Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenn Kolinski.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our story’s beginning was when I was looking for art to decorate our soon-to-be baby girl’s nursery and couldn’t find anything that was exactly right. I have always cared about personalized design — making a house feel like a home — and my husband has always been an artist (a business guy by day, artist by night). So, while looking for art and not finding anything exactly right, we decided to create it ourselves! However, we did not officially make our love of art and design into a formal business until my husband was laid up from a surgery when our daughter was 6 months old, and I decided in all his free time (ha!), that we’d get this show on the road. And voila! Coco & James was born in 2013. We started with exclusively creating and selling nursery prints and now have evolved that into home decor as well.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not always been a smooth road, to say the least! I have had to learn the vast world of social media (and am learning every day!), as well as marketing, sales, customer service and all the basics of running a small business. My husband is a great help in this arena, but there is always so much to know and learn. Women, in particular, tend to undervalue their knowledge and abilities, and so I think believing in yourself is half the battle!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Coco & James – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My husband and I design and create digital artwork! We are most “famous” for our animal photography prints (the bunny, in particular, is a big hit!). I strive to provide excellent customer service and pride myself on the personal nature of our business — yes, it’s a business, but I care about our customers and their happiness. We work with a lot of pregnant mamas, and love it!
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
Women always have to prove themselves just a bit more than men, even in the fairest of industries. Women have to speak up a little louder and with more confidence to be heard and this can sometimes backfire as a character flaw, leading them to be passed over for leadership roles in which they are most qualified.
Fortunately, at Coco & James, I get to make the decisions that help move our company forward and even though I work with my husband, it’s an absolutely equal partnership!
Pricing:
- We have an array of pricing, depending on size and quantity of prints, from $10 and up!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/cocoandjames www.etsy.com/shop/cocoandjameshome www.etsy.com/shop/cocoandjamesprint
- Email: cocoandjamesdesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: @cocoandjamesdesigns
- Facebook: @cocoandjames
Image Credit:
all images are copyrighted Coco & James
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