KJ is the nickname she chose, the armor she built, the stage she never stopped standing on. But behind the confidence and the cultural commentary and the perfectly matched lipstick is Kristen: the middle child who felt like the ugly duckling, the founder who nearly didn't make it out, the mother whose daughter became her reason to keep going.

In this episode of Sense of Self, Dr. Gowri Aragam sits down with Kristen Jones Miller, better known as KJ, co-founder of Mented Cosmetics, host of the Queen Things podcast, content creator, professor, and soon-to-be author, for the conversation behind the brand.

What unfolds is a story about identity built layer by layer: from a girl in Columbus who learned to be funny because she had to, to an HBS grad who walked into entrepreneurship knowing the odds and doing it anyway, to a founder who spent a year watching her company deteriorate in real time while quietly, privately, almost silently falling apart. And about what it looks like to sell the thing you built from your own wounds, and somehow find your way back to loving it again.

This one is equal parts hilarious, devastating, and deeply alive.

Meet KJ!
Kristen Jones Miller, known as KJ, is the co-founder of Mented Cosmetics, a beauty brand celebrating the beauty of darker skin tones, which she co-founded in 2017 out of Harvard Business School. She is the creator and host of the Queen Things podcast, a content creator, a professor at Ohio State University, and a soon-to-be author. She lives in Ohio with her husband K'idar, and their daughter Kayla.

Connect with KJ:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjmiller/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iam_kjmiller
Queen Things Podcast: https://tr.ee/I0h4kIx-e1
Mented Cosmetics: https://www.mentedcosmetics.com/

Connect with Sense of Self:
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Connect with Dr. Gowri Aragam:
Instagram: instagram.com/drgowriaragam
Website: Drgowriaragam.com

00:00 Chasing What Lights You Up
00:33 Meet KJ and the Show
03:26 Origins of the Name KJ
04:14 Middle Child Roots
07:11 Privilege and Expectations
10:55 Idyllic Columbus Bubble
12:21 Skin Tone and Humor
15:14 KJ as Armor
18:37 Meeting Her Husband
21:02 College to Business School
23:37 Entrepreneurship North Star
28:52 Building Mented Beauty
33:01 Founder Foundation Talk
33:51 Oprah Favorite Things High
35:22 Maternity Leave Cash Crunch
36:56 Highs Lows Reality Check
39:08 Postpartum Depression Signs
40:07 Zoloft Decision Relief
43:08 Losing Optimism Signal
47:09 Reunion Breakdown 2023
49:39 Con Artist Deal Spiral
50:35 Board Ultimatum Hail Mary
52:37 Vulnerability Survival Mode
56:27 Relief After Sale
57:59 Content Creator Era
01:00:10 Multihyphenate Identity
01:02:30 Parenting Passion First
01:03:54 Final Thanks Subscribe

This episode includes discussion of postpartum depression and suicidal ideation, which may be distressing for some listeners. If you find yourself experiencing difficult emotions, please consider pausing the episode, returning at another time, and reaching out to a trusted person or a professional.

Thanks from all of us at Sense of Self.

This episode was edited by Brie Mittan
This episode was produced by Dr. Gowri Aragam and Brie Mittan

A note on ethics, process, and safety:

• The individuals in this podcast have graciously shared their stories and it's important to note that while these discussions are enriching and enlightening, they are not a substitute for therapy or mental healthcare.
• Please note that each guest has given their consent to participate, had full control over what aspects of their journey were shared, and either currently engages in therapy or has done so in the past.

Thanks from all of us at Sense of Self