Today we’d like to introduce you to Manoucheca (MJ) Joseph.
Manoucheca (MJ), can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My company is an online clothing boutique with hopes of expanding in the future. I came up with this business idea when I was going through a purpose journey. Originally from the east coast, I moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to attempt to fulfill my purpose in life. Life will always be a journey, but for me, I wanted to be intentional in seeking why I was put on this earth and how I can help people. I started off in 2017 with men and women clothing, and custom shirts and hats with inspirational quotes on them. I rebranded in 2019 to women clothing only for the time being.
My vision is to cater to women like myself, women who realize life is very intricate and beautiful, but at times challenging. I feel like women carry the weight of the world and we’re also emotional beings who hold it all together but at times need help on the inside. High Honors was named because it means to me to achieve your highest level of excellence on every single level you go through in life and every goal you set for yourself. Clothing & fashion for me always gave me the confidence to go out and conquer the world. If you feel good about yourself on the inside, it will reflect outwards as well and vice versa. My goal is to cater to the professional woman, the sporty chic, the athletic girl, the mom, the daughters, the sisters, the fashionistas, etc. We’re all connected and responsible for each other, so I hope that my company can share the message of building other women up and inspiring the world with the goals we set for ourselves.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, but I realize that was better because it gave me the opportunity to learn from those challenges. I mentioned I rebranded, I started off with streetwear (hats & shirts), etc. but it was challenging to keep up with designs because while I love streetwear clothing, it wasn’t from the heart. I quickly realized I wanted to showcase my personality and style. My style depends on my mood, and I feel like most people are like that so I rebranded to something that was more natural to me.
Other obstacles/struggles were marketing, ads, budgets, website designs, shipping delays, etc. but it was all worth it when I hear client’s personal stories about how happy they are and how amazing they look and feel in the clothing.
High Honors – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My business is an online clothing boutique. I cater to women and fashion. It’s small but growing. I’m a one woman shop right now, but I’m most proud of the fact that I am building this business from the ground up. I taught myself how to build and design a website, I was able to get my legal documentation set up on my own, I taught myself about ads and marketing, and have been learning and improving. I think what sets me apart is that I don’t want to just be recognized as a retailer, I want to connect with my audience. I want them to know me and know that I am authentic. I want to know about them too, and I want to help inspire them with my story and who I am. I have customers who message me back and forth to tell me about their purchases, what their partners think and how they feel wearing the items. It honestly makes me so happy. I believe I’m building a whole network of new friends through my business while being able to inspire the world.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I personally define success as 1) am I being fulfilled, does this make me happy to do it. If so, then this is successful. 2) Am I hitting the smart goals that I’ve set for myself, 3) Am I able to support myself while enjoying what I think is my quality of life. Those are the markers that I set for myself. If you were waiting for me to say money, don’t count on it. You can have all the money in the world and not be happy – the ultimate success to me is achieving happiness in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.highhonorscollective.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/highhonorsco
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/highhonorsco
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/highhonorsco
Image Credit:
LetaPhotography
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