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

Hi Sunflower , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

We’re on a mission of epic proportions: to positively impact the mental health of 1 billion children. My journey began over a decade ago, marked by heartbreaking losses to suicide. These tragedies opened my eyes to the growing mental health crisis and ignited a passion in me to equip humanity with tools for self-love, anxiety reduction, and deep connection. Enter Little Luminaries.

After years of personal growth, I realized that the mindfulness practices I had developed could also support adults in unlocking their full potential. I began coaching, only to discover the profound challenge of breaking through decades-old limiting beliefs. Then, a pivotal moment: Marissa, now my “partner in play”, shared the dream she had just woken up from– creating an animal affirmation deck to help children. With over a decade of experience in special education, she had witnessed children grappling with self-doubt, lack of resilience, and early signs of stress. Our paths converged, and we embarked on designing our first creation, the “I CAN BE ANYTHING” animal affirmation deck and discovery book. This beautiful work of art is jam-packed with the wisdom we wish we had as children, aiming to instill empowering beliefs in kids early on so they can blossom into whole, thriving individuals.

We believe that mental wellness is our most crucial mission. When individuals cultivate inner harmony and love, it radiates outwards, transforming communities and our precious planet. Everything changes when a person accesses unconditional self-love and belief.

Sunflower , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Marissa and I are deeply connected to our purpose, which we shared earlier. We believe that children are the future, and it’s crucial to empower them with the tools for compassionate communication, the confidence to pursue their unique talents and dreams, and the self-love that allows them to radiate love to the world around them. This is essential for humanity’s healing and growth.

Little Luminaries serves as a platform for us to share our gifts and create magic that impacts families and individuals. We feel blessed to express our creativity through art, writing, and innovation, bringing joyfully engaging activities to life. Our focus is on addressing the mental health crisis, especially exacerbated by the isolation and depression stemming from the pandemic.

What sets us apart is our deeply rooted purpose. We don’t just create products; we create with a vision to inspire unity, harmony, and accessible practices that promote calmness and reduces anxiety, all through play. Our range includes, I CAN BE ANYTHING, the Mystical Creatures Mystery Packs, both designed to instill positive thoughts through empowering & science-backed affirmations. We also offer sustainably made wooden pendant pals with affirmations, allowing children to wear their favorite animal and be reminded of its message, along with colorful animal art posters for their rooms.

Our creativity knows no bounds, and we’re constantly expanding our offerings. Stay tuned for more impactful creations, and perhaps a Little Luminaries curriculum could be coming to your school in the future.

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

Marissa and I dedicated nearly a year to developing a sustainability game called Hiyee. Our goal was to bring it to life through Kickstarter, following the success of our animal affirmation deck, I CAN BE ANYTHING. We set-up & received incredible support from eco-friendly companies that joined our team to spread the message. Despite our efforts and numerous big time social media posts, we struggled to gain traction. The experience was stressful and different from the smooth success of our previous Kickstarter project.

Listening to our intuition, we decided to pause and trust that the timing wasn’t right to launch this project. Shortly after pivoting, we were approached by a toy rep company. This opportunity led to a successful year of trade shows and expansion through wholesale, which wouldn’t have been possible if we had continued to force the game’s development. While it was heart-wrenching to let go of something we had worked so hard on, we believe that the timing will align in the future for Hiyee to make its debut. Since pivoting, we have experienced so much magic and growth, reaffirming our trust in the journey and the importance of deeply listening to our intuition.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Our reputation has been forged by our commitment to crafting beautiful and meaningful mindfulness toys that deeply resonate with the families and children they serve. We are grateful for the buzz and the word-of-mouth that has spread our creations far and wide. The messages from our happy customers, who consider us their “go-to gift” for any occasion where they want to make a positive impact, are a constant source of joy and validation.

Our passion is unmistakable, and our genuine desire to support the youngest generation in thriving is palpable. We have had the honor of being featured on numerous podcasts, expanding our reach and impact. Additionally, our team of social media change-makers is growing, helping us reach more people and move closer to achieving our mission’s goal.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.littleluminaries.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleluminaries/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleluminariesfb
• Other: 25% OFF Coupon Code: CANVASREBEL

Image Credits
Sunflower Routzong, Evan Routzong, Noelle Albert