Inspiring Conversations with Denai Blackshire of byjsb

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denai Blackshire.

Hi Denai , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an entrepreneur for over a decade, and my journey has definitely been one of evolution, resilience, and learning how to pivot when necessary.

I originally started my career in the beauty industry as a licensed esthetician. My love for beauty, self-care, and creating experiences eventually grew into byJSB, which started primarily as a beauty and lifestyle brand. Over the years, the business has evolved so much alongside me. What began with products eventually expanded into home fragrance, candles, and ultimately experiential beauty.

One of the biggest shifts for my business came when I realized that people didn’t just want to purchase a product they wanted to be part of creating it. That realization led me to develop our candle-making experience, which eventually grew into what is now SCENTÉD byJSB, where guests can create custom candles and fragrances. We’ve hosted everything from date nights and birthdays to private events, corporate team-building experiences, and large off-site brand activations throughout Los Angeles.

As the experiential side of the business grew, I continued finding ways to expand the vision. Our space became home to the JSB Social Club, allowing us to host private events and collaborations, and I’ve also expanded into mobile fragrance activations, wholesale and private-label production, and other event services.

But the journey hasn’t been a straight line. Being in business for more than ten years means I’ve experienced different versions of entrepreneurship the exciting seasons where everything is growing, and the seasons where you’re figuring out how to keep the doors open. I’ve had to navigate changing consumer habits, rising operating costs, staffing challenges, cash flow, and the reality of running a brick-and-mortar business in Los Angeles. There have been many moments where I’ve had to completely rethink what I was doing and find another way forward.

I think that’s actually one of the things I’m most proud of. I’ve learned that entrepreneurship isn’t always about having the perfect plan. Sometimes it’s about being willing to pivot without losing sight of the bigger vision.

Today, I look at byJSB as much more than a product based beauty company. I’m building an experiential beauty and lifestyle brand centered around fragrance, creativity, connection, and memorable experiences. And even after more than a decade in business, I still feel like I’m building. There are so many things I want to do with the brand, and I’m excited about where this next chapter takes us.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not. I don’t think you can be in business for over a decade and say the road has been completely smooth. There have been some incredible highs, but there have also been seasons that really tested me, both personally and professionally.

One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to constantly adapt. The version of my business that worked five years ago isn’t necessarily the version that works today. Consumer behavior changes, social media changes, the economy changes, and the cost of doing business especially having a brick-and-mortar location in Los Angeles continues to increase. There have been times when sales were great and times when business slowed down and I had to figure out very quickly what needed to change.

Cash flow has probably been one of the biggest realities. As a small business owner, people can see the beautiful store, the events, the products, or something exciting happening on social media, but they don’t always see what it costs to maintain all of it. There are rent increases, payroll, inventory, insurance, marketing, supplies, loans, and so many expenses happening behind the scenes. I’ve had seasons where I couldn’t afford to pay myself because keeping the business operating had to come first. That part of entrepreneurship isn’t talked about nearly enough.

Staffing has also been challenging. I’ve learned that growing a business isn’t just about generating more revenue; you need the right systems and the right people around you. There have been times when I’ve had to wear every hat owner, salesperson, event coordinator, customer service, marketing, operations, and sometimes literally the person opening and closing the store. Eventually, you realize that doing everything yourself may keep the business alive, but it won’t necessarily help you scale it.

I’ve also experienced opportunities that looked amazing from the outside but required me to learn how to advocate for the value of my business. As a small business, especially when working with larger brands and corporations, you sometimes have to stand firm on your pricing and recognize when an opportunity sounds good because of the name attached to it but doesn’t actually make sense financially. Learning that exposure doesn’t pay operating expenses has definitely been part of my growth as a businesswoman.

There have honestly been moments when I’ve questioned whether I wanted to keep going. But every difficult season has forced me to become a better entrepreneur. It taught me how to pivot, how to negotiate, how to protect my business, and most importantly, how to create multiple revenue streams instead of depending on one thing.

