Jaden Smith is an activist, actor, rapper, and founder of his own sustainable and ethically sourced drinking water company, JUST Water. He came to the stage at Zot Talks, to share insights about his ventures in sustainable entrepreneurship and contributing to social good, his experience navigating stardom, and his philosophy on staying true to yourself throughout the challenges of fame.
As Smith walked into the room, an air of anticipation and excitement filled the audience, as they all began cheering for him, some fans even screaming that they loved him. Smith had a carefree, positive attitude, as he greeted us walking in. He didn’t exude the vibe of a celebrity, instead, he felt like a mutual peer and appeared humble. I didn’t know much about Smith initially, but I was intrigued to learn from the audience’s energy. The interviewer dove into the interview a few minutes later, allowing us to get a glimpse of life through the eyes of Jaden Smith.
Smith’s venture into sustainability began with a life-changing childhood experience. “I had an environmentalist teacher when I was 10 who opened my eyes to the impact of plastic in the oceans,” he shared. He also had a friend who created another ethically sourced company built around sustainability, and together they laid the foundation for JUST Water, his ethically sourced drinking water company aimed at reducing plastic waste.
Despite his noble intentions, Smith acknowledged the challenges he faced in building his brand. “We’ve encountered manufacturing hurdles, like refining our aluminum lining and transitioning to sugarcane packaging,” he explained. These obstacles show the struggles when creating a sustainable entrepreneurship business in a demanding market.
Engaging with Gen-Z on sustainability practices is important for Smith, but he also likes to keep in mind that he will have more success speaking with individuals who will share his vision. “I try to find like-minded people who share my views and encourage them to take action, but I realized you have to talk to people who want to learn about the political and economic state of the world. I feel like JUST Water has helped me raise awareness of sustainability, as I do things in the name of the brand, and it is more natural that way,” he noted, also hinting at an earlier meme featuring him within his response. Through JUST Water, Smith promotes sustainability and encourages others to take proactive steps towards a greener future.
Navigating the public eye from a young age has taught Smith valuable lessons about authenticity and self-acceptance. Smith was asked about what problems he’s faced growing up in the public eye. He remarked, “I learned that everyone isn’t going to like you, and people try to do things that make others like them, and I have as well, but I learned that everyone has their interests, and it doesn’t change you or what you do, and I constantly see people trying to change and fit in, but I feel that it’s more important that you remain true to yourself and do things for you”. Smith reflects and says, “I feel that humans are creative beings and that their creative in general, and I feel like everyone has songs, clothes, things going on and I feel that being creative is a part of daily life. And that some people pay attention more to what creative aspect they partake in.”
When asked about balancing trends and staying true to yourself, Smith emphasized the importance of social media as a platform for giving rather than receiving. “Social media is great, I like to give to social media but I don’t focus on receiving from it because I usually don’t like what I receive back, so I try to give instead of taking anything in. I prefer to contribute positively,” he shared.
When asked about how he finds his style and actively breaks barriers surrounding fashion, Smith remarks, “Style is a personal thing. People can take things in and fashion is a way of expressing how you feel about the world and how you see others.”
Smith was asked about what trends he would like to leave behind in 2024. Looking ahead, Smith expressed a desire to leave behind certain fashion trends while embracing new ones. “I’m ready to get rid of the pearls,” he joked, hinting at his evolving fashion sense. “I used to wear fake pearls all the time, and I want to leave them behind and not wear them around my neck anymore, for myself”, he says. Yet, his vision for 2025 includes reviving unconventional style.
Looking ahead to 2025, Smith predicted a resurgence of nostalgic fashion trends and advocated for increased thrifting and upcycling. “New Balance and 2000s vibes, like the big baggy t-shirts and ankle bands and wristbands. I hope thrifting becomes more of a trend, using old clothes, and reusing more old clothes”, he observed, urging a shift towards sustainable fashion practices. “I really love the trend of people wearing castles on their heads, and I want to bring that back”, Smith jokingly says, referring to his 2025 Grammy Awards outfit.
