We had the good fortune of connecting with Annette Hogans-Ealy and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Annette, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Ever since I was younger, I’ve always found myself into everything. Wanting to learn everything that seemed exciting and creative. My passion has always been for people and serving others in any way that I could, whether it be through conversation or creating something special that I knew would bring them joy. I’ve always found joy in crafting and making things from scratch. I started a party planning business, which started off for just family and friends creating beautiful spaces all for that first look when they walked in and the way the client would light up with so much admiration is what brought me fulfillment every time. After a while that passion for party planning faded away due to some struggles. In 2020, I found myself in my room one day after work really thinking about what can I do that would bring back that spark I used to feel when I i created. So, I took a pen and paper and started listing things I couldn’t leave the house without. Funny enough, the top two items were gum and lip gloss. So thought to myself what if I make my own. I went on YouTube University and started to do my research. As the night went on, I found myself so fascinated and sucked in that before I went to sleep I had ordered everything I needed to make it. The next day woke up and said I don’t want to half step this and got my business license and everything needed to make it legit. I didn’t have a plan but I knew I was all in and ready for wherever this journey was going to take me. I started creating and I found something I didn’t realize I was missing. Making lip care products is more than just lip gloss, lipstick, lip scrubs etc. It’s a self-care journey for me. It has become my peace in the storm. My vision was for anyone that wore my products to not only feel beautiful on the outside but truly see their beauty and value within themselves. To be bold enough to be whoever they wanted to be. When I put on My Juicyy I feel like “I’m that Girl”. I can face anything and I am enough because I say I am. That my value is not in others but it’s in me. I am a huge advocate for self-love in its purist form. You don’t have to put a full face on to feel beautiful, just slap on your lip gloss or lipstick and take on the day like a boss.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My Juicyy has been in business since 2021. I started researching and creating in 2020 when I decided I wanted to learn how to make my favorite makeup product, lip gloss. I didn’t want it to be just your regular beauty store lipgloss. I wanted to create something that actually healed chapped lips, discoloration, and restored natural health back into your lips. So I did my research and created a formula that I loved and started testing it out on my friends and family. I’ve always had a creative mind so what started out to be simple lip gloss turned into art. From collections to themed holidays. Whatever popped in my brain I made it. My packaging was always constantly changing which at the time I loved because I didn’t want to be in a box.
The smile on my customers faces, the reviews and testimonials that I would receive drove me to go harder. But as time went on trying to keep up with what I thought was expected of me became overwhelming and it wasn’t cost effective. Throughout this journey I’ve experienced some losses in my family and financial hardship which almost caused me to give it all up.
I realized that as the creator and owner of My Juicyy, I make the rules and although I want to feed my audience with great products I didn’t have to do all the extras to accomplish that. Reminding myself why I created this brand and what my purpose for starting this was, Healthy lips and self care. So I scaled it back, created a simpler concept that catered to where my life is now so that I would be able to balance my personal and my business and not feel overwhelmed. I think that’s the main key, is to remember that it’s ok to go back to the drawing board. It’s ok to reconstruct because as life continues your forever changing which means your business may change to. As long as you stay true to yourself and your core values, success will follow. It may not happen right away but staying consistent and diligent, with pure intent and never giving up on yourself, I promise success is already yours.
My Juicyy LLC is more than just a lip care brand it’s a lifestyle and I can’t wait for the whole world to discover it.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My journey would be nothing without God and my village. God is the head of my life and has truly had his hand in my business and my successes. He has led me to the right rooms and customer base that has kept my business going.
I would not be able to do anything without my biggest supporter/ shareholder, my mommy Lynette Speight. Her encouragement throughout this journey has been everything for me. She raised me to put God first in everything that I do and allow Him to bless my work. I’ve watched her my whole life work so hard to provide for me and my siblings and guide us to be successful women of God. She has spent her life pouring into so many people especially women and I admire her. No matter what obstacles she is facing she always finds strength to be there for me in any way that I need and proudly screams she is a juicyymom lol.
My family always reassuring me to keep going, praying over me and promoting me constantly. My friends that truly ride for me and my brand like it’s their own. From photo shoots, to posting and advertising, to vending events and never asking for anything in return. Their time and monetary efforts, using their gifts to enhance my brand just because they believe in me. I am truly grateful for every single person in my village and there aren’t enough words to express how much I love them all.
Website: www.myjuicyy.store
Instagram: Myjuicyyllc
Facebook: Myjuicyyllc
Yelp: My Juicyy LLC
Other: Tiktok: myjuicyyllc
Image Credits
Annette Hogans