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Making Up a Legacy

Joni Rogers-Kante first tried direct-selling as an independent consultant for cosmetics giant Mary Kay Inc., and she soon became a top seller training other consultants.

The experience, coupled with becoming a single mom, sparked the launch of her Foothills Ranch skincare and cosmetics company, SeneGence International, in 1999.

The chief executive said she wanted the flexibility to spend time with her infant son while earning a steady income but realized starting a business meant less free time.

“I literally worked 20 hours, seven days a week for at least the first five to six years,” Rogers-Kante said. “Then, of course, you’re always looking for that plateau of when can I take a breath and feel that whatever structure I’ve put in place is secure. I’m still waiting for that day.”

SeneGence has grown out of a Newport Beach mobile home into a 200,000-square-foot distribution center and office space with about 500 employees. The private company doesn’t disclose revenue but the latest reported was $380 million in 2015, according to direct selling and multilevel marking research firm Business For Home. It will open a 255,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Corona next month and plans to expand its second office in Tulsa, Okla., with the addition of three facilities.

The Business Journal honored Rogers-Kante for her work and leadership on March 15 with an Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award (see other profiles, pages 1, 4 and 6).

While the idea for the business began with her, Rogers-Kante said its growth came from the support of her executive team, staff and a network of more than 500,000 independent distributors.

“It’s amazing that people are put into your life that add to whatever you’re trying to do,” she said. “We have amazing employees, and the people we’re bringing on today bring in an exceptional skill set and point of view that we’ve never considered because we’ve been so focused on where we’re at.”

She pointed to President Philippe Guerreau, who joined the company last year.

Guerreau was serving as a vice president at L’Oreal USA in charge of finance for the company’s North American manufacturing operations and expansions.

SeneGence last year added founder and former president of the networking arm of Beachbody LLC Christopher Simonian as chief sales and development officer, and named retired Oklahoma state Sen. Ted Fisher economic development officer at its Oklahoma office.

Making Sense

Rogers-Kante moved to California from Sepulpa, Okla., when she was 15 in order to live with her mother, who’d recently married Sav-On Drugs’ senior vice president of merchandising.

She described her father as a workaholic who “commanded the best work ethics,” and it was through him that she joined the now-defunct retail chain, where she worked for seven years before heading to Mary Kay.

“I’m actually a shy person, so my [initial] experience with Mary Kay was difficult because I’m not a salesperson,” Rogers-Kante said. “That transferred into my commitment to make sure [SeneGence] has products that work so shy people like me don’t have to worry about learning complicated, psychological sales techniques.”

It’s why she partnered with a chemist the year before launching the business to create its patented long-lasting lip color line LipSense. The waterproof liquid lipstick is smudge-proof and designed to last four to 18 hours.

LipSense grew in popularity, and sales helped fund the company’s expansion into skincare and other color cosmetic products. It now carries more than 300 items and is sold through distributors in 12 countries.

Rogers-Kante said that with the company’s new manufacturing facility and offices in Oklahoma, she anticipates the business to last long enough to be passed on to her 30-year-old son, Alan, who serves as chief experience officer, as well as her 10-year-old son.

“God willing, it will be a very, very old direct-selling company,” she said. “We’re setting it up for that.”

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