Women In Business Spotlight: Shante James

Today we are spotlighting a woman in business who is skin deep into making women’s lives better. Founder Shante James is a wife, mother of three and entrepreneur. When the pandemic pushed everyone indoors and altered work schedules, Shante and her family turned their hobby into a passion and a business, KJ3 ESSENTIALS. Because their family suffers from allergies and sensitive skin, they were always experimenting with natural ingredients already found in their kitchen.

They began making deodorant and lip balms for their oldest daughter, who was 6 at the time. What started out as kitchen-made products turned into the brand working with major U.S. labs, which now manufactures their product line. Today, you can find the products at easily accessible places like Amazon, Walmart online and many other e-commerce sites.

In Her Own Words: Shante James

I grew up in Flint, Michigan and graduated from Oakland University, and received my MSA from the University of Phoenix. I worked for a big-box retailer for 14 years holding various positions from a cashier and quickly moving to higher positions in administration and management. I also worked for our local school district in accounting. I became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of our second child. In 2019, I opened a local Beauty Supply Boutique with a family member. Due to schedule changes, Covid-19, and personal events, we pivoted to e-commerce and a mobile store in the summer of 2020. During my time at home, I turned my hobby of making natural skincare products for my kids from a hobby to a business. I was inspired by kids and the suppliers of hair companies that our beauty supply store carries. Our first product was our Kids Natural deodorant, which was made for our oldest daughter, who started puberty at 6. I felt that if I could sell hair care, I could also sell my own skincare. I have been a serial entrepreneur since 2010, I started as a travel agent and ventured into other opportunities. As of now, I am married with three children under the age of 10. Entrepreneurship is what works best for our family lifestyle. Being an entrepreneur also helps my family build generational wealth and a legacy.

More on Shante James:

In the next 6 months, Shante James plans to focus on building relationships with current customers and market the brand to make KIDLIFE, a well-known trusted house brand when it comes to kids’ daily essentials. She’s also working on launching two new products along with getting her products into the storefront for easier convenience for her customers.

Keep up to date online: https://www.kj3essentials.com/

Instagram: @kidlifeklub