your own. That’s the key to long-term growth and success.
“Keep your head in the skies, spread your wings, and let’s fly.” – Ms. Jai
Connect with Ms. Jai:
You can connect with her on https://www.linkedin.com/in/ms-jai-holness-47683252/
Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com.
