Hidden Gems: Meet Jaleigh Friend of The Friend Club

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaleigh Friend.

Hi Jaleigh, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was raised by a young, single mother who paved her own career path and success. From an early age, I wanted that success for myself, and I knew it didn’t come easy. For the last six years, I thought a corporate career in investment banking and finance would provide the fulfillment I was looking for – it didn’t, but it taught me how to thrive in a fast-paced environment and handle challenging situations. I’ve always loved traveling to new destinations, fashion, interior design, and hosting friends – but never knew how I could channel those creative passions into a career. During the pandemic, I got engaged and married, went on my honeymoon, and became a new homeowner. Initially, during my wedding planning process, I really struggled finding a creative team who aligned with my aesthetic and vision, and it was nearly impossible to find curated inspiration. I spent countless hours scrolling through social media platforms and other websites, trying to discover people to work with & inspiration. I wanted a resource that was vetted and offered a curated list of creatives and inspiration that felt on-brand and elevated. There was nothing. Beyond the wedding space, as I traveled and bought a home, I quickly realized this same frustration held true across broader lifestyle categories like Interiors, Travel, Fashion, Cooking & more. Social media platforms are saturated and fragmented, while media is largely article-based content. There was nothing in between, and that’s how The Friend Club was born.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing when I started this company. Being a first-time founder, I was naïve and jumped off the deep end with blind conviction. There were many days it felt impossible, when I became completely overwhelmed, when I wanted to quit – but then we’d have a breakthrough, it could be big or small, and that progress kept us going. In the early days, you learn very quickly, and the lessons are painful. We wasted time pursuing dead ends, lost money, built an initial product, and ended up completely scrapping it and started over from square one. As I said… painful – but that’s also what kept us motivated. If the solution was easy, it would already be done.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Friend Club is an invite-only platform to discover high-quality creators and curated inspiration across lifestyle categories (Weddings, Interiors, Travel, Gatherings, Style, Beauty + more!) We just launched our Wedding Club and have over 450 talented creators – from wedding planners, photographers, florists, bridal designers, and more. Now, it has never been easier to discover these creators, explore their work, and contact them directly on The Friend Club. Each user has a profile where they can save content, make moodboards, and connect with creators. It’s vetted and extremely easy to navigate.

What I believe sets us apart is our curated inspiration. We have over 30,000 images organized by specific categories or hashtags where users can easily find inspiration for whatever they may be looking for.

We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from members, and we know there is so much more to come. We’re in the process of expanding our Wedding Club to include top venues and brands, meanwhile continuing to discover new, talented creatives to onboard. Looking ahead, we’re excited to add new lifestyle categories and reach a broader user base looking for inspiration and creators.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’m extremely risk-adverse, and I truly never thought I would be pursuing an entrepreneurial venture. But, the reality is, you can’t try to start a new company without taking huge risks. What I’ve come to learn and appreciate is you don’t take these risks alone. Every step of the way, my friends, family, and early members have supported me – and that’s a real source of strength.

I’ve also come to realize that my conservative nature can be positive. With each step in my startup journey, I’ve always focused on how I could de-risk a given outcome. Early on in my ideation stage, I started talking to potential members and creators, I sent out surveys – I really tried to understand if my problem was something other people experienced and spent a lot of time exploring different solutions. I will say that data and feedback can only go so far – and even with that validation, it doesn’t make it any less scary to jump. That’s where mentors, family, and friends come in. They help put things into perspective and really push you to be uncomfortable – to take that risk – whatever it is for you.

Pricing:

• It’s free to join!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thefriendclub.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefriendclub_/