BC sisters at career crossroads create much-loved children's brand

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If you’re a parent, you’ve most definitely seen, and very likely purchased, something from the Loulou Lollipop brand. The line is hard to miss, being sold in brick-and-mortar retailers Indigo, Crate and Barrel, Anthropologie and more, plus online at Well.ca and its own (adorable) website.

Launched in 2015, the brand is the result of significant career gear-shifting by twin sisters Angel Kho and Eleanor Lee. Based in Richmond, BC, the sisters found themselves at a crossroads professionally and personally and took the ol’ lemonade out of lemons approach.

Lee was pursuing her dream job as an interior designer, stating she “had always aspired to create beautiful spaces since childhood.” Her career took a hard turn when the design company that employed her claimed bankruptcy “during my pregnancy, leaving me without a job to return to after maternity leave,” she says.

“My path to Loulou Lollipop might be a surprise,” says twin sister Kho. “I actually spent a decade working in the mining industry, first as a GIS analyst for an exploration company and then as a database administrator for a mining software company.”

Kho shared her sister’s passion for design, however, while her career was stable and that steady paycheque was nice, she was uninspired. “I always longed to be creative, so starting Loulou Lollipop with Eleanor has been an amazing opportunity to finally tap into that design side, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it!”

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Why a children’s line of products?

“Inspiration hit when Eleanor became a mom!” says Kho. “We saw all these adorable baby products, but they were either boring neutrals or covered in characters we weren’t in love with. We thought, ‘we can do better than this!'”

One of the sleepers sold by Loulou Lollipop

Lee leaned into form and function when creating their first product, being a new mom with a teething daughter. “I struggled to find safe and stylish alternatives to traditional teething accessories. This led us to create our own line of silicone teething necklaces, focusing on safety, quality, and contemporary design.”

In a world of overnight successes, Loulou Lollipop was not. Instead, it was a slow and steady climb, and it took time to get its products in the Canadian and US retail markets. Lee explains, “While platforms like Instagram and the internet facilitated a swift introduction to the market in just 1.5 years, building and reinforcing the brand was a gradual process that demanded continuous effort to stay innovative and competitive.”

To kickstart their brand, the sisters did the trade show circuit, meeting retailer reps, developing relationships, and learning how this new venture would demand a lot from each of them.

Lee explains, “Today, as we reflect on our journey, we recognize that success wasn’t just about the speed of entry, but the steady commitment to our vision and values. It’s a testament to the power of perseverance and resilience in the face of challenges. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and remain steadfast in our dedication to creating sustainable and quality products for future generations.”

After the initial interest of a few retailers, it still took “four to five years of dedicated effort, along with a lot of hustling, to truly build a strong relationship and brand presence in the market,” adds Kho.

Now with B-Corp certification, this stamp of approval seems like the cherry on top for this female-owned brand. Lee says, “51% of our company is owned, operated, and controlled by women, reflecting our commitment to empowering women in entrepreneurship and leadership roles.”

Kho adds, “For B Corp certification, you go through a rigorous process, verifying standards around things like social and environmental impact and how we treat our people. It’s our way of saying that what we do matters beyond sales. We hope when a customer sees those certifications, they know we’re not just about cute products but about being a better kind of business.”

Written for Daily Hive by Catherine Dunwoody — a freelance writer based in Vancouver who’s contributed to Nuvo, Food Network Canada, The Georgia Straight, Retail Insider, Canadian Traveller, and more. She’s held editor posts at The Globe and Mail, Fashion, LouLou, The Vancouver Sun and Real Weddings.