Are you tired of spending a fortune on clothes your kids outgrow in a blink of an eye? Meet Stylette, the revolutionary children’s clothing rental and resale platform that’s taking the parenting world by storm. Led by CEO and mompreneur Sheena Jongeneel, Stylette is on a mission to make parenting easier, more sustainable, and more affordable. From the founder’s personal struggles as a single mom to the company’s innovative approach to fashion, Stylette is more than just a business – it’s a movement. Keep reading to find out more about Stylette’s inspiring story and game-changing mission.
Tell us in your own words what you do?
I am the CEO and co-founder of Stylette. Stylette is a children’s clothing rental and resale platform. We believe that parents should spend less, kids should wear more, and we should promote that in an ecological and seamless way. On top of being an entrepreneur, I am also a single-mom of an eight-year-old girl. With that said, I am a mompreneur and proud to be a role model for my daughter. I wear many hats throughout the day. The operational hat, the marketer hat, the sales hat, the mom hat, and so forth and so on. But most importantly as the CEO of Stylette, I’m always raising capital for the company and scaling its growth, and as a single mom to a little girl I’m raising her to grow as a fearless leader.
What was your thought process behind starting Stylette?
The concept of Stylette came to me while l was in school getting my MBA. As a single mom, one of my personal pain points at the time was shopping for my daughter’s clothing that she quickly outgrew. Kids grow too fast to maximize their clothing and I found myself wasting time and money on her clothes that she wore once, or even at all. Then one day my neighbor asked to borrow one of my daughter’s ski outfits for her little boy. It was then that I knew I had to create a platform where parents could rent clothes for their children, whether they were looking for special occasions outfits or everyday looks. I wanted our business model to also offer the option to recycle kids’ outgrown clothes. I find that’s another strong pain point as a parent, having to discard the clothes our kids can no longer wear.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career?
I started my career in the health and wellness space over twenty years ago. I’m a licensed acupuncturist so pivoting to the fashion space was a drastic change for me. But after a divorce and my mom’s passing, I felt I needed that change. I wanted to build a business on a much larger scale and in a different sector. I’ve always loved being a business owner, so I decided to go back to school and get my second master’s (MBA) to see what was next. I had no Idea what my next company would be, but it actualized while I was in school going through my personal struggles as a parent. Even though I was discouraged to go back to school and start a company by my family and ex-husband, I did it anyway. I am so happy I didn’t listen to them or try to play it safe in life as everyone encouraged me to do.
What is a personal strength that has been useful to you in your business?
I’ve had to develop my personal strengths along the way as an entrepreneur. Raising capital to scale your company is a very daunting journey. You get a lot of nos before you get the yeses. I had to learn to not let that affect my momentum in building the company. I embraced my previous background in health and wellness to propel me forward in this new journey with those skills I learned in the wellness space. I used to meditate quite a bit as an acupuncturist to keep me grounded, so I welcomed meditation back into my life and in my new venture with Stylette. Meditation has been my saving grace throughout this process. I would advise entrepreneurs to find a practice that grounds them from the startup world. Whether it’s writing in a journal, meditating, or chatting to a mentor with whom they can process with.
Being an entrepreneur is physically and emotionally intense, so health and wellness is vital to success. Eat well, exercise, drink lots of water, take vitamins, get sunshine, and get enough sleep to thrive. And most importantly, work on any subconscious blocks that could be sabotaging your success. This is why I think meditation is so important. You can sit quietly and see what negative thoughts arise and work to destroy them, so you act and think differently. It allows you to regroup your state to be a more productive entrepreneur. Behave with confidence, faith, energy, and passion, no matter what comes your way.
Tell us something about Stylette, who’s it for and what are the services you’re providing?
Stylette is a children’s clothing rental platform. We offer special occasion and everyday styles for children’s fashion. We also offer a resale program to collect back kids’ outgrown clothes that we put back on the platform or we donate to charity for kids in need. We issue our customers Stylette credits to stay on the platform and shop. We are creating a one-stop-shop for kids sustainable fashion.
What are the best and worst things about being an entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur is like being on a constant roller coaster ride. The highs are very high, and the lows are very low. The highs are any wins you have for your company. That would be an investment, the perfect hire, a new partner, media coverage, etc. Anything to take your brand to the next level. The hard part about being an entrepreneur are the nos you encounter in fundraising. Otherwise, it’s all a fun and invigorating journey for that immense payoff after you get acquired or have an IPO. But the best part is being able to create your own future and vision of what you want your life to be.
How do you balance work and life?
I’m a single mom of an eight-year-old and an entrepreneur, so finding a way to integrate both into my life is vital. I’m fortunate I have a children’s clothing platform or by design on my part, that allows me to easily integrate my daughter into my work life. I include her as much as I can- viewing line sheets, practicing my pitch with her, bringing her to the warehouse, to tradeshows, etc. She’s getting her own mini-MBA course to say the least, and she’s having a blast being part of my work life.
What sacrifices have you had to make during life?
I feel the sacrifices I have made as a working parent are felt the strongest as a mom to my daughter. I haven’t been able to cultivate playdates as much as I would like to and I sometimes miss her school activities and events. Nonetheless, she is my biggest cheerleader and I have her complete and utter support. I’m always communicating with her about the company’s endeavors which is key to having a good relationship with her. However, it’s not easy and I do the best I can as a mompreneur to ensure she’s aware that I am doing the best by her. My success is her success too. I’m doing all this not just for me, but for her and her legacy.
How do you think modern women can be more fulfilled in their lives?
Modern women can be fulfilled in many ways. I support working women, working moms, and stay at home moms. Whatever makes you feel empowered is the right choice for you. But for myself and for my daughter, I’m raising her to think for herself, believe in herself and know that anything is possible to feel truly fulfilled in life. What she envisions she can create with her thoughts and her actions alone. Personally, I’m teaching her to create her own income and to be free to make her own decisions in life.
I feel a modern woman will feel more fulfilled if she has her own interests, career, and passions that lift her up, so she is not dependent on others for her happiness. That is what I’m teaching my daughter, to be fulfilled by her own life. To not look outside herself to be fulfilled, but to find it inside of herself. I teach her to change her thoughts if they are negative and to feel happiness first in order to be happy. It all starts with a feeling. Feel fulfilled and you shall.
What is a skill you think all women should learn and why?
A skill that all women should learn is the art of negotiation. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, employee, wife, mother or powerhouse boss, we should learn to negotiate so we can ask for what we deserve and know our worth. We don’t learn this as women, but in business and in life, it is crucial for our success. For men, it is natural and shameless to ask for what they want. As women, we tend to feel shameful asking for what we want. It is an important skill to have as a modern woman, in divorce, business, or even with a home contractor. Learn to negotiate at all times and know that you deserve it!
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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