Smith was asked about what inspires him in life. He remarked, “My family inspires me daily. I was only at the Grammys because my sister was nominated for 2 songs. My dad would tell me this saying a lot. He would say show me the five people that you surround yourself with and I’ll show you your future. I took that saying to heart and took it seriously. If you use a camera every day and you work at Universal Studios versus someone who does that too but doesn’t work at Universal Studios, I would consider both of those people to be directors. Those are the Rick Owens of the world. The people who never stop. It is important to be around people who push you to be better and people who inspire you versus negative people. My parents inspire me to be as great as I possibly can be.” This philosophy shapes his pursuit of excellence both in his creative endeavors and social impact initiatives.
Despite his achievements, Smith remains grounded, defining success on his terms. “We all have to decide what is success for us. When I went to Flint Michigan and gave water to people, that was a success for me. When someone came to me and cried and said your album changed my life, that was a success for me. The way that person felt about my album, I felt that way about Kid Cudi, and I knew what he was feeling. To everyone, follow your metric of success. If you follow everyone else’s metric, then you’re following other people. Create your own metric of what success is to you because I feel that awards can sometimes be that. You have to have your own metrics of success so you keep going,” he asserted.
Combatting writer’s block and burnout, Smith employs a versatile approach, shifting between creative outlets to maintain momentum and inspiration. Smith says, “I will just switch everything, I decide I’m gonna stop writing, I’m gonna design shoes, and then I tell myself when I’m doing that (designing shoes), that I need to be rapping. I just start flip-flopping, or work with someone else and then get right back to what I’m working on.” His ability to fight writer’s block reflects how a resilient mindset is essential for sustained artistic and entrepreneurial success.
Addressing the issue of fast fashion, Smith advocated for innovative recycling solutions within the industry. Smith notes that he and his team visited a factory before coming to speak on Zot Talks. “We actually came from a factory before coming here. I feel like something we need to do in the fashion industry is tear up old clothes and chemically treat them to use them as insolation inside old walls as a form of recycling. It can be extremely lucrative for manufacturers. We need to take old clothes and turn them into something else,” he suggested, highlighting the potential for environmental stewardship in fashion manufacturing.
At this point, the audience members were allowed to ask questions. Smith was asked if he had a secret talent that no one knew about in the public eye. Beyond his public persona, Smith shared a lesser-known talent for carpentry. “I can build shelves and build things. I built all the studio desks in my studio and painted them rainbow colors. I can build a bed, I even tried building a pyramid once too,” he revealed, showcasing his diverse interests beyond entertainment and entrepreneurship.
Another audience member asked Smith if he had a top goal on his bucket list. As he continues to pursue his passions, Smith’s bucket list includes a pilgrimage to the Pyramids of Giza, embodying his adventurous spirit and thirst for cultural exploration. “I want to go to the pyramids of Giza. I’d bring my measuring tape, my square, and my sleeping bag, and I would wanna go to Egypt,” he jokingly remarks.
Smith imparted a heartfelt piece of advice to the audience: “I can’t stress how important whatever you have in your head is. It will change the world. This building that we are in was an idea in someone else’s head and here it is now. Whatever your passion is, chase it down the rabbit hole, even if you don’t end up where you think you will, you could end up somewhere better. You have to follow your dreams, your passions, and it’s important that your guy’s ideas see the light of day, it has to happen.” His journey from a young actor to a trailblazing entrepreneur and advocate shows the impact of passion and perseverance in his life.
Reflecting on his musical influences, Smith credited Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon album for shaping his worldview and artistic identity. “Man on the Moon by Kid Cudi changed my life. It hit me when I was 12, but it really changed me and spoke to me, everything he had to say, his perspective on the world. I really admire him and his work,” he acknowledged, emphasizing the impact of music in shaping his creative journey.Overall, I enjoyed hearing Smith speak at Zot Talks. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard he would be speaking, let alone what he would say when I saw him walk into the room. I had previously known him for many things. I first saw him through his role in the Karate Kid movie, and later on knew him as the son of Will and Jada Smith. As I grew up, I then knew him as Willow Smith’s brother. But I never knew him as a real person. During Zot Talks, we all were able to see him as Jaden Smith, not a character on a screen, or through a family member. It was refreshing to meet him as a person and get to know him through his stories and passions. I expected his advice to us all to be a cliche testament, and while it was in some ways, it was also very inspiring and true when you apply it to other areas of your life. Jaden Smith’s presence at Zot Talks was not just a testament to all his talents but was inspiring for all generations committed to sustainability, self-expression, and making a positive impact on the world. His words and actions shared with all of us the importance of activism, and following your dreams.