Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Julia Robinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Julia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
What it takes to be successful is consistency, dedication, some late nights of working, putting your best foot forward, and a great support system. Success for sure is not an overnight venture or for the weak. You constantly have to think of creative and innovative ways to keep up with trends but stay true to originality. Giving up is never an option when talking about success. I’ve learned that there will be lots of challenges you will meet head-on, but what you decide to do in those moments can actually make or break you. From experience, my words of advice for those wanting to be a success in their business ventures is to remain humble and patient in challenging moments. Take some time to reset, which helps to get me back on track.
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
My name is Julia Robinson I am a thriving entrepreneur. I have been married to my husband/ business partner Renel Dieujuste for 9 years a stepmom to a 18 year old son, A sister to 3 brother and 4 sisters. By trade Im a cosmetologist of 25 years, Im also a kidney transplant recipient of 20 years. I got into doll making 3 years ago maybe 3 months into the pandemic. My husband was an essential worker at the time and I worked as a sales associate at a large company almost 10 years before I had to put in my resignation due to being immune suppressed.
The pandemic was at an all time high and I could not take any chances with my health so the safest thing I did was to sit at home. While sitting home out of work my husband and I decided we wanted to help make a difference by keeeping ourselves as well as others safe during the pandemic so we took the time and self taught ourselves how to sew mask. Not long after that we had the opportunity to supply mask for friends family members my husbands’s co-workers etc. We became #1 sellers with our online mask store.
Due to the fact that so may beings were afraid to leave home. soon thereafter we decided we wanted to help more people so we decided to bring online shopping to them and birthed our online Boutique called Ju-Nel Fashion Boutique, ‘Ju-Nel is actually a portion of my name and my husband’s name somewhat combined. Ju-Nel Fashion Boutique was doing extremely well. in the mean time I finally got a little down time and wanted to attempt to make a doll for my beautiful niece who was two years old at the time. I never knew it was even a skill that I aquired. Onced I shipped the doll to my niece and learned that she loved it I decided to post it on social media and learned that other poeple loved it as well.. From there ‘Ju-Nel Babe Dolls’ was birthed.
Initially I began by making one doll in about two days to eventually making about 20 dolls in a 3 day timeframe. Several years later I am grateul to have handcrafted so many unique multi-cultural dolls that put smiles on not only little girls faces but adults as well. The compliments that I get from customers the most is the fact that my dolls cater to so many and because they are so diverse- no one feels excluded. Im most proud of my craft for that reason of inclusion & diversity. I believe that is what sets my craft aside from others is the fact that Ju-Nel Babe Dolls all have thier own unique personalities and they are all one of a kind, I am always loooking at ways to be innovative and ways to include everyone.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
In the beginning when I meet my business partner it was evident we shared the same common interest . When it came to our individual passions & goals we supported each other’s endeavors. With the skills and knowlege that we obtained throughout our business journey we had a vision of working together and decided to pursue Ju-Nel Fashion Boutique collectively and from Ju-Nel Fashion Boutique ‘Ju-Nel Babe Dolls’ were birthed.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Wow! I remember it like yesterday, My passion was doing any hair style that you could imagine! Thank goodness I had sisters, brothers my mom and dad to practice on.. Things such as hair color, braiding relaxing as well as styling. Ive always been a creative and have lived outside of the box, I just loved to be different. I had been styling hair since the young age of 14 for family. As time progressed I started doing hair for friends and outsiders throughout highschool as well. After highschool graduation May 1996 I took some time off and then decided I’d start beauty school November 11th 1997 It was such a breeze and I loved it so much I graduated exactly one year later November 11th 1998, 20 years old and full of ambition! I remember my first job at J.C Penney Styling Salon January 1999. .The youngest stylist in the shop I was on my way! My ultimate dream was to be a salon owner. I had been there for about 4 years and started noticing how while when standing during the day I would become overwhelmingly fatigue to the point where I had to leave my job head home early. It had then gotten to the point where I was calling off because I was too tired to get my day started. I eventually had to resign after putting in 4 years at the salon. I had a new mission now. It was to figure out what was going on with my health. Im not only fatigue now but also retaining water, gaining weight, swelling and blisters on my fingertips that made everything tender to the touch. 24 years old jumping from doctor to doctor being misdiagnosed to finally finding a facility that actually took the time to be attentive. Months after leaving the salon I was diagnosed with end stage renel failure. Both my kidneys had failed due to high blood pressure which I then learn is hereditary. Talk about a walking miracle! Soon after I found myself doing dialysis 3 days a week 4 hours a day for 9 months. I was then blessed to have my younger sister Josephine Lafi to donate me her kidney. I am forever grateful for her and the blessing that she bestowed on my life. Fast foward almost 20 years later Im steady doing hair its not at a fast rate because my energy level just wont allow it but Im grateful to have a great clientele that understands my story and are loyal to me as I am to them. As long as im blessed with the strength I will always continue to work hard at fulfilling my passion.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.junelbabedollsshop.etsy.com
- Instagram: Ju-Nel Babe Dolls
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junelbabedoll
- Other: Linktr.ee/junelfashionboutique
Image Credits
Photographer; 6thfingerscreations/ Renel Dieujuste