In our world, nothing is boring. BooJee Beads takes 21st-century workplace tools and amps up their design for ultimate style and use-value. We transform dull shoelace style lanyards and workplace gadgets into striking fashion accessories that are decadently affordable. Our mission is to help you take back your image and go from “standard issue” to one-of-a-kind workplace standout.

Company Information

We are a certified woman owned business (WBEC) and want to encourage other women to craft their own image, work smart, and dream big. While 50% of companies in the U.S. are owned by women, less than 4% have sales in excess of $1 million. Founded in 2003, Bonitas International has smashed that ceiling. Within a few short years, we were an honored recipient of the Make Mine a $Million™ Business Award, sponsored by Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence and OPEN from American Express. Today we proudly continue to grow and add staff as we expand into new product areas. In 2008, Bonitas International was named a Finalist as "Most Innovative Company of the Year" in the prestigious Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Our Founders

Our products come from real world experience. As a pediatric nurse in Cincinnati, OH, Lisa Harrington rebelled against those dismally boring shoelace style lanyards she had to wear everyday, cleverly turning the problem into a magnificent design opportunity. After making her own hand beaded, necklace style lanyards, fellow employees wanted more, and soon she had a thriving family business.

Seeing that Lisa had found and filled a truly underserved design niche, sister-in-law and downsized corporate executive, Kimberly Martinez, imagined making an even bigger impact. The accessories Lisa and her fellow employees craved should be available to everyone. The two left their lives of working for others and launched their own independent business.

Kimberly is Chief Executive Officer and, as BooJee Beads continues to take the world by storm, she has been seen everywhere from the Today Show’s couch to meeting with Vogue fashion editor André Leon Talley at New York Fashion Week. Lisa is Chief Design Officer and a creative force. Her original solution still holds true and she has expanded her vision to a host of other workplace needs.

We strive to improve the lives of the communities in which we do business. The more we grow, the more opportunities we have to affect positive change, particularly for working mothers like us. This core value comes from having woven together our families and a successful international business. Lisa’s daughter first inspired her to take action against her uniform accessory’s drab “uniformity”, and “BooJee” is Kimberly’s youngest son’s nickname. Today our fair trade line called “A Mother's Promise™” is the heart of our collection, exemplifying our company’s mission and integrity. This collection of necklace-style lanyards is created by bead artisans in remote villages of central Guatemala. Working mothers learn business skills and earn fair trade wages that enable them to purchase food, clothing and schooling for their children. We are very proud of this project and hope you’ll be as inspired by it as we’ve been.