Maintaining and improving health isn't something most people associate with attorneys, but it's the focus of Katrina I. Crawley's business, JazzyKat.
Though the 47-year-old holds a law degree and a degree in criminal justice, her career now is to keep tabs on people's health from her West Side-area business. She employs three people and five independent contractors, ranging from dietitians to personal trainers to yoga instructors. Before JazzyKat, Crawley owned a small company with her sisters that rehabbed homes for first-time buyers. She can be contacted at
[email protected] or (313) 340-0525.
Describe your business in two sentences or less?JazzyKat is a company providing physical fitness, exercise, and nutrition education.
Why did you decide to set up shop in Detroit? As a lifelong Detroiter, I could not see setting up anywhere else. My heart is in Detroit. My passion is to see our children take ownership of their own good health, and the childhood obesity crisis affects children in cities like Detroit disproportionately.
What are some of the advantages to doing business here?Having a network of people, in terms of being able to reach out to some other small business owners and those with an entrepreneurial spirit.
What do you see in Detroit that other people who live outside the city don't?There are some truly honest people with integrity that are very hard working, trying to make their lives and the city better for themselves and their children. There are people who have not given up on the city and who have a passion to see Detroit as a place where families can thrive. Everybody is not a crook or ignorant.
What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about opening a business in the Motor City? Don’t give up on your vision, push past the bureaucracy and have a thick skin.
If you could change one thing about Detroit, what would it be? The mindset that you (as one individual) can’t make a difference.
Source: Katrina I. Crawley, owner of JazzyKat
Writer: Jon Zemke
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