J-Slips Hawaii CEO Martha Christensen sat down in an interview with the Ke Alaka’i to share how her business has grown and developed
Martha Christensen, CEO of the footwear company J-Slips, BYUH alumna and former academic advisor in the Faculty of Business & Government, explained her inspiration behind J-Slips. “I did major in business but had never done a business or anything, and I’d always wanted to do something.” She said her entrepreneurial spirit was driven by an eye for marketable products and a desire to start a business venture. She and her family now run a footwear shop in Laie specializing in Hawaiian-style sandals, which she said they have dubbed J-Slips.
Christensen recounted moments when her family would brainstorm ideas, sharing, “I just have this brain, and whenever I see something, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s really cool. I should sell it. We should do that.’” Christensen said her entrepreneurial mindset was coupled with a passion for finding quality products at reasonable prices. She said, “I’m a really good shopper. I know where to buy what and how much it should cost.” This gift came from outfitting her six children affordably in Hawaii, she said.
Christensen said her background in academic advising exposed her to budding entrepreneurs seeking advice on their product ideas. She said she gave advice based on her knack for knowing what people like to buy. According to her, this penchant for identifying marketable products led her to explore various avenues, like selling Hawaiian jewelry and chocolate-covered macadamia nuts on Amazon. She recalled, “I didn’t even know what I was going to sell on Amazon, but I would just watch videos and read articles about how to sell on Amazon.”
It was not until her son, Josh, suggested selling sandals that J-Slips found its unique niche, said Christensen. She said she observed a void in brand recognition within the sandal market, stating, “Nobody knew what brand was what... Nobody had a brand favorite.” This realization, Christensen said, sparked a newfound ambition to establish her family’s own brand in the industry.
In 2015, Christensen said J-Slips ventured into selling established brands, which laid the foundation for their future success. By 2016, she said they had decided to create their own brand. After eight months of diligent work, she said the first shipment of J-Slips sandals arrived in August of 2016, marking a significant milestone in her family’s entrepreneurial journey.
How J-Slips found its name
Christensen said her family opted for the name “J-Slips” due to the common association of Hawaiian-type of sandal with the sandals Jesus wore. She said they wanted to pay respect without directly using Jesus’ name, so they settled for the letter “J.” She also said in Hawaii, sandals, flip-flops and casual footwear are often referred to as “slippers.” This local terminology solidified the name “J-Slips” for their sandal company.
Crafting J-Slips
Christensen unraveled the composition of their signature sandals, explaining they use large metal molds which they fill with PVC rubber pellets, which are a type of poly material or plastic. The material is then heated and shaped before moving along the conveyor belt. Christensen said her and her daughter personally visited the factory in China where the J-Slips are made, which was instrumental in solidifying their brand identity and sourcing the highest quality materials for J-Slips.
Navigating challenges
Christensen also talked about the challenges they faced during the company’s start, including numerous communication issues. She said her two sons, Adam and Josh, were integral in the business venture. She said her collaboration with her sons helped them navigate through challenges.
She added how one significant obstacle was the minimum order quantity requirement set by manufacturers. She explained, “They wanted us to buy 12,000 pairs, so it’s kind of a big investment.” She said this demand was a substantial commitment, especially at the early stages of their business.
China played a big role in helping them overcome this challenge. She explained, “Irene came to my office one day when I was an academic advisor. I told her about our problems and she asked for the factory’s phone number… In just five minutes, she spoke with them in Chinese and it made a huge difference. She got the minimum order quantity lowered and even negotiated a better price for us.” She said Irene still helps them with shipping.
Sourcing the specific type of sandals they wanted proved to be another challenge, Christensen said. “We couldn’t find a factory that made the sandals.” Suppliers kept offering different types of sandals like flip-flops, she said, but her son Josh did not give up and eventually found a factory that made the sandals they were looking for.
Quality at affordable prices
Christensen emphasized the durability of their sandals, saying, “They do wear out, but they last a lot better than other brands. I’ll say that.” She explained J-Slips are affordably priced, and even with regular use, J-Slips maintain their durability.
Christensen said J-Slips provides many different colors, with the most popular being “coconut,” which is medium brown, and “lava rock,” which is black. Neutral tones tend to be the favored choice among customers, she said.
In J-Slips’ collaboration with Walmart in Hawaii, Christensen explained, “We have nine stores that we sell to in Hawaii. They already have a brand that has black and brown. So [Walmart] said ‘We don’t want your black and brown. We want the pastel ones.’” She said this led them to offer unique colors, like pink plumeria, ocean blue and seashell white, to cater to Walmart’s preferences.
Christensen said J-Slips has recently expanded into men’s footwear. She explained, “Just recently, I delivered our first men’s order to Walmart, and I met with the Walmart buyer, so they are now our biggest vendor on Oahu and in Hawaii.”
Christensen emphasized how the J-Slips company is her family’s way of bringing quality, one-of-a-kind sandals to everyone at an affordable price. According to her, their success comes from really understanding their customers’ needs and delivering on them.
About the CEO
Christensen arrived at BYU-H in 1985 and was a member of the tennis team. In the middle of college, she left to serve in the Maracaibo Venezuela Mission. She returned in 1990 to complete her education and got married that same year.