Quick Question
Snaps global head of fashion and beauty on tech, style, and knowing your worth.
It was a train ride that changed everything forRajni Jacques.
I sat on a New Jersey Transit train, and there was a woman sitting in front of me.
She had anEssencemagazine, and I remember being like, Oh, wow, that cover looks so awesome.
Jacques struck up a conversation with the woman, who said that she worked at the magazine.
It was the first time Jacques realized that you couldactuallypursue a career in publishing.
I was still in college, she recalls.
I was just so fascinated by it.
Wow, she works at a magazine for women of color.
The rest, as they say, is history.
But that climb came with its share of setbacks.
It was very hard to maneuver into spaces.
Representation is so key.
AR shopping makes the products more personable and accessible, she says.
You could be sitting at home and its like wow, Im trying on Fendi glasses.
If you were at the mall, would you necessarily go to the Fendi or the Louis Vuitton store?
It democratizes it in a way.
Take us back to when you decided to leave the publishing world for the tech world.
I saw where fashion was headed.
I had been in editorial for so long.
I felt like I had accomplished a lot.
It was just a moment of, It feels right to do this now.
When you look back on your journey, what surprises you the most?
That I work in fashion.
Not because I didnt want to do it.
I just didnt see it.
Also my family around me, no one worked in fashion.
No one really worked in the arts.
It was very far for me.
It wasnt close to home.
I still cant believe I actually worked in media and that Im working in fashion.
Whats the most valuable business advice youve ever received?
Always trust your gut.
Theres an intuition that just lies inside of you where you just know.
You just feel it.
Once you get that feeling, never go against that.
Ive used that a lot, like when getting job interviews or getting tasked to do things.
Trusting your gut and knowing what feels right for you is important.
Dont worry too much about whats trending.
Whats good for you?
On the flip side, whats the worst business advice youve ever received?
Take what they give you.
Thats coming from more of a monetary stance.
Dont take what they are giving you.
Theyre actually coming to you, so negotiate yourself.
Wherever youre going job-wise, verify you know and understand the pros and cons.
And then take it from there.
What are you working on right now at Snap?
We have hundreds of fashion and beauty Lenses on Snapchat that anyone can shop from today.
How do you define leadership?
What does a good, successful leader look like to you?
Someone who nurtures their team.
Theyre motivated, but also have different interests from you.
I love to run a team that is very democratic.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
This article was originally published onFeb.
