We were lucky to catch up with Valerie Schimel recently and have shared our conversation below.
Valerie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
JOJU was built to inspire people to enjoy the outdoors – safely and comfortably. We believe strongly in the restorative power of spending time in nature – and in the importance of protecting our skin. JOJU means tranquility in Japanese. Spend time outside, protect yourself, find your zen – live JOJU.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My background is in tech & journalism. I spent the first 10 years of my career working in newspapers & television. In 2008, I transitioned into online media when i founded Munchkin Fun, Florida’s largest digital parenting network.
I’m a passionate exerciser and spend as much time as possible outdoors. During COVID, I spent hours and hours walking – for my mental & physical health. I began noticing sun damage, so I ordered a bunch of sun shirts, but I couldn’t find one that I liked. All were too itchy, too thick, too thin, too unflattering – or just designed for a different demographic (fishermen, triathletes, etc). Why doesn’t Lululemon make a sun shirt? I got increasingly frustrated with the shirts on the market and increasingly worried about my skin – so I decided to create my own line.
JOJU was born from a belief that we should celebrate & enjoy the outdoors and protect ourselves in the process. We can stay safe, look good & be comfortable – all at the same time.
Our shirts are soft, comfortable and flattering. They’re designed to make you look good & feel good – while keeping you safe. We independently lab test each of our fabrics to ensure they’re UPF 50+ (max sun protection possible). We create simple, classic designs in core colors. Wear JOJU while on the walking path, the tennis/pickleball courts, the golf course, the soccer sidelines – anywhere you go.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
It would be difficult for me to know less about manufacturing clothing. I literally started by goggling “how to make a shirt.” It has been a long, windy, frustrating, expensive and illuminating process to get our first run of JOJU on the market.
I have met so many smart, creative people along the way. My biggest takeaways are…
1. Ask every question you can think of – especially the silly ones. I had to ask SUPER basic questions many times over. Most people have been incredibly patient with me. The ones who aren’t probably aren’t the right partners.
2. Ask for help. People are smart and nice. For the most part, they’re willing to help people. Ask for referrals, advice, suggestions.
3. Be kind. Pay people on time, be as generous as possible with your time – karma is real.
4. Plan for unexpected delays & costs. Everything has taken MUCH longer & cost more than we anticipated.
5. Stay flexible. We have used three different manufacturers to make JOJU in one year. They each provide valuable services.
Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?
We sell on Shopify, which has been great. It’s super flexible and the community around the platform is very helpful. This is my first time using it and I’ve had lots of questions along the way. I’ve leaned into using community forums, seeking experts, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: livejoju.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/livejoju
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/livejoju
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/96927792/admin/feed/posts/
Image Credits
all images credit to JOJU