Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennie Zoll.
Hi Jennie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
MJ Design Company was started with a Cricut machine and a love of art. I’ve always had a passion for art and designing and making beautiful, high quality products. After making and gifting numerous items to people, and seeing their reactions, I decided to take it to the next level and start selling some of my creations. It didn’t take long for that idea to develop into a full fledged business plan. In February 2023, I launched MJ Design Company with a printer, heat press and my beloved Cricut and that quickly took off to add more items to my shop. It’s been wonderful to see the business grow. In the fall of 2023, we added a laser to the lineup of equipment, giving us even more products to offer. Requests were coming in from local businesses asking for items for their small business. They were looking for things such as promotional items and shirts for their employees. Youth sports teams started reaching out for a handful of shirts and keychains for their players. The word spread and then individuals were reaching out for single items for themselves or gifts. In early 2025, we decided to expand even further and offer screen printing. Over the past 2 years I’ve learned small groups and businesses are reaching out to someone local for 2 reasons- that is to support another local business and because they need small quantities. Northern Michigan is home to many rural communities with small businesses and there are few similar to mine that exist in the area. I can offer 1 or 25 of an item without large delivery fees or overhead costs. Whenever possible I use local products in my business and support our communities through participation in craft fairs, expos and festivals.
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?
One hurdle that we faced was to find low interest funding to continue to expand our business. We wanted to continue to expand but not incur a large amount of debt to do it. I attended a local Chamber of Commerce event and listened to a presentation by Venture North. I quickly realized this organization was exactly what we needed. I worked with them to get a small low interest loan to help us expand. With this loan came a whole host of other support. Venture North is wonderful at helping small businesses succeed. They offered guidance and training on various things from marketing, accounting, business planning and future growth outlook. They have been crucial to our business expansion! We continue to work with them and value their help and guidance.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
MJ Design Company is dedicated to offering a wide variety of high-quality products. We aim to be a one-stop shop for both individuals and businesses, providing everything from custom shirts and engraved cups to keychains, signs, and more. What sets us apart is our commitment to understanding our clients’ unique needs and helping them create something special. We offer comprehensive services, from logo design to product creation, and can produce small or large orders at competitive prices because we do everything in-house.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Many people are surprised by the wide variety of items we create in-house, including screen-printed shirts, engraved cups, earrings, large signs, and leather hat patches, to name a few. We also host Paint Parties where groups can create fun, unique items in a festive atmosphere. We truly can do it all!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mjdesigncompany.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjdesigncompany1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjdesigncompany1/
