We recently connected with Samantha Ong and have shared our conversation below.

Samantha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Joeydolls was a journey fueled by a personal desire to find a companion for my daughter that looked like her. It all began when I, Samantha Ong, found myself at home during the pandemic’s lockdowns. As a wedding photographer, my livelihood was put on hold, with two years’ worth of wedding contracts canceled due to the pandemic’s uncertainty.

But amidst the challenges, my primary concern was my daughter. I wanted to find a companion for her that looked like her, one that celebrated her unique cultural heritage. The frustration of not finding suitable dolls in the market became the driving force behind my mission.

This frustration was compounded by the tiredness of seeing dolls with stereotypical features or dolls that were labeled as ‘Asian’ but bore little resemblance to the diverse Asian cultures, including my own family’s mix of Chinese, Korean, and Malaysian heritage. It was time to change the narrative and provide authentic representation.

This frustration led me to embark on an uncharted path. Despite having no experience in toys or fashion and a background in wedding photography, my determination to make a positive change was unwavering. The joy and excitement of creating something meaningful were my guiding lights.

Our journey unfolded as more and more people joined us on social media, eagerly following our progress. We conducted a survey of over 600 respondents, and the results were telling: 95.1% felt that Asian representation was lacking, a staggering 88.3% believed Asians were often portrayed as a monolithic group, and an overwhelming 98.6% showed unwavering support for increased Asian representation.

It was clear that there was a high demand for dolls that celebrated diversity and cultural accuracy. But beyond numbers and surveys, the outpouring of love, support, and excitement from our growing community confirmed our belief in this mission. All I wanted is for children to feel a sense of worthiness and belonging. We received so many messages full of emotion – tears of joy and a lot of excitement to be able to change the narrative for future generations.

Creating Joeydolls has been a deeply personal and authentic journey to ensure that every child feels valued and loved. We’re changing the game in the toy industry by offering dolls that are more than just toys; they are companions that inspire children to embrace their unique identities.

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

Before I delved into the world of toys and retail, I had no prior experience in the toy, retail, or fashion industry. I came from a background as a wedding photographer, capturing beautiful moments in people’s lives. But when the pandemic hit, it disrupted my life, leaving me with no weddings to shoot and a lot of time at home. It was during this period that I was faced with a pressing issue close to my heart.

I wanted to find a doll for my daughter that not only looked like her but also celebrated her cultural heritage. The frustration of searching and not finding anything suitable became the catalyst for a journey into the unknown. I had no idea what I was doing, and I faced numerous challenges, from understanding toy standards and safety to sourcing the right materials. Finding the right people who aligned with our brand and vision was another hurdle. But the paramount idea was clear: I was creating something of real significance.

Joeydolls is more than just toys; they are cultural ambassadors. Accuracy was critical for us to provide education and awareness around the diverse cultures within Asia. It was a part of our primary mission. We knew that our dolls had the potential to make a profound impact, not just as playmates but as tools for parents, caregivers, and teachers to educate and raise awareness on diversity.

After nearly three years of prototyping and development, we have achieved so much recognition and support from people who have found our dolls a delight. We started this venture with a limited budget because I was out of work for a long time, unsure if many people would be interested in the dolls. But the overwhelming response and the progress we’ve made in refining our vision show how far we’ve come in this journey.

Joeydolls has become such a heartfelt endeavor for us as well as the Asian community. We wholeheartedly aim to provide more representation of Asian ethnicities and cultures, which have been underrepresented for far too long. These dolls are our answer to hate, racism, and colorism. We want to be the antidote, spreading happiness and joy, and fostering a sense of worthiness, belonging, and cultural pride.

We’re not a large corporation with a massive budget. We’re a small family-owned business with a vision to create a more inclusive world. We believe that our dolls can help the future generation embrace different cultures, skin tones, and their own heritage. We’re here to redefine what representation means, to rewrite the narrative, and to stand against hate and discrimination.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Well, my journey has had a couple of major pivots, each with its own set of challenges and opportunities. The most recent one, and perhaps the most significant, was starting Joeydolls. It was a giant pivot, especially during the pandemic. I went from running a wedding photography business to creating toys – something I had never even imagined before.

However, this wasn’t my first pivot. In 2013, while working a full-time job in the financial industry, I decided to start a side hustle doing wedding and lifestyle photography. It quickly gained popularity, but juggling a full-time job and a burgeoning side hustle was no small feat. I was stretched thin, not sleeping well, and dealing with a lot of stress. But I pushed through, hustled hard, and in two years, I made the decision to make photography my full-time gig. It was a little scary, but I knew it was the right choice for me.

Around the same time, the company I was working for was going through a takeover, and it presented me with a fortuitous opportunity. I was able to change my full-time position to a part-time position for six months, which allowed me to transition into photography while tying up loose ends in my previous career. It was a timely and wonderful chance for me to bid farewell to my old life, which I had been a part of for a decade, and fully embrace my new life as a photography business owner. So although it was a big change, I had some time to get accustomed to it.

The transition into photography felt like I had found my true purpose. It became my entire life, and I poured all my passion into it. Making people happy through my work was incredibly fulfilling, and I cherished the ability to capture special moments for them.

However, when the pandemic hit, it felt like all the joy and fulfillment I had in my new career was stripped away in an instant. Two years’ worth of contracts were canceled, and it was a truly scary time. As a new mother, I was already grappling with my new identity, and suddenly, I felt so lost and empty.

But from this challenging situation, the idea of Joeydolls was born. It felt like I had found a new, even more profound purpose. I was determined to create meaning in the world, and with Joeydolls, I believed I could make an even greater impact. I wanted to spread joy to more people than I ever could as a wedding photographer. The thought of changing the narrative for future generations, so they could feel valued, worthy, and a sense of belonging in society, became incredibly meaningful to me. Looking back at my own childhood, I remembered feeling like I was always the ‘other’ and not truly valued in society because of my race. I wanted to ensure that every single person feels worthy and valued. It was a deep-seated passion to contribute to this change, and I’m proud to be on this journey with Joeydolls

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

When we first began Joeydolls, I had the noble idea of wanting to manufacture the dolls locally. I found a doll pattern designer in Canada, and since we were in the midst of the pandemic, we did everything virtually. We worked to finalize the doll body together. Then, I collaborated with a local fashion designer who helped me start the hair design. I didn’t anticipate that designing the hair could be so complex, but it was!

Simultaneously, I was on the hunt for skin tone fabrics and materials for the dresses, but finding the right selection locally proved to be a considerable challenge. It became evident that designing each and every doll locally would be both intricate and costly.

As a result, I decided to look overseas to find manufacturers. I found the first manufacturer who assisted in finalizing the doll’s face. Although it took a few tries, we managed to nail it in the end. However, it was still extremely challenging to find the right skin tones. We had to subsequently search for a new manufacturer who could help us source the right skin tones while also working on the hair.

Eventually, we found a manufacturer that could produce custom skin tones, but the quality wasn’t as good as we had hoped for. This led us to once again search for a new manufacturer who could fulfill all our requirements. It was a relief that at this point, my vision for the dolls was incredibly clear, and all we needed to focus on was the quality of the dolls.

One invaluable lesson I’ve learned along the way is the importance of having a solid and well-defined vision before approaching a manufacturer. It took me some time to realize this, but it would have been significantly helpful to have a clear vision prior to engaging with a manufacturer. This would have saved us a considerable amount of time and money.

Additionally, finding the right manufacturer is a critical step. I was always eager to find a manufacturer willing to work with us, but I soon came to understand that it’s not just about finding any manufacturer but the right one. In the early stages of our journey, it was challenging, primarily because we were on a tight budget. I was striving to keep the costs of the dolls as low as possible, as I didn’t have a large initial investment to put into them, and I wasn’t certain if there would be significant interest.

However, as we gained more popularity and demand, I set aside more of my own personal investment to contribute to the dolls and increased our budget for each doll. This expansion allowed us to achieve the quality I was aiming for. An unexpected development was that I never initially imagined that I would put the dolls up for pre-order. Nevertheless, by doing so, we could secure the upfront investment needed to pay for the full production of the dolls in advance. If I had invested this amount myself, it would have placed a significant burden on my family. I am profoundly grateful for the support of the Joeydolls family who have believed in our mission and the impact of our dolls. Their support has been instrumental in our journey to create these meaningful dolls.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joeydolls.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeydolls
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeydolls
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-h-ong
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeydolls
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@joeydolls
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@joeydolls

Image Credits
Samantha Ong