Guess what?
Open Book is baaaaack!
In case you’re wondering what Open Book is, it’s our series of interviews where we get up close and personal with amazing people and listen (or read!), learn from and become inspired by all the wonderful things they have to say.
In fact, our interviews from the last Open Book series still features amongst our most loved posts, Want to know what all the hype is about? Read our last Open Book series.
In today’s instalment of Open Book, we sit down with Nashai, who has been known as Shai since the 8th grade! She’s a small business owner of a mental health gift shop, a freelance digital marketer and a digital marketing specialist at a marketing agency.
“This young woman is educated, talented and a badass with her fingers in many pies.”
We peel back the layers of this wonderful lady and speak about mental health, therapy, motivation and how to turn a blog into a business. Let me warn you, this is one of the realest interviews I have conducted.
Please stick around and read more of her story. You won’t regret it.
Open Book with Shai
Hello Shai. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me. Tell me about yourself.
My name is Nashai, but literally, it’s been Shai Buttaa since 8th grade.
OK.
I went to La Salle University and received my BA and MBA studying Public Relations. From there, I started working at agencies. helping clients with their brand’s upkeep: digital marketing, social media marketing, paid acquisition, email marketing- everything.
On the side, I started helping other people with smaller services like cleaning up their social media and copywriting services. Others need mission statements or maybe a website done and I’ll provide those services to help. In order to get to a certain point in marketing, you have to have a budget and smaller businesses don’t. I help as much as I mentally can. We all deserve nice things.
In grade school, we had journals to let out our feelings and that kind of stuck with me and I’m just realizing as I type, just like many others, I feel like I’ve been going through shit since I could remember.
“I’m just realizing as I type, just like many others, I feel like I’ve been going through shit since I could remember.”
Let down after let down. Then growing up, life kinda lets you down sometimes. I did all the things people do on paper when they need help: when I was a kid I acted out, cried a lot, didn’t listen – the same as any teenager would do. As I got older, I started going out drinking more than I could handle. I would get angry and cry all the time. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I just felt crazy. And some friends thought the same, so I lost some of them.
Fast forward to college, those episodes and trauma turned into thoughts of not wanting to be here so at that point I really thought, “oh I’m crazy.”
In my senior year in college, I started going to therapy. I really did not think I was going to make it to graduation because I was depressed and suicidal. The push to go to therapy was from a friend.
“Actually going to therapy weekly, I would say, saved me. From there- I started to use blogging as my outlet.”
Whew, that’s a lot. What about your brand, Not a Bad Life?
My brand, Not a Bad Life, used to be called Butta Blog. I just blogged about depression, self-love, and wellness. This whole community I have and love was built off selfishness: all the things I post or talk about is me giving myself advice. It just turned out that other people felt the same way. Do you know how refreshing that is? Even at my worse moments, there are people who are like, “Shai, I get it.”
In January, I switched Butta Blog to Not a Bad Life and started the gift shop with the same goal – just to be open about what I go through and to let people know that they aren’t alone. I still struggle sometimes. But you know what, little things make me happy, like affirmations and encouraging messages. The right message can save a life. It has happened to me before. So all my products provide a push to keep going.
That is powerful. How long has it been running? Do you manage the operations alone?
My gift shop was literally a plain old blog. I wanted to make people smile and also make myself smile. I’ve been wanting to start my own online store for 4 years. I’ve has this particular idea for three years. I had my products already I just never started it because I was scared.
“One day I was thinking to myself about how I’d been blogging and writing for so long and was really getting nothing out of it.”
I loved my platform but it was either I retire it or monetize it. I thought of a gift shop – cute affordable items that make you happy. I call them mood boosters.
So how did you come up with the name, Not a Bad Life?
I always used to say, “it’s a bad day, not a bad life” and this guy told me I should name it, Not a Bad Life (instead of the name I originally had) and I said “perfect!” and ran with it. My blog overall has been running since 2014, but I opened the gift shop in March 2021!
Do you run the business alone?
Photoshoots, videos, and cute things like reels I get help with, and I love everyone who has put into it. Bam, who is a friend of mine brought two of my enamel pins and a keychain to life for me. I sketched it up and made it better and I sent it out. Those are my best sellers. The pretty pictures on my site came from Destiny who’s social name is “boujeemustard.” I always call her when I need more content.
Other than that, everything is operated by me: emails, the ads people see, the posting, the content that you see. Plus I did my own website!
What makes your giftshop stand out from the rest? What is unique about it?
My gift shop is different because everything is intentional with Not a Bad Life. Everything has a piece of me and has a story. For example, the affirmation pin is the first affirmation I wrote down when I went back to my dorm after therapy. That was when I started to open up with myself and realized that I need healing.
“Everything has a piece of me and has a story.”
Tell me about your digital marketing business. What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing is marketing online. That’s how I explain it in simplest terms. Through digital marketing, I connect my client with their target audience using different tactics such as SEO, email marketing, social media – organic or paid…and the list goes on.
I never pushed it as a business, but I guess it is right? I just always share and network with people and let them know that I do have these skills and they should contact me if they need help. Some people found me through Twitter and Instagram and others found me through word of mouth.
Are you currently taking on new clients?
Yes!
What do you enjoy most about running your businesses?
I like giving all my energy to my business and see it coming back greater. Because I know I did that and I know it’s from my hard work.
Now tell me about your full-time job
I work at a marketing agency. I’m a digital marketing specialist and have seven clients and I’m their first contact for the accounts.
What challenges come with running two businesses and working full time?
I would say time. But honestly, time management is what keeps me intact. I think my challenge is going hard for my full-time job when I want to do that for myself. I get so tired from work and dealing with everything else – when it’s time to do things for myself, I’m usually pooped!
Why do you juggle so much?
I didn’t realize I was juggling so much until this interview. If you would have asked me yesterday, I would say that I have nothing going on and I need to get it together.
Are you kidding?! Ok, what motivates you to keep going?
Sometimes I tell myself I can’t do it. Sometimes I do want to crawl in a hole and just forget everything but I can’t do that. I have a goal that I want to reach. I envision myself living a type of way and it’s very simple but I have to keep going to get there.
“I envision myself living a type of way and it’s very simple but I have to keep going to get there.”
What piece of advice can you give to anyone wanting to start a business?
I think the same advice we always hear: just do it. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it can be a little rough – but you putting it out there is the first step. Also, stay consistent. Keep going because if you don’t care we sure don’t either.
Any career advice for people at work?
Don’t overwork yourself. They really don’t care about you.
Outside of work and business, what else do you enjoy doing?
I like to work out and I like to have picnics. I love food and the sun.
“I wanna be great at all my shit – so failing would suck. But after failing you have nothing else to do but restrategize and come back stronger.”
What is next for you as a business and career woman?
I have a few projects where I’m collaborating with others through Not a Bad Life. And me and my business partner are working on our own branding company. It’s funny because I’ve found a way to combine all the things I like.
What was the last book you read? (Hello, this is a book blog!)
Jambalaya by Luisah Teish. If anyone is into spiritual healing- I recommend this book.
Where can we catch up with you on socials?
My personal social media accounts is @shaibutta on everything. And for my business, it’s @notabadlifeee. My website is notabadlife.shop.
How can someone wanting your digital marketing services get in touch with you?
nashai.catlett@gmail.com
Thank you, Shai. Honestly speaking with an incredible woman like you has been a privilege. I wish you all the best in life and business.
Please comment below if any part of Shai’s story resonates with you!
