"Q&A With Charreah Jackson"

June 5, 2019

Book: Boss Bride

Author: Charreah Jackson

Author Bio:

"Charreah K. Jackson is the Senior Editor for ESSENCE, touching the brand's audience of 13 million, and the author of Boss Bride: The Powerful Woman’s Playbook for Love & Success. She is a featured expert on CNN, NBC, and Sirius and her stories have been featured on Time, Fortune, Good Morning America, and The Today Show. At BossBrideTribe.com, she leads an international group of more than 1,000 women.

As a certified family life educator, Charreah provides workshops, courses, and coaching and has taught at Walt Disney World’s Dreamers Academy. She serves as a judge for The Dating Awards in the UK, US and in Amsterdam. Charreah has interviewed newsmakers from Sarah Jessica Parker to Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Her awards include Woman of the Year by The National Association of Professional Women and 2016 Editor of the Year by AAMBC Literary Awards. The Atlanta-native lives and loves in New York City."

1. Where did the idea and title of the book come from?

I wrote the book I wanted to read. As a career and dating coach, I wanted insight that combined both worlds, I wanted to know how powerful women in a modern world navigated relationships and careers. As a woman preparing for marriage and passionate about my career, I wanted to know how women I admired navigated and merged these worlds.

2. So, what is a Boss Bride?

She's a woman that fuses the characteristics of an effective boss – focused, strategic, delegator – with the best qualities of a bride at her wedding – happy, charming, living in the moment. Every woman can be a Boss Bride whether married ten years or unsure if she wants to head down the aisle. No matter your job title or relationship status, you can transform your life with the Boss Bride mentality and treat every day as your big day.

3. In your opinion, how important is it to have harmony within your business world and your personal-life world? Moreover, how do you get them to complement each other?

The goal is harmony and that the priorities in your life play together. Don’t treat your life and work as separate and work to find ways to integrate. I just spoke at Steve Harvey’s Vault and I brought my cousin with me, which was amazing. You have the power to plan your life and create a structure that works for you.

4. What did you learn about yourself through the writing process/what was your writing process like for this book?

I was writing this book before I knew I was writing a book. My first job out of college was on the digital team for ESSENCE. I managed content for the relationships section and saw so many comments from women having heartache from their relationships. I had done my college thesis on relationships and wanted to be a part of the solution.

At 24, I met a woman who invited me to her writer’s group. That was 2009. I originally wanted to write a book for college students on dating and worked on a proposal. It evolved as I did. In 2011, I signed with my agent Regina. And in 2014, the idea of Boss Bride became fleshed out. Many of the thoughts, interviews, and insight from the last 10 years are in this book.

5. What qualities do you look for in an 'Empire Builder' (AKA a spouse that helps you accomplish your dreams)?

Pay attention to character!

6. What is the best advice you have ever received on happiness?

You have everything you need to create a life you love. That includes tapping into the people around you to get support. The last chapter of the book is Happily Ever Now, and it breaks down how to fall in love with the life you have - and manifest your desires. The formula I share got me to Oprah’s house!

7. What is the best book you have read this year?

Becoming by Michelle Obama!

8. Do you plan on writing more books in the future?

I do! I’m still getting this one out in the world but in a few years, I will be back.