Jenna Cline’s goal is to get on the next season of Shark Tank to reach moms who are going through the same issue as Jenna did. With her idea, Jenna wants to provide quality leather moccasins, safe for children, affordable for parents, for all walks of life.
It all started when Jenna was looking for shoes for her little Zoey Rose who has skinny little feet. So Jenna couldn’t find the shoes that fit her that were good quality genuine leather and affordable. One day Jenna and her husband decided to brainstorm to solve this problem. They prayed about it, and fueled with passion and a little caffeine..
And then it happened! Beautys and Gents was created! After a little trial and error, Jenna was and still is proud and happy to say that her quality handmade genuine leather moccasins are exactly what her little one needed and so do those who have little feet too!
What inspired you to start Beautys and Gents Moccasins?
We wanted to start a moccasin company that was all handle made in the USA and affordable for everyone.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? Has Beautys and Gents Moccasins been your one and only company built?
Yes, I started working when I was 16 and owned an escrow company that I sold recently to focus on Beautys and Gents.
Explain to us how Beautys and Gents Moccasins is made?
All of our leather is ordered from a tannery in California and Washington. Our manufacturer is in Waco, TX. He hand makes every pair. All moccasins are designed by myself and my husband currently in Fort Benning, GA where my husband is stationed.
How is it chemical free?
None of our leathers are imported. All genuine cowhide leather from USA.
Being an entrepreneur is having a hard-working life, what would you say is the ultimate answer to reducing stress according to Beautys and Gents Moccasins?
Take time for yourself. Enjoy your coffee when it’s hot. Take each event as it comes. Take time to unplug and spend time with family.
What was it like when you had your first client? How did that go?
So exciting that our dreams became reality but also starting from scratch is a slow going process. We had to make several tweaks and changes with our first few releases to ensure the product fit my vision and high standards.
Would you say you have to have specific potential needs in order to start an online webshop? If so, what are the specific potential needs?
You have to be social media savvy. You have to know the ins and outs of Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest in order for your business to grow.
What are your goals currently? As in vision and mission?
Goal: Get on the next season of Shark Tank and continue to reach more moms. Mission/Vision: provide quality leather moccasins, safe for children, affordable for parents, for all walks of life
How do you make anyone can find Beautys and Gents Moccasins?
We are on instagram @beautysandgents. Pinterest.com/beautysandgents Facebook like page and VIP page
How do you get unstuck creatively?
I always try to release prints that are unique and original to set us apart. I’m very creative. My main problem is limiting my ideas to our final production roll out.
Do you focus on a specific group of children?
All our moccasins are based on foot size of the child. We have had up to a 4 year old wearing our shoes. Once babies start wearing soft soles like we have on our moccasins allowing them to feel the ground, they often don’t like switching to a hard sole shoe because they lose the feel and ability to “grip” the ground.
What sacrifices have you had to make as an entrepreneur to become the person you are now?
Late nights, early mornings, family time spent packaging moccasins and designing releases. Our two year old Zoey now grabs her toy cash register and tells us it’s time to package orders. Our 7 month old Ella loves playing with the new shoes we get in as we are packing them. It’s a family business.
We all have our good days and bad days. What is your typical bad day and typical good day look like? And how do you stay motivated all the time?
Bad day: when a release has lower sales than expected.
Good day: when a release sells out on drop night.
I stay motivated because I love what I do. I have a passion for fashion. I love being my own boss and seeing others wear my designs. It is very rewarding.
How would you describe your work style while running Beautys and Gents Moccasins?
I work full time on this. My husband handles the back end of website and supply chain. I handle the social media and primarily design the moccasins.
How do you want to improve yourselves in the next year?
Shark tank, more exposure to moms looking for quality products at honest prices for their babes. k’
![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)
Beauty’s and Gents are the BESSSSSST leather moccasins we’ve ever worn (and we’ve owned several)! My daughter wears hers for all occasions and does everything in them. I can’t wsit for my younger daughter to have her first steps wearing B&G.