Today we’d like to introduce you to Jag Bains
Hi Jag, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m Jagateshwar Singh Bains, a first generation Punjabi, Sikh American. I was born and raised in a very small town called Omak, in the rural areas of Washington state. In fact, my family was the first Sikh family in our town, so as someone who ties a turban every day, I learned at an early age what it meant to stand out. Not only did none of my peers look like me, very few people in our town had ever met someone who was Sikh. In a post September 11th world, there was a lot of fear going around targeted at people who wear turbans, and this was no different in our town. Whether it was fear, ignorance, or hate, my family and I faced this head on. Growing up, any time I was in public, I would immediately crawl into my shell and become very shy, but then I realized I have the power to change people’s perceptions of myself, my family, and my community by being my outgoing and loving self that I was in the walls of my home. So in my teenage years, I committed myself to spending all my time volunteering in the community, taking on leadership roles at various organizations at my school, and becoming a positive representation of my Sikh community. This same drive led me to apply to the CBS reality show, Big Brother. I didn’t grow up seeing people who looked like me on the TV screen, and I was determined to change that. In all 25 of its years and hundreds of contestants that are meant to be a representation of our country, there has never been a Sikh houseguest on Big Brother. Dedicated to representing my Sikh community and continuing to break barriers, I’m grateful to share that I became the first Sikh houseguest on Big Brother and when it was all said and done, I was crowned the first Sikh winner of the show.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m blessed to be in a position where I stand out. As someone who is Sikh and ties a turban everyday, I’m often the only person in a room who looks like me. I see this as an incredible opportunity to not only be myself, but to represent my community. This also comes with a price. I have often dealt with implicit biases to outright forms of bigotry and racism. However, I used this as motivation to push myself more, to become a better person each day and to share my authentic self with others. This has taught me to lean on my support system and shown me it’s okay to be bold.
We’ve been impressed with NOVA Creator Agency & New Havens, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My parents, my aunts, uncles, my cousins, everyone has a business mindset. Dream hard and work harder. I’m no different. To no one’s surprise, I grew up with the ambition to start my own business as well.
After Big Brother, I found myself spending a lot of time live streaming on TikTok and building my community on the app while learning about the ins and outs of how to be successful as a live streamer. Using all of that knowledge and ambition, I’m excited to share that I recently launched a TikTok Live and Shop Agency with co-founder and brother, Jas, called NOVA Creator Agency. We focus on helping creators build their following, generate revenue on TikTok, and work with brands. As not only an entrepreneur but a content creator myself, I wanted to create an agency that was built by creators for creators. And the best part is that we don’t take anything from our creators– our agency is completely free to join!
On top of NOVA Creator Agency, I’m also a co-founder of New Havens, a real estate referral company where we connect buyers and sellers with agents who specialize in serving their needs. As real estate agents ourselves, we know how important it is to find the right agent and how difficult and time-consuming this can be. So we take the guesswork out of the equation and handle it for our clients by using our extensive network and database to find the perfect real estate agent based on their experience, specialty, location, and a number of other factors. And just like NOVA, our service is free for our clients!
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My biggest resource always has been and always will be my support network. I constantly turn to my friends and family for advice, to bounce ideas off of them, and to learn from them. I’ve found that networking, learning from people’s experiences, and asking questions has allowed me to build connections and grow my community. This has aided me more than any book or app ever has.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newhavens.xyz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejagbains/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejagbains
