Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Schimel
Hi Valerie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a third generation entrepreneur. I started JOJU in 2022 after launching Munchkin Fun, Florida’s largest digital parenting publication, in 2012. Both business were born from need/desire.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Building JOJU has been a long, windy & rewarding path. I started by googling “how to make a shirt.” Two years (and too many dollars!) later, we have a manufacturer, designers, a B2B team and a retail website (livejoju.com). We’ve made many (many!) mistakes along the way, but I’m loving the learning curve & the journey. The feedback we get from our customers is the best part of my day.
We’ve been impressed with JOJU, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
JOJU is a new line of luxury sun protective clothing. We make ultra lightweight, buttery soft sun shirts for men & women. JOJU is built for form & function. Our shirts are chic, moisture wicking and lab certified UPF 50+ (max sun protection available).
We are unique in that we independently lab test each of our fabrics to ensure max sun protection. We design our clothes to fit & feel good – the idea is to put us on in the morning and live in us all day long. We’re creating sun protection people want to wear.
JOJU believes in the power of spending time in nature – and in the importance of protecting your skin.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
JOJU is a COVID innovation. During COVID, I spent hours walking outside and began to notice sun damange. I started buying sun shirts, but couldn’t find one I liked – everything was too itchy, too thick or built for a different audience (fishermen, triathletes, etc). I was looking for the Lululemon/Alo/Beyond Yoga of sun shirts, but couldn’t find one – so I made it.
Pricing:
- JOJU women’s shirts retail for $89
- JOJU men’s shirts retail for $98
Contact Info:
- Website: https://livejoju.com
- Instagram: livejoju
- Facebook: livejoju
