Meet Alanna from Oakville ON., the maker behind Two Bears Co. a small shop featuring unique products for babies and toddlers. Alanna sells baby play mats, toddler aprons, heirloom blankets and crinkle hearts. All of her items are made in Canada and materials are sourced from Canadian suppliers. First name: Alanna
Do you have kids? If so how many & age?
Yes - I have 2 kids! My oldest just turned 4, and my youngest is almost 2. What's one thing people probably don't know about you?
I am obsessed with football! One of my greatest failures to date is never winning my brother-in-law's fantasy football league. Are you a stay at home mom?
Yes, I am. Over the past four years, I've also taken on some contract work in my field (not-for-profit/social services). What is your favourite thing to do for yourself?
Pre-pandemic, when I used to love grabbing a Starbucks and browsing Home Sense. Post-pandemic - I love waking up an hour before everyone else to get in a quick workout!
What is your favourite date night activity?
This is so boring, but dinner and a movie! My husband and I haven't been to a movie since before my son was born. What's one thing you couldn't live without? my family.
Who's your IG inspiration?
Liz Adams - she's a Chicago blogger with two little boys, similar in age to my kids. She's so relatable, and shares the best recipes/workout videos/lifestyle content. What advice would you give your younger self?
To worry less. To never take people for granted. How did you choose the name for your business?
As I'm sure most people can guess - the two bears are my two kids. When I was first starting this business, my kids were obsessed with playing "Bear". We would always chase each other around the house making bear noises, and it was such a happy and carefree time in our lives. I love finding ways to remember the simple things, so I decided to incorporate this game into our business name! How do you balance having kids & running a business?
I try to include my kids as much as possible! I think it's really special for them to see me working. When I first started out, I would bring my kids with me to meet with suppliers and to pick up materials. And they usually come along to any markets I'm attending. We were a vendor at The Modern Mom Show in London last November, and we got a hotel so that our family could make a weekend out of it!
Otherwise, I just try to work when the kids are napping or have gone to bed for the night! And for those days when I'm super busy - I rely on Peppa Pig and PJ Masks :)
Where can people find your products?
On our website: www.twobearsco.com, and on Etsy: TwoBearsCoShop. What advice can you give someone looking to start up their own business?
Don't be a perfectionist. Done is better than perfect! What sets your business apart from others alike?
100% the quality of our products! My number one priority is designing beautiful products that are made to last. What is the most challenging part of running your business?
Design - in order to keep costs down, I try to order my materials wholesale, which means buying quite a bit of fabric at once. I've found that it's hard to anticipate which designs will be most popular, so I've definitely had instances where I have a ton of fabric, but the design doesn't seem to resonate with buyers. And on the flip side, I've had designs that sold out so quickly, but I'm not able to re-stock because the fabric sells out.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Right now? Everyday looks the same! Lots of big walks, backyard plays, and about 780 snacks. My oldest watches TV while my youngest naps, and that's when I try to get some work done. After nap time, we try to get outside until dinner, then it's usually bath and bedtime by 7:30. At that point, my husband and I have the rest of the night to ourselves! Favourite song: Oh gosh - I don't know!! Dream Vacation: Italy! Favourite Book: Pride and Prejudice Dream Job: Writer Favourite Podcast: Janet Lansbury - Unruffled Dream Car: Audi R8 Favourite Smell: Coffee! Dream meal: Lately, I'm loving a good BBQ Favourite item of clothing: Lululemon align pants
Instagram: @twobears.co https://twobearsco.com/
If you can tell by the look on Violet's face I think you could guess what her favourite Two Bears Co product is. But this mama is obsessed with both our play mat and crinkle heart for different reasons!
Let's talk about the play mat first and what we love;
they come in a variety of beautiful patterns & colours
it is a great size for any growing babe
easy to use and take on the go. we've used ours at home, at the park, at grandma and grandpas and plan to take it on many more adventures
it washes easily and beautifully
it's comfortable
it's double sided so if you get bored of one pattern you can flip it over and enjoy another
We love the crinkle heart because;
it is the perfect size for little hands
makes the right amount of noise without being annoying!
comes in adorable colours and is reversible
easy activity to take on the go for your babe. It doesn't add extra bulk or weight to your diaper bag!
it is a safe toy for older siblings to use with baby without fear of them hurting them
Honestly, I could just go on and on about how amazing Two Bears Co products are! I am so happy with the quality and design of both of the products we have. Violet loves her Crinkle Heart so much and it has saved me many times from a crying babe. Lily and Mason love showing Violet her crinkle heart and I don't have to worry about them bonking her on the head by accident with a rattle - I love that it is a safe toy for them to interact independently with her. Alanna is also great to work with. I've really enjoyed conversations we've had together and getting to know her and her business more. I don't know about you, but knowing I am supporting someone who is so kind and passionate about their work makes shopping small even more enjoyable.
Head on over to my Instagram &checkout my IGTV video if you want to see an up close look at our play mat and crinkle heart.
USE CODE CAMARA20 FOR 20% OFF YOUR PURCHASE! discount code expires Friday July 10th
