Building a Brand from the Kitchen Table

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At the time, I was approaching my thirties. Elizabeth was nearly one, and I was pregnant with our second baby. The thought of going back to work and leaving my little one honestly filled me with dread. I’d fallen out of love with teaching, and deep down I’d always wanted my own business — I just didn’t know what that might look like, maybe opening my own nursery one day? Then, somewhere in the middle of it all, my partner Dan came to me with a business idea. Honestly, I thought it was a little crazy given everything we had going on. But we started exploring options, took online training, and began shaping an idea together — and maybe, just maybe, this could be the business I’d been dreaming about. I had no idea at the time just how far that one idea would take us.

I spent much of my twenties feeling a little lost. Dan and I were renovating our house, and I was constantly questioning whether to travel, have children, get married, or even change career. When Covid hit, we slowed down and started to appreciate the simple things, but as the world began to open again, I knew I was ready to start a family. And once I became a mum, I started to see life differently — it gave me a new sense of purpose and direction.

I’d been using silicone plates for weaning and loved them. They were stylish, practical, and durable, but I couldn’t understand why toys weren’t made from the same material. I was tired of wooden tea sets smashing on the floor and bath toys going mouldy, leaving that black residue in my not-so-often baths. Then came the teething phase, and nothing felt quite right. The teethers were either too big, too hard, or too bulky for my little one — and I spent so many late nights (and far too much money) on Amazon trying to find the perfect one. Surely there had to be a better way.

That’s where it all began. Baby Ellor was born from real life — from motherhood, mess, and those moments of “there’s got to be something better.” With my background in early years, I wanted to create a brand that focused on safe, fun, and stylish products that inspire open-ended play while also making everyday life that bit easier for families.

Trying to grow a business with two little ones under two, while working part-time as a teaching assistant and living in a half-renovated house, has been HARD work at times. The laundry room quickly became my stockroom — mainly to keep everything away from the kids. It also meant I could throw on a load of washing between packing orders, although getting to the machine was like an episode of Ninja Warrior with tools everywhere. Most days were a juggling act from morning to night — replying to messages while serving up lunch, attending online training with the kids hanging off my legs shouting “thats my mummy!”, and squeezing in time to pack orders whenever I could. And don’t get me started on trying to keep up with social media — some days it felt like the Instagram algorithm had become my new boss.

There have been days when the guilt hit hard — when the kids just wanted me, and I felt torn between being present and keeping the business running. Some days I wanted to throw the towel in, and other days I felt unstoppable. That’s motherhood and entrepreneurship all in one.

I’ve learnt to celebrate the small steps because a small step forward is still progress. I’ve also learnt to be honest. I share the early mornings of no sleep, the tears, the overwhelm, and the wins on social media. I think it’s important people see the real side of this.

People would say to me, “You’re super-mum, you’re Wonder Woman,” and as lovely as that sounds, some days are far from it. There are sleepless nights, mornings when the kids are up from 6am and still wide awake past 8pm, and I haven’t had a chance to eat my tea. I’ve got into the habit of waiting until they’re in bed before eating, just so I can enjoy one quiet meal in peace — because, let’s be honest, when you eat with kids, they always end up wanting what’s on your plate instead of their own. By the end of the day, I’m completely drained, and prior to leaving my job, the evenings were often my only chance to work on the business — those were the nights that felt the toughest. Dan works shifts, which means a few nights a week I’m solo parenting, and there are moments I’ve felt completely overstimulated, surrounded by noise, mess, and toys scattered everywhere.

But even in the middle of it all, I’ve realised just how much our silicone products have helped. Not only because they’re practical and easy to clean up at the end of the day, but because they bring a bit of calm to the chaos. They offer a little peace in the madness — and for that, I’m so grateful. Especially when it means fewer loud bangs from Harris launching a toy across the room! And sometimes, in the evenings, they even bring us together — sitting at the table, making up stories and pictures with our silicone pebbles.

What I’ve loved most is how much I’ve grown personally. I’ve always been confident — usually the first one on karaoke on a girls’ night out and comfortable standing up to deliver a lesson in class — but public speaking has always been a different story. It still pushes me well out of my comfort zone, but I’m learning and improving every time.

Over the past year, I’ve spoken at events, been on a podcast (although I accidentally started talking about conceiving Harris mid-chat — thank goodness for editing), and even delivered my first proper talk about purposeful play. There were only six people in the room that day, but I did it. I held it together and walked away proud, and that’s been one of my biggest highlights — seeing how far I’ve come and knowing my children get to watch me do it.

Leaving my job just recently has allowed the business to truly thrive. I can now dedicate full days to Ellor & Co while also being fully present when the children are home. It’s still a juggle, but it’s a juggle that feels right. I feel so lucky to have found a balance that works —even when life feels a little hectic at times.

We’d been thinking about rebranding for a while. Baby Ellor made sense when we first launched, but as the business grew, I realised it didn’t quite fit anymore. People would often say, “Oh, I don’t have a baby,” and miss that our products are designed to grow with your child — from baby to toddler to preschooler and beyond.

Ellor & Co felt like a natural next step — a name that allows the brand to expand with us. It also gave us the chance to build a proper brand identity, with colours, packaging, and the whole feel. I want people to see our products and instantly recognise that they’re part of the Ellor & Co family.

It just feels right. It’s a fresh chapter, but still the same heart and purpose behind everything we do.

The messy balance

Looking ahead