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Valley's bag lady Entrepreneur seeks cash to take purse lines national
	By Brent Hopkins, Staff Writer SHERMAN OAKS -- J.J. Matis almost has fame in the bag. As the creative force behind J.J. Creations, she's landed her purses in Staples Center and Dodger Stadium, pitched them to rock bands and ballplayers. Her latest offering, a graffiti-inspired collection of Los Angeles Lakers bags, sold out from Staples' Team LA shop in its debut during the team's last homestand. And though the dynamic entrepreneur has enjoyed her success so far, she's feeling restless. "My one investor -- my father -- is invested out," she said from her Sherman Oaks home office. "Now, we need an angel (investor) to take us to the next level."
Springing from her MBA project at California Lutheran University, the eye-catching bags have enjoyed a remarkable success since her graduation in 2000. From an original baseball prototype, using a Dodgers logo hacked off a ball cap and shoelaces to simulate the ball's red stitches, she's expanded her line to cover two sports, three bands and various patriotic regalia. Shoppers buy her line at No Doubt concerts, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and in the United States Senate gift shop. But Alan Matis' initial $25,000 investment can only go so far. His 33-year-old daughter hasn't drawn a paycheck in five years and his salary as a school counselor at Millikan Middle School doesn't allow him to pour endless money into a company that has yet to see a profit. "For startup firms, that's chump change, but for me, that's a lot of money," he said. "I believe in her, not just as my daughter, but as a businesswoman. I've invested each step of the way, but the costs are extraordinary to create these bags. Someone needs to come in and help out." The younger Matis estimates that the company needs an infusion of several hundred thousand dollars to proceed on a national scale. She has entertained offers from larger investors to absorb her concept before, but was unable to land a deal. This might change, she believes, as a result of the graffiti line. Designed by Jolie Clemens, the creator of No Doubt's "Rock Steady" album cover art, the line already sells on the band's Web site, as well as in gift shops for the Lakers and baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. "This third year is really crucial," she said. "The new line has rejuvenated my belief that we can expand." Still enthusiastic, she dreams of selling the purses through Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association, as well as expanding to other sports. But high production prices for the bags, printed in Van Nuys, embroidered in Chatsworth and sewn in Lake View Terrace, have cut into profits so deeply she can't afford to hire additional staffers or travel to promote the line. That constant self-promotion has been crucial to her success "She's very aggressive, to her credit," said Alan Fey, director of merchandise at Staples' Team LA store. "We get calls a million times a day with the 'next, greatest Lakers product,' but she really stands behind her product, which really sells it." That tenaciousness allowed her to run in a field dominated by names like Nike, Reebok and Starter. Though Matis doesn't have the marketing muscle of the industry leaders, Howard Smith, MLB's senior vice president of licensing, said she could potentially contend on a national level. "Normally, we go with a big guy who's got the distribution and retailer relationships," Smith said. "But every once in a while, we get someone like this. Since the Dodgers really liked this, we worked with her. Now, it's a matter of how much she wants to invest in the business. If we take on a licensee, we like them to work with all the clubs. Obviously, the Dodgers and the Yankees are the biggest, but we want everyone to have access to this." Matis first approached Mike Nygren, the Dodgers director of merchandising, four years ago, prior to her graduation from Cal Lutheran. Intrigued with her proposal, he talked her through the steps to win a MLB license. "This is one of the few instances where an individual instead of a company takes the time to go through the process," Nygren said. "I think it was a great learning experience for her and for Major League Baseball, for them to see that there's that entrepreneurial spirit out there." The spirit's run a little ragged now, as Matis still handles everything, from hounding teams to mailing off orders. Though the business has become all-consuming, she professes no regrets. "I don't do anything but work," she sighed. "I don't have a social life, I don't have children, I don't have a husband. I'm married to these bags." [Los Angeles Daily News, February 20, 2003]

Valley's bag lady
Entrepreneur seeks cash to take purse lines national

By Brent Hopkins, Staff Writer

SHERMAN OAKS -- J.J. Matis almost has fame in the bag. As the creative force behind J.J. Creations, she's landed her purses in Staples Center and Dodger Stadium, pitched them to rock bands and ballplayers. Her latest offering, a graffiti-inspired collection of Los Angeles Lakers bags, sold out from Staples' Team LA shop in its debut during the team's last homestand. And though the dynamic entrepreneur has enjoyed her success so far, she's feeling restless.

"My one investor -- my father -- is invested out," she said from her Sherman Oaks home office. "Now, we need an angel (investor) to take us to the next level."

Springing from her MBA project at California Lutheran University, the eye-catching bags have enjoyed a remarkable success since her graduation in 2000. From an original baseball prototype, using a Dodgers logo hacked off a ball cap and shoelaces to simulate the ball's red stitches, she's expanded her line to cover two sports, three bands and various patriotic regalia. Shoppers buy her line at No Doubt concerts, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and in the United States Senate gift shop.

But Alan Matis' initial $25,000 investment can only go so far. His 33-year-old daughter hasn't drawn a paycheck in five years and his salary as a school counselor at Millikan Middle School doesn't allow him to pour endless money into a company that has yet to see a profit.

"For startup firms, that's chump change, but for me, that's a lot of money," he said. "I believe in her, not just as my daughter, but as a businesswoman. I've invested each step of the way, but the costs are extraordinary to create these bags. Someone needs to come in and help out."

The younger Matis estimates that the company needs an infusion of several hundred thousand dollars to proceed on a national scale. She has entertained offers from larger investors to absorb her concept before, but was unable to land a deal. This might change, she believes, as a result of the graffiti line. Designed by Jolie Clemens, the creator of No Doubt's "Rock Steady" album cover art, the line already sells on the band's Web site, as well as in gift shops for the Lakers and baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.

"This third year is really crucial," she said. "The new line has rejuvenated my belief that we can expand."

Still enthusiastic, she dreams of selling the purses through Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association, as well as expanding to other sports. But high production prices for the bags, printed in Van Nuys, embroidered in Chatsworth and sewn in Lake View Terrace, have cut into profits so deeply she can't afford to hire additional staffers or travel to promote the line.

That constant self-promotion has been crucial to her success

"She's very aggressive, to her credit," said Alan Fey, director of merchandise at Staples' Team LA store. "We get calls a million times a day with the 'next, greatest Lakers product,' but she really stands behind her product, which really sells it."

That tenaciousness allowed her to run in a field dominated by names like Nike, Reebok and Starter. Though Matis doesn't have the marketing muscle of the industry leaders, Howard Smith, MLB's senior vice president of licensing, said she could potentially contend on a national level.

"Normally, we go with a big guy who's got the distribution and retailer relationships," Smith said. "But every once in a while, we get someone like this. Since the Dodgers really liked this, we worked with her. Now, it's a matter of how much she wants to invest in the business. If we take on a licensee, we like them to work with all the clubs. Obviously, the Dodgers and the Yankees are the biggest, but we want everyone to have access to this."

Matis first approached Mike Nygren, the Dodgers director of merchandising, four years ago, prior to her graduation from Cal Lutheran. Intrigued with her proposal, he talked her through the steps to win a MLB license.

"This is one of the few instances where an individual instead of a company takes the time to go through the process," Nygren said. "I think it was a great learning experience for her and for Major League Baseball, for them to see that there's that entrepreneurial spirit out there."

The spirit's run a little ragged now, as Matis still handles everything, from hounding teams to mailing off orders. Though the business has become all-consuming, she professes no regrets.

"I don't do anything but work," she sighed. "I don't have a social life, I don't have children, I don't have a husband. I'm married to these bags."

[Los Angeles Daily News, February 20, 2003]

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