Meet Trailblazer Jazmen Marie Noe’lani

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazmen Marie Noe’lani.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started “Exceptionalsd” because I want to give people what I was looking for as well as help out local businesses. I love finding and trying new places and would always look to yelp. However, I found the majority of the reviews annoying, just finding reviews that didn’t rant and told you what was pictured seem to be a task to find. And one thing that bothered me the most was when someone had a negative experience, instead of tactfully saying what occurred and offering suggestions as to how to avoid the same thing happening again, they would just bash the business. I wanted to change that and I knew that change would not be found unless I created it. So, “Exceptionalsd” was born! I started out by using Twitter, but then after about a year or so, I then switched over to Instagram because I noticed more people were using that platform, versus Twitter. My goal with Exceptionalsd is to give exposure to local businesses here in San Diego, as well as offering honest reviews that will help businesses to thrive, grow and improve. Well at the same time opening peoples eyes to the wonderful businesses that call San Diego home.

Has it been a smooth road?
In the beginning, I felt like my reviews weren’t doing any good. It seemed like the only person reading them was me. But I kept on posting and reviewing because I had faith and confidence that sooner or later, the businesses themselves, as well as those seeking out new places, would find my reviews and appreciate them. With my persistence, I now have people following me that I don’t know, the businesses reach out to me and tell me that they appreciate my posts and people always tell me how my pictures make them hungry. But the greatest reward of it all is when I see that people don’t just like my posts, but they actually go to the places I reviewed.

My advice to others would be to have confidence, patience, and determination. Yes, there are going to be times where you want to give up, and you’re going to think that what you are doing isn’t making any difference or impact. You just need to remember that there are always going to be times where you will feel like this but if you keep your goal in mind, whatever that may be, you’ll see in time your patience, confidence and determination will reward you! Also, you may have people who won’t support you including your own friends and family and who will tell you your wasting your time, but do your best to not let this affect you. Ignore them. You’ll always have ‘haters” as they say, so the sooner you start to ignore their negativity, the easier it will get with time.

We’d love to hear more about Exceptionalsd.
I specialize in helping local businesses get exposure. The majority of my posts are food related but I don’t just focus on food. Any business that is local to San Diego, regardless of what they offer, I will review. What I am most proud of is introducing people to businesses that they may not have heard of as well as bringing clientele to those places. What sets me apart from others is that I don’t just focus on one thing like fashion or food, but I focus on anything and everything local. I am not sponsored and I don’t follow a bunch of random people in hopes that they will follow me back. Lol!

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
The app that I like to use sometimes when I post is “Pixlr”. I love the way it enhances my photos! I like to use the sharpening effect and I like adjusting the brightness levels. My friend, Albs, better known as Alberto Sanchez showed me this app and I’ve been using it ever since. I also like using Snapchat to take pictures, because I am a huge fan of filters, specifically bear filters. Ha, ha!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jazmenmarienoelani.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/exceptional_sd

Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.