The Brains and Beauty Behind Juju

Get to know the leaders of Juju in their own words.

Courtney Mamuscia
Founder and Head Creator

Lisa Conner
Head Creator

Andrea Milnark
Head of Getting Things Done

Why Juju?

Courtney: I wanted to create a gift-giving company to help change the way people feel. We all know that the Universe can be a jerk sometimes. And because of that, I wanted to be able to give people something to help move energy, change vibes and let them know how important they are.

Lisa: Because life can be challenging and knowing you can send something with both deeper meaning AND humor to a friend or colleague to make them feel loved can make such a difference in the moment. In the end, we only have one another to rely on to get through this beautiful maze called life. Juju Be Gone gives people the tools they need to deal with those less-than-perfect moments in life.

Courtney: Plus, Juju is more than just a modern-day gift company. We believe in intentional gifting to teach people how to change their path, to welcome in the positivity and look at things differently. There are no shortages on sh*t that comes our way, right? Juju is just a way to break that streak of bad luck. 

Why do gifts? What does receiving a gift mean to you? 

Lisa: Receiving a gift always feels like the most blissful surprise attached to a warm feeling: Someone truly cares enough about me to make that little extra effort in his or her busy day! We live in such busy times and things move so quickly; knowing someone hit the “pause” button to take the time to send me something—regardless of the price tag attached to it—feels so good.

Andrea: It’s the same for me: When I get something, especially an unexpected gift, I love the feeling that comes over me. I love the warm feeling that comes when someone, with all their own daily challenges, took the time to think of me. It makes me feel loved!

What about gift-giving? What does giving a gift mean to you?

Courtney: I clearly love to give. That’s why I started this company! I love the look on someone’s face when they open my gift.

Lisa: It’s truly an act of care, adoration, support, and love—sometimes all of those things together. I love to show someone I “get” them—their humor, tastes, hobbies, quirks, or passions because it feels so good to “nail it” when sending someone a gift that they receive and rave about! We built Juju Be Gone with that end result of “nailing it” in mind. We want “nailing it” to be easy.

Courtney: Exactly. I love hearing their sincere thanks when I’ve knocked it out of the park on my selections.

So, what rituals do you have?

Courtney: I am a workaholic that tries to balance it all between career, mommy-hood, and friends. I go to bed each night with a list and wake up to accomplish that list. I always have a candle lit—the smell of Juju’s Glendora is a perfect harmonious blend—and, when in doubt and stressed out, I listen to classical music or soak in the bath with a detoxifying bath salt.

Lisa: I put on hand lotion at bed—I choose something heavenly scented like by Margot Elena (a local business!) and it creates a soothing aromatherapy experience that helps me relax and fall asleep. It feels like a small luxury. I also burn sage to set intentions for whatever I need out of life in the moment…which is, like, daily! I love the grounding aroma of the smudged sage and I even love the smell of a real wooden match right after it is blown out. Finally, another simple ritual I love is singing my son a song as he snuggles into bed and turning off his bedroom lights. I’m hold on to what I can though, because he’s slowly outgrowing nighttime songs.

Andrea: I have a morning ritual that always includes a warm cup of coffee and a few minutes of gratitude. If life gets hard, which it inevitably does, it’s so important to remember all the good happening in life and not to focus on the bad. Morning coffee is one simple thing that you can do every day to remind yourself to be grateful.  

What does Juju mean to you?

Courtney: Juju has been a dream of mine for over two years. To me, it ultimately means “success.” I had a vision, I acted upon that vision, and I am slowly watching this brand grow. It gives my soul so much happiness to be able to share my vision and products with the world.

Lisa: Juju Be Gone means lighthearted humor meeting supportive and soulful elements in a perfect harmony. It means working with wonderful fellow “mompreneurs” who are wonderful friends and dynamic women who I’m blessed to partner with and know in this life, and it means good vibes, love, and creativity.

Courtney: Yes! We’re Mompreneurs.

Lisa: “How do you JUJU” is a phrase I’ve really connected with because it entails each person finding a “sweet spot” in his or her day to find a zen moment of calm, or just a moment of self-support—whether it be slathering on an aromatic moisturizer that transports you away to another place and time, lighting a candle to create a moment of sacred space to breathe and meditate, or reading something that makes you laugh out loud and literally gets your endorphins tilting into positive spaces after a rough day. Juju means so many things to me; it’s hard to boil it down to one thing. In the end it’s our team sharing our love and creativity with others, so they feel loved, supported, and connected with others.

Courtney: Plus, if I can turn one person’s frown upside down—that’s what life is all about.