For the Love of Luxe By Debbie Eisele

James Point, an online store based in Maine, was founded by Kathleen Kurjanowicz. Her love for simplicity, organization, sophistication, high quality and luxury was the inspiration behind the launch of this business. Her goal was simply to create stationery that she always “wanted and needed” throughout her life that she was unable to find.

James Point offers a premier product line that consists of a collection of high-quality stationery items, suitable for individuals that love to make lists and enjoy organization. “Our cornerstone product, The MultiTasker was born out of necessity. A need for simplicity, a need for quality and luxurious feel, and a need to keep all my lists in one place,” Kurjanowicz expanded.

“I’ve always been a list maker. There is just something so satisfying about creating a list and physically checking things off when they are complete,” she shared. She is also a mother and wife with a hectic schedule that requires a lot of list making. 

“I used to carry stacks of Post-it notes around with me to keep separate lists for everything, but it drove my husband crazy! On the other hand, keeping everything on one giant list just felt overwhelming and chaotic. I knew there had to be a better way to keep things organized and most importantly, keep them simple,” she explained.

During her school years, Kurjanowicz was one of “those kids” that enjoyed back-to-school shopping, especially for notebooks, pens and other supplies. “As an adult, I still get excited about new pens and love nothing more than strolling the office supply aisles at Target and the pen aisle at Staples,” she enthused. 

Right now, James Point’s most requested item in inventory is the MultiTasker Triple and the FamilyTasker. Another very popular item is the FamilyTasker, which attracts stay-at-home moms and moms working from home, “particularly during the pandemic when people are juggling so many things (work/home life/remote school/etc.),” shared Kurjanowicz.

When asked about tips for showcasing merchandise online, she said “creating displays for an online shop are all about photos.” She tries to visualize the way her customers see the products and considers ways they may like to see items. “The majority of our photo ideas come out of questions and feedback we have received from product testers and current customers,” she noted. 

For the holiday season, James Point is offering product bundles at a discounted price. “They are our most requested and sold items — bundled with their refill products to make an amazing gift for the holiday season. We also have full color bundles, which include our full line of products in a single color. This has been a very popular bundle with our VIP email subscribers,” she detailed. 

Kurjanowicz provided some advice to other retailers: “Trust your gut. You know your business better than anyone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help — there are so many resources out there and available to women starting new businesses.” Kurjanowicz herself has turned to her local SCORE chapter and the CEI women’s business center to seek input when necessary. She explained that seeking support and utilizing resources for information related to business fundamentals are invaluable.