Check Out Jamie Jantzen’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Jantzen

Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always loved sunglasses. Growing up and even as an adult, I never felt comfortable in my skin. I guess you can say I’m a bit of a tortured soul. I’m highly sensitive, and despite my grit feel everything deeply. Vibes, shifts in energy, and intuition, are the gifts we are all blessed with but have not really been taught how to utilize correctly. At 45 I was diagnosed with ADHD and all the dots kind of connected for me.

Sunglasses gave me power when I felt powerless. Which honestly, has been most of my life. I’m tapped in now! When I lived in Los Angeles, I would go downtown to the fashion district and buy ridiculous amounts of $5 shades. I have a pretty solid collection lol.

I was able to connect a passion with a purpose and Shady J’s was born. It’s really about having on armor when I step out into the World. Sunglasses are that protection for me.

From my website:

My fascination with sunglasses started when I was young, wild and free, dancing on any speaker box I could find for as long as they would let me… before underground parties were mainstream and peace, love, unity, and respect still meant something. Before designer brands were cool and individuality was encouraged. For me, sunglasses weren’t just a fashion accessory, they were a creative channel of self-expression and protection. After experiencing trauma at a young age, (and not addressing it until many years later), I fully immersed myself in a world that allowed me to feel happiness despite my inner conflicts.

It was then I discovered an appreciation for the confident connectedness but also the paradoxical power of disconnectedness I felt while exploring the most outrageously unique frames I could get my hands on.

Throughout my life, I discovered that wearing sunglasses became a way to shield myself from the judgmental gazes of the world. The lenses acted as a barrier, providing me with a sense of anonymity and a degree of separation from the crowd. This newfound ability to hide behind my shades gave me the courage to navigate social situations that would have otherwise been overwhelming and ultimately thrive.

As I continued my journey, I realized that sunglasses were not just my armor but a symbol of resilience and self-empowerment. They became a tool for reclaiming my identity and asserting control over my own narrative. Putting on sunglasses transformed into a daily ritual, signaling to myself and others that I was in charge of my destiny.

Amidst this process, I stumbled upon my purpose; the passion for sunglasses and the transformative power they held sparked a desire to share this experience with others. For years, I would collect funky frames and gift them to friends and strangers who expressed the same love for sunglasses that I had. I decided to channel that same energy into creating a brand that provided stylish eyewear and emphasized the importance of mental well-being and loving yourself completely.

While I was conceptualizing a logo, I gravitated toward the symbol of an umbrella. Little did I know, that the umbrella would come to represent much more than just a logo. The umbrella became a metaphor for protection, resilience, and shelter during life’s storms. It encapsulated the essence of my journey—finding strength in adversity and providing shelter for others on their path to self-discovery.

As my brand became a reality, I knew I wanted to include mental health awareness into my mission. The umbrella, originally chosen to pay homage to my late friend Boogie, who brought sunshine everywhere he went, now carried a more profound meaning as a symbol of support, understanding, and unity. My journey with sunglasses and mental health had come full circle, evolving into a purpose-driven endeavor that not only celebrated individuality but also fostered a community of strength and resilience.

In the end, my obsession with sunglasses became a catalyst for personal growth and a platform to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Through my brand and its meaningful symbolism, I found a way to merge my passion with a higher purpose, leaving an indelible mark on the world around me and the courage to normalize conversations about mental health.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. I was the kid who had to touch all the hot stoves. I pushed boundaries. Broke all the rules. Always a rebel without a cause. But… I also played sports, was on the swim team, and got straight A’s. I was kind of a square. Caused good trouble if you will.

That all changed when I was 14 when I was raped by my best friend’s brother.

Within a year I was in rehab.

I buried that trauma for over 2 decades and one day in 2016, I was triggered by something on the news and it all came flooding back to me like it had just happened.

I went through 3 years of depression, thoughts of suicide and extreme anxiety. Those were the darkest days of my life. I finally sought therapy, did the whole cocktail of medications etc… It helped symptoms but I still wasn’t treating the root trauma.

When I moved back to AZ from Los Angeles, I was a shell of myself. One day, during a debate with my friend I had a delayed thought about something I feel strongly about and in normal Jamie mode would have absolutely had a big response since I am passionate about the topic. I didn’t feel anything, like I didn’t care about the thing I know I care about. I was numb and muted. That day I decided to taper off the meds and get serious about healing.

I found a therapist I really liked (shoutout Lauren!) and started exploring plant medicine. After being laid off from a job I really loved, for reasons that didn’t make sense, I started sourcing sunglass suppliers. That was July 2023. In November, I attended a retreat that helped me breakdown some walls within myself and a week after I got home, I registered my LLC and bought a domain. 8 months later, I launched Shady J’s.

It’s always been my failures and not my wins that have paved the way for my level-ups! Despite my really low, lows I fall up, I never fall down!

My ultimate mission is to encourage conversations about mental health and empower people to love themselves completely. Even the icky parts.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My entire adult career has been in multifamily. My niche is repositioning failing assets and getting them back in the black. Rebuilding community and gaining resident trust after being mismanaged was always my why. I was also a vendor partner on the supplier side of the industry in both the Los Angeles and Phoenix markets. Most recently as a Director of Sales for a staffing agency that specializes in property management, Finding people jobs has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career!

I think what sets me apart is my authenticity and being able to meet people of all backgrounds where they are. Managing anything from a human perspective offers me the ability to “land the plane” so my message is received, whether I’m talking to someone late on rent or presenting to C-Suite Execs.

I’m most proud of some of my grassroots activism. Presenting legislation to remove the felony question off rental applications (it didn’t even make it to a vote lol), & advocating for Black lives, social justice issues, and the unhoused.

My ultimate brag though has been my son, Jayzen. He’s in his masters program and just won a ring in the AFL championship playing arena football for the Billings Outlaws.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Hahahahahahahaha!

Risk is my middle name lol.

In all seriousness, when I started the Shady J’s journey, I don’t think I really realized what I was getting myself into. I am pretty prideful when it comes to asking for help and have been self-funded up until recently, I knew my message and story would resonate with people but I had no idea it would take off as quickly as it did.

I’m learning as I go but I’m finally out of my own way and determined to share my special brand of shade and sunshine with the World!

Always bet on yourself! It took me a long time to be able to say that. That’s the risk.

Pricing:

• $60-$100 for the Shady Collection (on-line now www.shadyjs.net)
• $40-$80 for funky fresh readers coming soon
• $180-$240 Umbrella Collection (luxe) sourcing styles now

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shadyjs.net
• Instagram: @shadyjsfunkyframes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JSquaredAZ