Startup Story
Kelly Jean Ouchim Valigy is a dynamic marketing and creative professional with a strong background in strategic planning and communications. As the Founder & General Director of Jean Consulting & Services in Mozambique, she leads a forward-thinking team that delivers creative marketing solutions tailored to help brands stand out in competitive markets. With extensive experience in marketing and copy editing, Kelly has successfully navigated roles in account management, community engagement, and content creation. Her expertise spans various industries, where she has spearheaded branding initiatives, digital marketing strategies, and impactful campaigns.
Beyond her leadership at JEAN, Kelly is the founder of Mozafria, a platform dedicated to celebrating and supporting the creative community in Mozambique. Her passion for the arts seamlessly blends with her strategic mindset, allowing her to craft compelling brand narratives and innovative marketing approaches. Fluent in Portuguese, English, and French, Kelly’s international perspective, combined with her experience in corporate and creative environments, makes her a versatile and influential force in the marketing industry.
LoA spoke to creative powerhouse, Kelly Jean Valigy, about her entrepreneurial journey, her love of storytelling in all its genres, and her vision for the business going forward.
“After years of working for others — in agencies, on freelance projects, in the heart of marketing and communication — I realized something: if they could build it, so could I.”
What does your company do?
At Jean we are in the business of providing a range of specialist Marketing and Communication Services to our clients. From creative storytelling to purposeful pursuits, Jean exists to shape stories, spark movements, and bring meaning where it matters most. Strategic yet soulful, anchored in authenticity, and driven by ambition — Jean leads with purpose and lights the way with joy. With a playful edge and a professional soul, Jean flows across voices, visions, and ventures — connecting ideas with intention and heart. It’s not just a brand — it’s a space where creativity thrives, relationships grow, and every idea feels like it belongs. — Jean - Where ideas come home.
What inspired you to start your company?
After years of working for others — in agencies, on freelance projects, in the heart of marketing and communication — I realized something: if they could build it, so could I. I had the skills, the vision, and most of all, the hunger to create something of my own. I wanted a space where I could learn, experiment, and grow without the fear of letting someone else down.
Starting a company in a market as unpredictable as Mozambique isn’t easy. It takes grit. But that’s where ambition, resilience, and community come in. I'm endlessly grateful to the people who believe in me — especially when I forget to believe in myself.
Jean was born from a simple belief: that ideas, when nurtured with soul and strategy, can change everything.
What makes your business, service or product special?
I'd say it's soul. Anyone can do what we do. Our service area is quite popular. But, it's more about who is doing it and how it's done.
Tell us a little about your team
We’re a small team, but everything we do is powered by passion and purpose. I don’t believe in doing it all alone — and I don’t have to. The people who work with me are incredibly talented, the kind of professionals who could thrive anywhere — yet they chose to believe in this vision. In me. Through every high and low, they show up. They bring their brilliance, their resilience, and their heart.
They are JEAN.
“Jean was born from a simple belief: that ideas, when nurtured with soul and strategy, can change everything.”
“Starting a company in a market as unpredictable as Mozambique isn’t easy. It takes grit. But that’s where ambition, resilience, and community come in.”
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
It’s only been a few months, but with everything I’ve gone through so far, it feels like a lifetime. I may be a newcomer in the world of entrepreneurship, but I’m embracing every part of the journey — the highs, the hurdles, and all the growth in between.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Learning. The growth.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
The hardest part is starting. If you can do that, you can do it all. It starts with believing you can.
Find out more
Email: kellyjeanvaligy@gmail.com
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jean-consulting-services/
Why LoA loves it…
To succeed in the world of entrepreneurship requires a combination of passion, know-how, determination, and importantly, the ability to see a gap in the market and leverage key skills and networks to fill that gap with something unique. Kelly Jean Valigy brings all that and more to the table for her clients. She harnesses a real talent for storytelling, combined with strong strategic thinking and a hugely creative eye for what works in the marketplace. The result is that her clients’ brands and businesses get noticed and talked about by customers. This is a business to watch as it grows and thrives over the coming months and years. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa