Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to DeNai Jones. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

DeNai, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

I founded Petunia Pickle Bottom 23 years ago, when there was a very small “white space” in the baby and juvenile industry. My husband and I were newly out of college and he was hungry to start a few businesses. We were young, had nothing to lose: no house, no kids, just innocent freedom. We concurrently started two successful businesses: Petunia Pickle Bottom and Pelago Design.

I began drawing, sewing, and sampling a very functional diaper bag, that was designed with the mother’s fashion sense in mind. I worked with a local seamstress to work through the pattern and samples. I then took the sample set to a group of sales representatives, invested a small amount of our savings into the marketing, samples, and website. More than twenty years ago, this was a time when retail “mom & pop” shops were thriving, so a domestic sales force was key. Word spread through some organic purchases from celebrities with new babies, shops couldn’t keep our diaper bag in stock, and the frenzy began. It quickly became apparent I could not keep up on my own, my dear friend Korie Conant came on for head of Marketing and Braden Jones became CEO. There was so much sacrifice, hard work, and lessons learned during this stage in the business.

I enjoyed being head designer for twenty years, traveling with my family overseas to factories, developing new products, leading a design team, taking on a Disney license, and helping to change the baby industry from dowdy to modern baby.

The lesson I learned most was, experiential learning. It is the process of learning through experience, learning through reflection– during and after. I am a passionate creative. If I believe in something: hard work, researching, finding the right people if you don’t know the “how to,” ask questions. Success, failure and learning from mistakes are all part of the growth.

We sold Petunia Pickle Bottom to a private equity firm in 2019. Now, I am currently working on soft goods and textile patterns for Orbit Baby. In addition, I channel and feed my creative self with ceramics for www.denai.com. I have a small studio and kiln in my home, where I create useful goods, as well as commissioned ceramic wall art for clients homes.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been fortunate enough to have had twenty years of creating on a rigorous design schedule for Petunia Pickle Bottom. I am deadline driven, so it was a challenge and a joy to deliver seasonally as well as for our Disney partner. As much as this was a joy, it was stressful meeting deadlines, running a business with employees, my own design team, being a wife and a mom to two boys. So, I began ceramics twice a week in the evenings for stress relief. I needed to create for creating sake, not on a deadline or a design brief. Ceramics took me to a place inside my heart and my mind that fed my soul. I was able to find the space that I fell in love with as a child, when I would create for hours. Creating through my hands is a part of who I am, no matter the medium, but business can turn that into a commodity.

Thankfully our success at business with Petunia Pickle Bottom led us to having something tangible to sell, we created a loved brand. Everything I learned over the years, now helps me to be a bit more selfish, and creative decisions are now made with boundaries in mind. It is a precarious line to balance between, creating art (in any form) and the selling / marketing of that creation. My intention now is to be mindful of the “slow making” process, exploring new concepts, taking inspiration and letting that translate into something new. I am most proud of my large ceramic wall installations. Due to their size, they are visually seen by so many, and appreciated for the time that it takes to create such a piece(s).

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being a creative is a part of my human make up. Creativity and expressing myself visually, is what brings me joy and purpose. I do love sharing my creativity with others and hearing how they experience or appreciate what I have been able to express.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2019 we sold Petunia Pickle Bottom and at the time, I was asked to stay on with the new firm and create my, “design dream team.” I was left with a very difficult decision, it was a company I founded, and it had my childhood namesake as the brand name. My husband and I had very thoughtful conversations about what we wanted for our family, my creative self, and our next chapter. With gratitude and peace I decided to step away from Petunia Pickle Bottom and take a respite. It was a difficult decision, but one I am grateful for that I had my spouse’s support and was able to listen to my own needs. I was then able to explore ceramics deeper and take on contract, design work on my own time and terms.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.denai.com
• Instagram: @d_e_n_a_i and @denai_jones
• Facebook: DeNai.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denai-jones-05a0b0129/?msgOverlay=true

Image Credits
All photos need to be credited to, Kim Baile please.