Lessons learned through creation and release

Work centered in purpose - that is the ultimate goal in mind when I create.

I began my business, Shaded by Jonnette, on Etsy in 2020. I wanted to create something personable. At this time, I just graduated with my bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas, but for some reason I still felt incomplete. As if there was more to my story, or at least more to accomplish. I wanted to create. Truth be told, I originally had the plan to go to college for art, instead I went in a liberal arts field. Maybe that is why I felt incomplete? Nonetheless, my creation began with making shirts, sweatshirts, and hats. This included a process through a well-known brand, cricut. I would heat press onto all my items and list them on Etsy for purchase. My small business began to grow. From 1 sale to a lady in Brooklyn, my business continued to gain traction.

I realized that I had something special with my business. I eventually decided that I wanted to expand and create more. I created more designs, heat pressed them onto shirts, and listed them on Etsy. At one point, I even created a separate Instagram account to showcase my items.

After some time, my sales grew even more, selling to several states and orders shipped across the country. I was in awe of how much I grew.

Shopify was my next adventure. I opened shop there and created a Christmas line of apparel. At one point, Shopify marketing reached out to me for an interview. They were admirable of my efforts and how much I accomplished in such a short amount of time. As a woman of color, they sought to showcase my growth as a small business creator. My interview with them was published on social media alongside a photo of me showcasing a shirt that I designed and pressed.

Skip forward to present, I was eager to reinvent my brand and create something more like me. It felt necessary as I near the next chapter in my life, where I turn 30, move further into my career, and learn to really know myself. It was necessary in this moment to include a brand that aligns with this newer version of myself. Not the Jonnette of 2020, but the one of 2026. This is when I began to brainstorm ideas. I wanted to create a business that included not only apparel but a inspirational alignment for women like myself. Amplify Her Collective was born.

Not only would Amplify Her include clothing and accessories but encourage women to be the best versions of themselves. It is still a working progress but I believe in this new journey. I wanted my work to center in purpose, not just to obtain customers but to encourage long-term support and participation from women across the globe.

As I continue on this self-discovery and creation journey of my own, I hope that my story brings inspiration to others who seek to create or are sitting on ideas that they don't know how to bring to life. It's okay to evolve. In fact, it is encouraged. When something no longer aligns with the purpose you're becoming - change it! Make it better, make it more YOU. Coming from someone who is still figuring it out, I advise you to take that idea from your mind, a sticky note, or a notebook and breathe life into it. Anything is possible.