We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heather Siu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heather below.

Heather, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

My business partner Karla Lim and I worked harmoniously together in the wedding industry for many years. We saw constant changes in fashion and a vast increase in smaller, unique destination weddings. More and more, our clients were requesting exquisite accessories and luggage that would accompany them on their journey of romance. Being entrepreneurial by nature, we rapidly expanded our offerings and embraced travel accessories. One thing that was clear to both of us was that we wanted to build our eCommerce brand on compassion for animals and the environment.

At the very beginning, we designed an elegant monogram pin. Our clients wanted to be able to provide personalized gifts to their guests. Our product could be produced and personalized without the need for a costly embossing machine. The letter-inspired pins are available in gold, rose gold, and classic calligraphy lettering. We started our accessories journey as a stationery brand and soon, as demand increased, added vegan fashion into our portfolio.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

First and foremost, we are a team of animal lovers. Collectively, we believe that vibes attract vibes and our vegan leather, cruelty-free collection happened organically. During the conceptual phase, we ran various pop-up events to talk to our future clients and
understand what they wanted so that we could develop our ideas to align them with their needs.

I am very proud of our SHE Inspires candle line, which was born to support female artisans who found themselves refugees of war and settling in the USA to start a new life. Harper’s Bazaar has recognized the candle collection as one of their favorite products in their Top 100 roundup.

As an all-women team, we are kind, curious, humble, genuine, and passionate. Lark & Ives has a host of supporters that range from repeat clients, to retail buyers, and magazine editors. We have all supported each other throughout the pandemic and the usual ups and downs of running a business. We are lucky to have a core group of advocates that, simply put, have our back, and they’ve weathered the various storms with us.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The pandemic and other environmental problems have been challenging over the last couple of years. We’ve seen wholesalers closing because of imposed lockdowns and navigating through complex and ever-changing supply chains, shipping, factory closures, and ill-health. We’ve had to make some tough and swift decisions in the current landscape.

We have had to learn to juggle B2B and B2C with understanding and compassion when the pandemic has disrupted the world. Our main advantage is that we’ve always been set up to work remotely. Our entire team is creative, and fluid and can accommodate changes and decisions with ultimate precision and speed. I’m incredibly grateful that our devoted team and community rallied together to support us when times got really tough.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting happens so naturally in the entrepreneurial world. Lark & Ives has naturally grown to accommodate different wants, needs, and business trends. The pandemic has halted weddings, so I’ve personally had to diversify, moving back into investments, real estate, and eCommerce to ensure that we remain buoyant. You often underestimate how your skillsets and the past life will help you with the present. COVID-19 has taught many people worldwide always to be ready for change and have the confidence to tackle challenges head-on.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.larkandives.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larkandives/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathersiu/