Today we’d like to introduce you to Kemi Tignor.
Hi Kemi, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and former nonprofit leader, I had built a career I was passionate about—one that focused on the arts, girls’ education, social justice, and community organizing. However, after welcoming my son, all the plans I had laid out to ensure a good work-life balance fell through. I sought out the advice of a fantastic career coach, Lauren Laitin of Parachute Coaching. Lauren helped me think through how I could adapt my skills to fit this new chapter of my life. Working with her, I landed on something I’d never dreamed of before starting a toy company.
As founder of Upbounders®, I enjoy working with a team of talented artists, channeling my passions into creating an inclusive line of products that represent contemporary themes and accurately reflect what’s special about the joyfully diverse world kids experience every day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, certainly not! During the supply chain crisis in the summer of 2020, to fulfill an order for my new vendor, Nordstrom, my mom and I had to rent a U-haul to pick up products that were stranded at a warehouse just outside of the port in New York, but needed to be, immediately, at a fulfillment center in New England to begin their final journey to Nordstrom stores across the country. When we arrived with the truck, I told the guys at the warehouse, “We don’t have any men,” to load the products into our U-haul. Thankfully, some nice guys loaded our stuff, and we raced off to the fulfillment center. Nordstrom is still one of Upbounders® most valued partners today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Upbounders® is a toy company like no other. Everything we do revolves around the idea of promoting belonging in the minds of children.
Designed by a modern mom as an elevated solution for healthy, screen-free play, Upbounders® makes interactive toys and beginner games reflective of the joyfully diverse world of today’s kids. Experience all the best benefits of play with educational toys that help kids develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills while cultivating a sense of belonging in your home.
For preschoolers, toddlers, boys, and girls ages 6 and under, parents will love what the play experts at Upbounders® are up to. Made for young families looking to (1) reduce the effects of overstimulation by screens, (2) encourage independent play, and (3) raise calm, capable little doers ready to thrive in a changing world!
Highly recommended by caregivers and educators alike, Upbounders® multicultural toys earn praise for their play value, premium quality, and accessible price point.
Shop Upbounders® on Amazon.com/upbounders and at your favorite retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Nordstrom and Kohl’s. And available at Indigo Books and Music in Canada, too!
At Upbounders®, Belonging Begins with Play 💫 Learn more at upbounders.com
How do you think about luck?
Gosh, we are in the thick of it right now, as our goals for Upbounders® are incredibly ambitious. I am not in the right frame of mind to consider that anything we’ve accomplished just yet is due to luck, LOL! OMG, this is so hard. What I will say is that I owe absolutely everything to collaboration and strong partnerships. I came to know you because of our wonderful graphic designer, Sarah Rose Andrew, who has been with us from the beginning. So, our success so far is due in large part to our team and the people rooting for us, work partners, retail partners, and customers alike!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.upbounders.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upbounders/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upbounders/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kemi-tignor-founder-upbounders
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@upbounders
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/upbounders/
