Our Own Image Review and Profile

Our Own Image no longer appears to be active as a direct sales company.

Original Npros business profile for Our Own Image, preserved below for archival purposes:

Our Own Image was an Ohio-based direct-selling company founded in 2003 by Gail Littlejohn and her daughter, Erica Littlejohn Burnette. Both women were attorneys who developed the business after repeatedly struggling to find celebration products, gifts, and home décor that represented African American families in a positive and authentic way. They initially invested $30,000 of their own money and later received a reported $1 million investment from The Antioch Company, the employee-owned business best known for operating Creative Memories. Our Own Image became a division of Antioch and officially began selling products in August 2003.

The company offered African American-themed products for holidays, baby showers, weddings, graduations, family reunions, and other important occasions. Its catalog included greeting cards, invitations, gift bags, Christmas stockings, tree skirts, ornaments, journals, party supplies, dinnerware, kitchen accessories, and home décor. Many products featured original artwork by African American artists and were developed through focus groups intended to avoid stereotypes and caricatures.

Our Own Image sold through independent consultants who hosted home parties, presented the products to guests, and accepted customer orders. Consultants earned retail commissions on their personal sales and could also receive compensation connected to consultants they recruited. A 2005 profile reported a 20% commission on personal party sales. One consultant said she had earned as much as $3,500 in a month while building a team of representatives, although that figure reflected an individual result rather than typical earnings.

The company grew quickly during its first several years. It had signed 54 consultants within two months of launching and had expanded to more than 600 consultants in 30 states by 2005. Our Own Image generated approximately $1 million in sales during 2004 and projected nearly $2 million for 2005. The Antioch Company continued to identify Our Own Image as one of its principal business units in 2006.

Our Own Image later disappeared as an operating direct-sales division during the broader financial and organizational decline of The Antioch Company.