So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road, but I also wouldn’t remove the difficult parts from my story. A lot of what byJSB is becoming today was created because I had to figure out another way forward. I’m still navigating challenges, but now I trust my ability to adapt a lot more than I did when I first started.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
byJSB is a Los Angeles-based beauty, fragrance, and experiential lifestyle brand. What makes the brand unique is that we don’t just sell products we create experiences around them.

Over the years, byJSB has evolved tremendously. Today, one of the biggest parts of our business is SCENTÉD byJSB our experiential fragrance concept. Guests can come into our Los Angeles location and create their own custom candles and Eau de Parfum fragrances while learning about scent, fragrance notes, and the blending process. We have a fragrance library of more than 30 scents, so the experience is really about giving people the freedom to create something that feels personal to them.

We’re known for turning fragrance into an experience. People come to us for date nights, birthdays, girls’ days, bridal celebrations, private parties, and just because they want to do something different in Los Angeles. We also bring the experience off-site for corporate team building, conferences, weddings, private events, and brand activations. We’ve had the opportunity to create experiences for major companies and professional organizations, which has been really exciting because it showed me that something I created inside my store could translate into a much larger experiential concept.

I think what sets us apart is the combination of beauty, fragrance, creativity, hospitality, and customization. I never wanted our experiences to feel like a traditional class where everyone comes in and makes the exact same thing. I want people to walk away with something that actually feels like *theirs*. Even when we’re servicing a corporate event with a large number of guests, I still want that personal element to be there.

Our space has also evolved into the JSB Social Club, which allows us to host private events, collaborations, workshops, and intimate gatherings. We’ve expanded into mobile fragrance activations, wholesale and private-label production for other businesses, and even additional event services. For me, it’s all connected by the same idea: creating memorable experiences and products that bring people together.

Brand-wise, I’m probably most proud of our ability to evolve. byJSB has never been afraid to become something different. I’ve learned not to hold onto a version of the business simply because that’s how it started. When I see customers responding to something, I pay attention. When the market changes, I pay attention. And when I see an opportunity to create something that doesn’t exist in quite the way I envision it, I build it.

I also want people to know that there is a real small business behind everything they see. There isn’t a huge corporation or massive team behind byJSB. A lot of what you see has been built through years of trial and error, creativity, sacrifice, and me figuring things out as I go.

Ultimately, I want byJSB and SCENTÉD to become names people associate with experiential fragrance and connection whether you’re walking into our space for a date night, bringing us into your office for a team-building experience, creating a signature scent for your business, or experiencing one of our fragrance activations at an event.

We’re creating more than something that smells good. We’re creating a memory around scent. And I think that’s what I’m most excited to continue building.

What does success mean to you?
My definition of success has definitely changed over the years. Earlier in my entrepreneurial journey, I probably would have defined success by revenue, how busy the business was, having a beautiful storefront, or reaching the next big milestone. Today, I look at it very differently.

For me, success is freedom, sustainability, impact, and longevity

I want to build a business that is profitable and financially healthy, of course, but I also want the business to work for me instead of me constantly working for the business. Success is having the right team and systems in place so that everything doesn’t depend on me being physically present every single day. It’s being able to step into my role as the visionary and CEO instead of always being the person doing every job behind the scenes.

I also define success by longevity. Being an entrepreneur for more than a decade has taught me that starting something is one thing continuing to evolve, survive difficult seasons, and still believe in what you’re building years later is something completely different. I’m proud that I’ve been able to reinvent myself and my business multiple times without being afraid to start a new chapter.

Success also means creating opportunities beyond myself. I want to build something that can employ people, collaborate with other entrepreneurs and creatives, and create experiences that people genuinely remember. There’s something really special about watching people walk into something that started as an idea in my head and seeing them enjoy it.

And personally, success means having a full life outside of my business. Entrepreneurship can consume you if you allow it to. I want financial freedom, the ability to travel, meaningful relationships, time with the people I love, and the space to actually enjoy what I’ve worked so hard to build.

So today, success isn’t just about how much money I can make or how big I can grow byJSB. It’s about building something profitable, impactful, sustainable, and capable of existing beyond me while still having the freedom to enjoy my life along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://byjsb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scentedbyjsb/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@by.jsb