Business Spotlight with Kandi Slominski from KJ Group, LLC

The business spotlight is now on Kandi Slominski, CEO of KJ Group, LLC, who shared her inspiring journey from a challenging upbringing in Brockton, Massachusetts, to leading her own successful company in Wisconsin. Raised by a single mother in a tough environment, Kandi learned early on the value of hard work and continuous self-improvement. Despite facing personal hardships, including being a teen mom, she managed to raise three successful children and build a career that evolved from fitness instruction to a thriving business owner.

Kandi’s path to entrepreneurship was marked by seizing unexpected opportunities. Initially starting with fitness classes and office work, she transitioned into business through a serendipitous blend of fitness and sales roles. Her venture into business grew out of a marketing project for her boyfriend’s company, which led to the creation of 2impress and later, KJ Group, LLC. She combined her expertise in sales with his knowledge of production skills. Kandi’s leadership style focuses on mentorship and personal growth, reflecting her belief in the importance of helping others along the way. Looking ahead, Kandi is focused on expanding her business offerings and developing new programs, while continuing to seek out opportunities for growth and improvement in both her personal and professional life.

Podcast Transcript:

Jackie Zach: Hello, everyone. This is Coach Jackie Zach, and I’m thrilled to welcome Kandi Slominski from KJ Group, LLC to our show today. Kandi, originally from Brockton, Massachusetts—which is about 30 miles south of Boston—now resides in Winneconne, Wisconsin. Is that right?

Kandi Slominski: Yes, that’s correct.

Jackie: Great! You’ve made quite a move from a big city to a much smaller town. You have three grown children who have all moved out, and you’re a proud grandmother of four, courtesy of your eldest daughter. You’re also in a relationship with your business partner, Jim, who lives in Van Dyne, Wisconsin. As the CEO and majority partner of KJ Group, LLC, you oversee two distinct divisions: 2impress and Fox Valley Team Sports, which we’ll explore in more detail later. Besides your professional achievements, you’re also an enthusiastic windsurfer, although you haven’t been out recently due to needing a new sail. In your downtime, you’re learning Spanish through Duolingo and taking an online JavaScript course. You take immense pride in your journey from being a teen mom living in a homeless shelter to becoming a successful business owner and mother of three accomplished adults. I’m also learning Italian with Duolingo, so it’s exciting to hear we share that interest!

Kandi: Really? That’s awesome!

Jackie: Yes, it is! I’m excited to dive into your story. Let’s start with your personal background.

Kandi: Sure! As you mentioned, I was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. I’m an East Coast girl at heart. My mom raised me and my two older siblings—one sister and one brother—as a single parent. We were quite poor and lived in a rough area, so we had to learn to be resourceful and frugal. My mom was a hardworking woman who instilled a strong work ethic in us. She always encouraged us to stay in school and work hard to improve our situation. That mindset—always striving to improve and learn more—has been a driving force in my life. I studied diligently and kept pushing forward, which has brought me to where I am today.

Jackie: So, tell me how you transitioned into your professional life. What led you to buy or start a company?

Kandi: I never planned to buy or start a company. Initially, I thought I’d end up working in a corporate environment. My journey began with a passion for fitness. I was a huge fan of Jane Fonda’s fitness classes and thought, “I could do that too.” When I was around 19 or 20, I got certified as a fitness instructor. However, I had some personal challenges that put it on hold. When I moved to Wisconsin at 23 after getting married, I started teaching fitness classes at the Y. I really enjoyed it and did well. After moving to Iowa for my husband’s job, I continued teaching fitness classes and even began offering independent classes to businesses and the rec department. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was essentially running a business.

While doing fitness classes, I also worked a day job in an office at Metalcraft, a company specializing in barcode labels and inventory management. This job provided me with valuable experience in a different industry. When we moved back to Wisconsin, I had the opportunity to continue with inside sales remotely for the company I worked for. My territory was extensive—covering places like Massachusetts, Canada, Hawaii, and Alaska. Despite not being required to travel, I enjoyed it and expanded my territory through travel. This role inadvertently led to the development of another business as I took on multiple clients.

Eventually, my boyfriend Jim, who owned a sporting goods and screen printing business, invited me to work as a sales rep for him. So, I started representing his business alongside my other roles. Then, as companies started bringing their reps in-house, I faced a tough decision. Even though my performance was strong, I was offered a choice: stay independent or join them directly. I chose to focus on my business.

During this time, I also pursued an associate degree in marketing, which included a project on creating a marketing plan for a local small business. I chose Jim’s business for this project and proposed adding promotional products and incentives. Although Jim wasn’t interested in pursuing this idea, I decided to move forward with it, and that’s how 2impress was born. It started as a side project but quickly grew beyond my expectations. The label company eventually decided to cut ties with independent reps, which pushed me to focus more on 2impress.

