Helen Lo is the founder of Lo & Sons, the cult-favorite travel bag brand that basically invented the stylish carry-on for working women.
Helen started the company at 65 years old, after she had already retired. She was born into a privileged family in China that lost it all when her father died. She grew up in poverty, went to boarding school at seven, and promised herself she would never be poor again. She earned a PhD while raising babies, spent decades moving city to city for her husband's career, reinventing herself every single time. And when she finally said \"I'm done,\" she couldn't find a travel bag that actually worked for women. So she recruited her two sons and flew to a factory in China with zero fashion or manufacturing experience. Nine prototypes later, she had the bag that built the business. Today, Lo & Sons is in its sixteenth year, still family run, built without a dollar of outside funding.
In this episode, Helen breaks down exactly how she went from idea to real business, how she validated the concept before spending a dime, how one phone call to a friend of a friend unlocked their first factory, and how they caught the early Facebook wave and one blog feature that changed the trajectory of the brand. She also gets really honest about what it costs to build a business with your own children, why she stepped down as CEO of her own company, the trade show flop that taught them everything, and the mistakes that slowed them down, like hiring too fast and pivoting too slow. Helen is proof that you don't need investors, industry experience, or perfect timing, just a real problem, the willingness to learn, and the courage to start. If you've been telling yourself it's too late or that this chapter of your life is already written, this is the conversation you need to hear.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Helen about:
* Why getting out of your comfort zone starts with an inner calling. [02:37]
* Growing up in poverty after losing everything and developing determination. [04:56]
* Generosity as her guiding principles in life and business. [05:55]
* Why an abundance mindset creates unexpected opportunities. [07:59]
* Putting her career on hold while supporting her husband's path and raising a family. [09:21]
* The biggest career lesson she learned from earning a PhD. [10:41]
* How a frustrating travel problem inspired the idea for a better bag. [12:41]
* How a lifelong curiosity fueled her entrepreneurial mindset. [17:48]
* Validating the business idea by talking to the right target customer. [20:01]
* Building the company alongside her sons and defining their roles. [21:00]
* Finding the first factory and learning product development from scratch. [24:48]
* The design feedback that transformed the original bag into the OG. [26:37]
* Refining every detail through customer feedback and multiple prototypes. [30:37]
* Why trade shows failed and social media became the brand's breakthrough. [33:04]
* How partnering with the right influencer became a major turning point for the brand. [34:45]
* Navigating today's changing marketing landscape. [37:06]
* The challenges of building a business alongside family. [39:27]
* Why stepping down as CEO was the right decision. [41:30]
* Why pivoting quickly and hiring intentionally are essential for long-term growth. [44:37]
* Why she wanted to be a mom again instead of her sons' boss. [46:15]
* Why persistence matters, but knowing when to pivot matters more. [48:43]
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Follow Helen:
* Website: https://www.loandsons.com/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loandsons/
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