Dr. Lana J. Ford is a New Orleans based audiologist, founder, and entrepreneur that serves as an advocate for musicians’ health. Since providing award-winning artists like Drake with audio/in-ear systems, Dr. J has launched her own luxury earwear called Jrumz to let music lovers enjoy songs at the sound quality that they deserve to be heard. These earphones’ custom hearing technology place Jrumz on a stage of its own.
Can you tell everyone who is Dr. Lana J. Ford?
I come from very humble beginnings. I was raised by a single mom in an underserved community. As a little girl, I had a speech impediment. I was bullied and teased because of it and suffered from low self-esteem. However, 8 years later, my mom finally found a speech therapist to treat my condition. It only took 3 months before I was completely cured of my speech impediment. This, as well as being a member of the sign language ministry at my church, is what led me to pursue a career as an audiologist and ultimately start High-Level Speech & Hearing Center. I wanted to increase access to speech and hearing services for kids who grew up in underserved communities like me.
At High-Level Speech & Hearing Center we help over 15,000 patients annually. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with many Grammy award-winning music artists. These artists helped me realize that there was a problem with the quality of the earphones they use. Most earphones were loud, but not clear. Research suggests that listening to loud noise for long durations increases your risk of noise-induced hearing loss (which is the most common type of hearing loss). As an audiologist and advocate for musicians, I wanted to solve this problem and create good quality, hearing, health-conscious earphones that musicians and all people could enjoy and utilize daily. So, I created Jrumz Ear Wear Company, becoming one of the first women to launch an earphone brand.
Aside from my business ventures, my absolute favorite thing to do is give back to youth through the Dr. Lana Joseph-Ford Foundation. This is where I make the biggest impact.
Can you tell us what is Jrumz ear wear and what motivated you to create the earwear?
JRUMZ are luxury, custom, hearing health-conscious earphones made especially for audiophiles, musicians, and people who enjoy listening to music. Musicians and music artists have been the inspiration for JRUMZ. They often come to me in search of solutions to enhance their performance on stage. Unfortunately, the solutions that were out there prior to launching Jrumz lacked the sound clarity they needed. After researching the issue, I realized ordinary people were also having the same issues with their everyday earbuds. People complained about ear pain from AirPods, their beats were unclear, and their earbuds kept falling out of their ears. As an audiologist and expert in sound and the anatomy of the ear, I have the knowledge and skills needed to close the gap between musicians and everyday people.
Can you explain what is an audiologist & hearing health expert?
An audiologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats patients’ hearing, balance, or related ear problems. We assess the frequencies that people have difficulty hearing and prescribe treatment based on scientific research and technology. This treatment can range from assisting a musician with in-the-ear monitors to assisting a surgeon during cochlear implant surgery.
Being a celebrity audiologist & hearing health expert, how did this background assist in creating luxury earwear?
Having the opportunity to interact and socialize with different types of people gave me an idea of how I can make earphones that sound amazing and are hearing health-centric. As an audiologist, having knowledge of frequencies and decibels, I am able to merge my education and knowledge with my love for music to create a beautiful product with superior performance. My contribution to the music industry is a bit unique. However, since so many of my patients complained of noise-induced hearing loss, I knew it was important to create a listening device that not only sounds clear but could also reduce the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in the future.
Being that the industry is considered oversaturated with earbud technology products, what makes Jrumz Ear Wear different?
Jrumz is a true industry disruptor. Not only are we a Black woman-owned, luxury brand, that offers safe sound quality and the custom fit of earphones but also the very first hybrid earphones that transition between Bluetooth and wired. This allows people to engage in their daily activities without having to worry about losing their connection to the world. Typical earphones like Airpods or Beats don’t allow you to do this with one model. The Jrumz earphones provide sound clarity, comfort, customized fit, and enhanced sound quality. All these things contribute to improving the listening experience that is currently available with other options.
One of the biggest complaints when it comes to earbuds is the right fit, either someone’s ears are too small or too big. Does Jrumz earwear offer sizers for people with different ear sizes?
We offer customizable ear tips that are made with our patented hypoallergenic silicone material. Custom Jrumz, as we call them, maybe purchased on our website. Once the purchase is made, our concierge team will reach out to the client and schedule an appointment with one of our audiologists. There is no additional fee for this appointment. Our audiologist will take an impression of the client’s ear and utilize our advanced 3D scanning technology to create a custom ear tip based on the anatomy of their individual ear.
What advice can you provide to those that would like to start a small business, women-owned business?
As a Black woman who has endured her fair share of adversity in business, I am a firm believer that Black women are capable of starting and scaling successful businesses. It is a long and tedious process, but we can do it. Nothing is impossible with the right amount of passion, hard work, and drive. Know your numbers. Understand your metrics. Set your goals and achieve them. Lastly, remember that “No” only means “Not right now.”
What would you like our viewers to gain from this interview?
I would like your viewers to know that they now have better listening options than Airpods and Beats. Jrumz Ear Wear is here to bring them the best quality earphones and completely elevate their listening experience. We are a high-end, black woman-owned luxury brand. We are here to disrupt the earphone industry, and we look forward to doing so with the well-being of all music lovers in mind. Not only are we prepared to make a huge splash within the U.S., but all over the world. Jrumz Ear Wear was created for the best sound and designed for everywhere.
How can people connect with you to learn more, as well as continue to follow Jrumz earwear?
Website: Jrumz Ear Wear at www.jrumzearwear.com
Instagram: @drjthehearingdoc @jrumzearwear
Facebook: @jrumzearwear1
Photos courtesy of Nyejah Bolds
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