We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lauren Compton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lauren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

My business has transitioned a few times since starting. When I first started, I began with the name of LCDesigns – as I was mainly drawing house illustrations; trying to use my degree in Housing and Interior Design. Then I had kids. I found myself more and more creating items for kids and Moms alike. I renamed by business in 2017 to Two Little Bees STL.

My twins were born 13-weeks prematurely. During their NICU stay, my aunt gifted me bumblebee earrings that Christmas. She asked if I new the relation between premature babies and bumblebees. She proceeded to say “the bumblebee technically, scientifically shouldn’t be able to fly – their wings are too small for their huge bodies. The bee doesn’t know that and just goes on flying anyway. The premature baby doesn’t know it wasn’t supposed to be born yet, so it goes on growing like it would have in the womb.” I instantly knew I needed to name the company after my two little bees.

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

I happened into my small business by chance. I went to school and earned a Bachelors of Science in Housing and Interior Design in 2009. In 2017 my parents were selling their house of almost 20-years and I was looking for a way to gift them something special. I reverted back to my design degree and drew a home illustration. From there I began drawing home and church illustrations for friends, family and eventually locally in St. Louis.

In 2016 when my children were born I found myself ordering everything monogrammed from Etsy. I had an “I can do that moment” and invested in my first embroidery machine. I began embroidering custom clothing for kids; focusing on birthdays and monograms. I then branched out into custom items for Mom too.

Then by chance I began painted peg dolls – which are wooden Montessori-style toys for children. I began painting princesses as a reward for potty training my daughter and it eventually turned into another corner of my business – I do many characters for children and adults and even custom family sets for doll houses.

I love the opportunity to create custom creations for clients and even more when clients send me photos wearing my product or their children playing with my toys. I love when clients bring to me an idea and let me run with it to create something truly custom for their needs.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think this is easy – heading to my basement to create and work doesn’t necessarily seem like I am working a second job. For me it is a creative outlet. It is a way that I can unwind at the end of a lengthy day teaching – to sit in front of my embroidery machine or with my paintbrushes is a mode of stress relief. I often find myself during down seasons or in between orders still designing or painting – some reach for a book, I grab a paintbrush or thread.

Aside from the personal release that being creative brings me, seeing my clients tag me on social media gifting my hand painted creations or wearing what I’ve made them brings me the biggest sense of joy. I enjoy seeing others enjoy my work.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Honestly I find that my social media is the easiest way to engage with clients. I find that my returning customers are consistently engaging with posts and reels and often that is where they reach out to me for a custom creation. Social media is a tricky place to keep current clients engaged while also enticing new and potential customers to click follow and join the journey. I truly try to keep the focus on offering goods and services that Moms are searching for; for themselves and for their littles.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/twolittlebeesstl
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/twolittlebeesstl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twolittlebeesstl

Image Credits
Product photos: credited to Two Little Bees STL Profile photo: credited to Hilton Head Island Photography.