Peddling to Success: How Jennifer Cohen Bogan Shifted Gears from Fashion to E-Bikes
In this exciting interview, we delve into the inspiring journey of a dynamic entrepreneur who seamlessly transitioned from a flourishing career in the fashion and beauty industry to pioneering a standout lifestyle brand in the e-bike market. Meet the founder of Bluejay Electric Bikes, who switched gears to create a company that blends aesthetic elegance with cutting-edge technology to offer a unique and joyful riding experience. Her background in fashion and beauty has uniquely equipped her to create e-bikes that are not only functional but also exude style and sophistication. With a Harvard Business School education and a strong emphasis on balancing professional aspirations with family life, she has built Bluejay into a celebrated brand, adored by celebrities and everyday users alike.
Can you share what inspired you to transition from a successful career in the fashion and beauty industry to founding Bluejay Electric Bikes?
When I worked in fashion and beauty and was creating brands, I always felt the holy grail would be to develop a true lifestyle brand, which I thought was such an overused term. However, experiences are just as important as what we own or wear. The experience of riding an e-bike is such a joy to most people, and I wanted to share that with the world in a way that pulled from all of my experience in fashion and beauty. Like a beautifully crafted coat, a Bluejay bike is something that is both stylish and built to last. The importance of understanding color in the beauty world cannot be understated, and I have used my expertise to develop mouth-watering, limited edition colors, which is a key differentiator for Bluejay.
How has your education at Harvard Business School influenced your approach to building and growing Bluejay Electric Bikes?
It’s interesting because I have connections in many industries from maintaining relationships with my former classmates, but at the time I was starting Bluejay, I didn’t even have a 3rd connection on LinkedIn of anyone in the bike industry! Harvard Business School taught me the power of networking, and how to seek out information and expertise. It’s actually not that hard if you are resourceful and respectful of people’s time, as people do like to share their knowledge and connect you with others who can help. Having read over 1000 business case studies during my tenure (yes, that’s right!) helped me with judgment and decision making. No two situations are exactly alike, and you can never predict the future. Being an entrepreneur takes hard work but also ultimately luck, which is out of our hands. I can be confident that I make decisions given the best information I have and I believe there is never a problem too big to solve given creativity and persistence.
What was the initial vision behind Bluejay Electric Bikes, and how has it evolved since you first launched the company?
The vision has always been the same, which is to encourage people to create space in their daily lives to do something joyful, present and in the moment. It has always been about creating a family lifestyle concept. What is wonderful is to see it fully come to life as we celebrate our fifth year. Being self funded, I have taken it step by step. I started with only one model (the Premiere Edition) in multiple colors and a few accessories. As we have grown and started to get more Bluejays out in the wild (as we like to say), I have been able to develop additional models, using my husband and children as the inspiration. Riding together is such an enjoyable family activity for us. We now have three models (with more on the way), a great customization functionality and a ton of accessories for every use case, whether it be carrying a grocery load, kids, pets or even a surfboard. We also have expanded to have a retail location in Newport Beach, California.
As a mother of two, how do you balance your responsibilities as a parent with the demands of running a rapidly growing company?
This is a tricky one. I wouldn’t say I work fewer hours than I did in the corporate world, but I do get to make my own schedule. For example, later this afternoon, I am volunteering at my 3rd grade son’s end-of-year field day, then taking my daughter to soccer practice and my son to baseball. I will take some calls on the road and play some catch up this evening. I built my company during Covid, so we know how to work remotely with scheduled calls and Zooms. I have multiple employees with kids or family responsibilities and have created a culture that allows for them to balance work and personal life as well. This was extremely important to me to be at the core of the culture of Bluejay.
How did Bluejay Electric Bikes become a favourite among celebrities like Melissa McCarthy and Gwyneth Paltrow? What impact has this had on your brand?
Gwyneth was the first one on to Bluejay, featuring it in Goop’s 2019 gift guide, the year we launched. It was a dream come true! I was able to connect with someone at Goop and share the product with them early on. They were believers and supporters from the start and we continue to work with them. From there, the word got out in certain circles. Jen Atkin, Aimee Song, Jennifer Garner, Melissa McCarthy, Maria Shriver, Chrissy Teigen, Rumer Willis have all been huge supporters, to name a few.
I have never paid any celebrity to post. They do it because they genuinely believe in the product and I think that authenticity is what comes across to people. I believe in word-of-mouth influence as well as social media influence. It’s one of the fuzziest parts of marketing because it’s really hard to quantify the impact. Credibility is everything, especially for a new brand. The fact that taste makers including celebrities, business owners, designers and influencers, people who can get any product in the world, tell me my product breaks through the noise, gives me confidence to know I am on the right track.
Can you tell us more about the new SPORT and WILD models? What inspired these additions to your product line?
The Sport and Wild models were inspired by my husband and my children, and the ability for us to all ride together, no matter the distance or hill. My husband loves to ride and has multiple bikes for different purposes. He likes to ride on road and off road and more adventurous terrain. My children are the same. They like to ride on all roads –grass, gravel, dirt, etc. I added mountain bike tires to their bikes and a more sporty frame geometry. They come with the same thoughtful design and safety features that are inherent to the Bluejay brand.
I am especially concerned about the number of kids I see going too fast on class 3 throttle e-bikes. I understand that the need for e-bikes and scooters for kids and teens is not only not going away, but rather increasing in popularity. But with that, I want to provide a safe alternative that is as similar to riding a regular bike as possible, just with extra oomph when you need it.
How do you stay ahead of trends and innovations in the e-bike industry to ensure Bluejay remains a market leader?
I am always talking with my manufacturers about the latest and greatest in part innovations. My production team goes to the overseas bike shows to learn of new developments. I never wanted to develop my own proprietary technology that could become obsolete, given how fast the industry is moving. Some parts are tried and true, like our Shimano gear shifters and our Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. We have updated our displays as they have become more sleek over time. I have been watching battery and motor technology very closely and have been in development on some new models for the last two years.
Where do you see Bluejay Electric Bikes in the next five to ten years, and what are your long-term goals for the company?
Growth. We have so much opportunity for geographic expansion within the US, not to mention internationally. We are going to launch some new models that will be game changers and reach a whole new audience. I have ideas for more models, more accessories, more customizations. I can tell you we are approaching this differently than anyone else in the industry. I want to see Bluejays in the wild everywhere and open an entirely new audience to e-bikes and all the benefits. I love my amazing Bluejay team and I look forward to growing it and welcoming new people into the fold.
What are 3 things that you always have on your desk/with you when working?
I’m not always at my desk! But I usually have my phone, my water bottle, and my two twin Boston Terrier puppies, Lucky + Charms somewhere close by.