Born and raised in Las Vegas, Juanita Gray moved to Massillon when she was 14 years old.
She graduated from Massillon Washington High School where she ran track throughout high school and broke a lot of records while on the district’s girl’s relay team.
Gray would receive a full ride track scholarship from Walsh University making him the first college graduate in his family. She earned a bachelor’s degree from in May 2022 in digital marketing. She is a child of deaf parents.
“I grew up translating for my parents, and I am fluent in ASL (American Sign Language),” Gray said. “My mother taught me sign language when I was a baby, and I use it every day to communicate with my family.”
She still lives in Massillon and works with the Stark County Minority Business Association.
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“I wanted to work for SCMBA because of my passion for entrepreneurship, helping people build their dreams, and being able to have a voice for those in the community that look like me,” Gray said. “When I was in college, I started my own hair business to help pay for some expenses on campus such as books and other materials. The name of the business was StylezbyNita.
“I started this business because I noticed that there was a strong need for minorities to get their hair done on campus, but they either couldn’t afford it or simply didn’t know of anyone in the area who could do their hair. . .. The passion I had for my business while I was in school is the same passion I bring with me to work every day when I help minorities in the community by building their business.”
Would you share details about the Stark County Minority Business Association (its mission, vision, and focus)?
The Stark County Minority Business Association is a non-profit organization that focuses on fostering the development and growth of minority businesses in Stark County.
Our mission is to increase the amount of business coming to minorities and women in the greater Stark County area. Our vision is to create a self-sustaining business community fueled by those members who have created sustainable businesses and jobs.
Our organization considers anyone who is a woman, veteran or person of color as a minority. We offer so many resources to small business owners along the lines of networking, access to capital, business plans, and more.
Our goal is to enhance partnerships between minority business members and majority-owned businesses to create a greater economic impact. Minority-owned businesses will experience economic stability and job growth while majority-owned businesses and corporations will be able to fill supply chain needs.
What are the specific tasks and duties you do for the association?
At the Stark County Minority Business Association, I am the marketing and membership coordinator.
On the marketing side, I manage our social media accounts, develop creative and branded materials such as our bi-monthly newsletters, flyers and brochures and even consult with our members about their marketing needs and the struggles they may face while working on their businesses.
On the membership side, I am the first to see friendly face people when they are interested in learning more about what we do. I spend a lot of time in the community building relationships with small businesses and letting people know who we are, and the valuable resources we offer for businesses in need.
Working with our membership, I ensure that all our members see the value in being a member and that they are engaged and involved in what we have to offer. I am also a strong advocate for our members, and I demonstrate this by hosting a cash mob at a minority business every month.
Why did you decide to work in marketing?
I decided to work in marketing because it allows me to be creative and think outside the box. I am passionate about social media marketing, and I enjoy being the voice of a company and bringing specific needs and resources to those that may need them.
As the world is changing and becoming more tech-focused, so is marketing. So many people think that social media is just a platform to post random things, but it’s so much more than just posting to post. Social media is a strategic tool to grow an online community and connect you to your customers to truly build that relationship and trust.
I love working in social media marketing because it combines so many different aspects — photography, marketing, communication, pop culture, and more. It’s a sector that appeals to people from all different walks of life and allows you to build relationships both in person and online.
Would you list some of the greatest strengths you think Stark County has to offer minority-owned small businesses?
I think the greatest strengths the Stark County Minority Business Association offers are job creation through entrepreneurship and business development, increasing opportunities for existing minority businesses to grow and develop in Stark County and advocacy for minority businesses.
Do you have a special skill or talent or two that most people would be surprised to learn about?
A special skill most people would be surprised to learn from me is my digital creativity. I love creating digital art and making fun graphics on my iPad.
I also love all things social, so creating user-generated content on social media and making videos on TikTok is what I love and what I’m good at! I use TikTok to bring awareness about the Deaf community, and I create informative videos to spread knowledge and connect with those who relate to me upbringing.
I currently have more than 40,000 followers on TikTok that connect with me, and I am so excited to see where I grow from here.
Editor’s note: Five questions with … is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you’d like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to [email protected].
