Life & Work with Tina Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Johnson.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Shine Boutique is a spin-off of our candle brand Shine Your Light Candles. We established our candle brand in 2014 which gets its name from Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

My husband Doug and I (Tina) have six kids, one in-law son and four grandchildren, of which we have guardianship of one who is seven. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and a wonderful husband that is my biggest fan. He supports my dreams, builds my visions, and goes along with my crazy ideas with a, yes dear!

We love to give and give back. I am an author, public speaker, and domestic violence survivor of over twenty years. I also sit on the executive committee on the board of directors of Hope House. Hope House Organization’s mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence in the Kansas City Missouri area. Social responsibility I take very seriously. Our mission is to give to our community and surrounding area whenever we can.

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?
Shine Boutique was established in February 2020 but in the process of opening the pandemic shut down our opening until mid-May 2020. When the boutique finally opened we could only serve customers at 25 % capacity for several more months. With no income coming in and establishing too late for CARES ACT assistance, I stayed up for days developing a website for ecommerce shopping as well as a separate website for wholesaling to move inventory out laterally for cash flow and market our candles for private labeling. I thought trial and error risk was the only way to survive the pandemic shutdown situation, There was really no time for fear. Being a domestic violence survivor you tend to learn how to live moment by moment. I started to brainstorm about what customers would need day by day in the short term and started sourcing the products. I hosted mask drives for shelters and schools.

I also learned that marketing other businesses and encouraging the owners to hang in there builds a strong community network. We are stronger together!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Professionally, I am an author, entrepreneur, and business/advertising manager for a local media company.

My book Goodbye to Shame, removing the mask, was published in 2012. It’s a memoir based on my experience in a domestic violence relationship that almost ended my life. I had to learn street smart strategies to live and survive in my own home for close to ten years.

I love everything about small businesses! I love to help and market other small businesses whether we sell the same merchandise or not.

I work for our local media company The Pleasant Hill times. Writing ads for the small businesses in our paper, their website, social media, and app is another way to help the local companies.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was strong-willed and independent. I don’t know that I was confident but I sure had a front like I was. We moved around a lot and by a lot I mean I was in eleven different schools by the eighth grade. In each school, I would have to figure out where the students wherein their lessons and try to catch on. I believe that’s where my entrepreneurial spirit came from. It’s constantly starting over and learning or figuring out new strategies. Learning how different people operate and learning how to not be bothered by rejection and just move on.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: shinekc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shineboutiquekc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shineboutiquekc
• Other: https://g.page/shine-boutique-official?share

Image Credits:
Lydia Bears