When Jim’s business partner left, we saw an opportunity to merge our efforts. We combined our businesses under one umbrella, forming KJ Group, LLC. This allowed us to leverage Jim’s production expertise and my sales background to support both businesses more effectively. This merger was a natural progression for us, aligning with our respective strengths and opportunities.

Jackie: It sounds like your career has been shaped by seizing opportunities as they came. You’ve been open to recognizing and taking advantage of them, which has been a key theme throughout your career.

Kandi: Absolutely. I’ve always believed that when opportunity knocks, you should open the door and let it in. It’s a principle my mom instilled in me. I’ve tried to embrace every opportunity that comes my way and make the most of it.

Jackie: I love that mindset! Can you tell us about your leadership style?

Kandi: I see myself as a mentor and a teacher. I enjoy teaching fitness classes and sharing knowledge with others. Helping people grow and succeed is incredibly rewarding for me. I believe in giving more than receiving—it’s fulfilling to contribute to others’ development. I’ve always been passionate about volunteering and supporting groups and organizations. My leadership style focuses on guiding my team and helping them achieve their goals, even if those goals extend beyond the scope of our business.

Jackie: That’s wonderful. Can you describe your target market and the services your company offers?

Kandi: Certainly. For 2impress, our target market includes businesses of all sizes, from small to large. We provide promotional products and decorated apparel for various needs, including business events, employee appreciation, and customer gift-giving. We handle both small and large orders and focus on creating robust programs for medium to larger businesses, particularly those with remote employees. We offer e-commerce solutions that allow employees to choose and receive their items directly, saving time and effort for the company.

On the other hand, Fox Valley Team Sports caters to sports teams and organizations, including gym sports, youth sports, and high school teams. We assist with fundraisers, uniforms, equipment, and other needs to ensure teams are well-prepared for their seasons. Coaches can focus on their primary tasks while we handle the logistics of apparel and equipment.

Jackie: When did you gain the confidence to run your own business?

Kandi: I’ve always had confidence, but I never really stopped to think about it. I just jumped into it and figured things out along the way. Sometimes, I might have been overly confident without fully considering the consequences. With help from mentors and coaches, I’ve learned to navigate challenges and seek assistance when needed.

Jackie: If you could go back to the start of your career, what would you do differently?

Kandi: I would seek out help from mentors and coaches sooner. I’d also take more time to think things through before diving in. My career wasn’t always smooth, and having guidance earlier on could have helped me avoid some pitfalls.

Jackie: What’s a common myth about being a CEO or founder that you’d like to dispel?

Kandi: A common myth is that you have to know everything and solve every problem on your own. I used to believe that, but I learned that it’s important to seek help and not try to handle everything yourself. You don’t need to be an expert in every aspect of your business. Focus on the bigger picture and delegate or seek help for specific tasks.

Jackie: That’s a valuable lesson. What new skills or knowledge are you looking to acquire outside of work?

Kandi: I don’t have much time outside of work, but I enjoy learning and improving my skills. Right now, I’m focused on learning JavaScript and Spanish. These pursuits contribute to my personal and professional growth.

Jackie: Are there any areas of your business where you want to become more of an expert?

Kandi: I’d like to improve my knowledge in IT and business processes. I’ve been learning coding and focusing on understanding the business processes better.

Jackie: What’s the next big thing for your business in the next one to three years?

Kandi: We’re working on enhancing our employee incentive and gift-giving programs. We aim to develop a program that allows customers to build their own options for recognition and rewards. This will offer more flexibility and control for businesses. We’re also planning to introduce outside sales reps to support customers in implementing these programs, which will be a significant step for us.

Jackie: That sounds like an exciting future for your business!

Kandi: It is! We’re eager to see these changes happen and continue to grow our company.

Jackie: Kandi, it also sounds like you’ve had a lot of wonderful support on your journey. What would you like to say to those people?

Kandi: I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who supported me and didn’t discourage me. The nuns at the homeless shelter encouraged me to stay in school and gain life skills. A teacher came to the shelter to help me when I was about to drop out of high school and made sure I graduated. I also appreciate Steve from Metalcraft for giving me a chance as an independent rep despite my inexperience, and my boyfriend for supporting my ideas. I feel truly blessed by the faith and encouragement I’ve received from so many people.

Jackie: It’s clear that your own efforts, combined with their support, have led to your success and the success of your family. It’s inspiring to see how this positive influence has impacted generations.

Kandi: Absolutely. I hope sharing my story helps others who are struggling to see that they can overcome challenges with determination and support.

Jackie: It’s been wonderful having you on the show. Thanks for sharing your story.

Kandi: Thank you, Jackie. I’ve enjoyed it and hope it inspires someone out there.