Dear readers,
I have the pleasure of introducing Emmanuelle Smeeters, founder of the Lovely Pop and Lovely Taacha brands, customizable accessories.
I met Emma while participating in several editions of her Créa'Pop pop-up stores. During the first edition, I was pregnant with my eldest in 2013, it's starting to date back. The feeling went so well that we are real friends today.
We have both been embarked on the adventure of entrepreneurship for several years, our discussions help us to support each other, to share and to go further! But times together are also a source of decompression and good laughs!
Here is our exchange, I hope it will allow you to add a bit of motivation to your projects and sparkle in your day:
Dear Emma,
You are the first guest of the “female portrait” that we will present on Pinky Chips each month.
I hope for the start of a long series... The aim of the “female portraits” is to highlight a woman and her project, and to inspire others in their professional or personal lives.
The portraits are intended to be accessible, and to highlight each of us. Not necessarily big names or big brands, but a nice project and a nice person. I suggest you answer my questions simply. We look forward to reading you!
You are the first guest of the “female portrait” that we will present on Pinky Chips each month.
I hope for the start of a long series... The aim of the “female portraits” is to highlight a woman and her project, and to inspire others in their professional or personal lives.
The portraits are intended to be accessible, and to highlight each of us. Not necessarily big names or big brands, but a nice project and a nice person. I suggest you answer my questions simply. We look forward to reading you!
In a few words, who are you? Where do you come from? What is your background ?
My name is Emmanuelle, I am the mother of two girls, Olivia, 12 years old, and Clémentine, 10 years old. I lived near Stockel throughout my childhood and now we live in Wezembeek-Oppem. I have a fairly traditional background, I studied marketing at Ephec where the idea of having my own brand already tickled me. I started when Olivia was born after 5 years as a store manager.
What is the project that you carry out on a daily basis? Can you tell us about it?
I created the Lovely Pop brand, a collection of textile accessories (bags, pencil cases, etc.) that can be personalized with pretty embroidery.
I wanted to become independent to reconcile my family life and my professional life, and above all to do something that I love and which resembles me and to no longer depend on someone, this freedom I love and I think that I won't be able to have someone dictate to me what I have to do 😉
What I like the most is the communications part, the link with suppliers and the advice to customers.
I also love selecting new fabrics. For manufacturing, I work in close collaboration with a sheltered workshop, a philosophy that is particularly close to my heart in my entrepreneurship, because I want the production to remain Belgian and give work to people who need it.
And 1 year ago, I launched a second brand: Lovely Taacha. A brand of accessories, also customizable, but this time aimed at the whole family.
What I like the most is the communications part, the link with suppliers and the advice to customers.
I also love selecting new fabrics. For manufacturing, I work in close collaboration with a sheltered workshop, a philosophy that is particularly close to my heart in my entrepreneurship, because I want the production to remain Belgian and give work to people who need it.
And 1 year ago, I launched a second brand: Lovely Taacha. A brand of accessories, also customizable, but this time aimed at the whole family.
Why, how and when was this project born?
When Olivia was born, I received personalized gifts but there was something that didn't suit me 100%.
Either the typography, the models of the kits,… and I wanted to offer a product in my image, timeless and elegant. It's been more than 12 years since I started, also opening Pop Up's (Créa' Pop) to convey my brand and bring together Belgian creators who have the same ambition as mine.
And for the past year, I have reworked my brand identity. I changed my name: Lovely Liberti became Lovely Pop with a first photo shoot and an e-shop.
Either the typography, the models of the kits,… and I wanted to offer a product in my image, timeless and elegant. It's been more than 12 years since I started, also opening Pop Up's (Créa' Pop) to convey my brand and bring together Belgian creators who have the same ambition as mine.
And for the past year, I have reworked my brand identity. I changed my name: Lovely Liberti became Lovely Pop with a first photo shoot and an e-shop.
Did you have a professional background before? As an employee? What do you get out of it?
I worked for several years as a store manager: Mer du Nord, Bord de Seine and Citizen Dream.
Which gave me a lot of experience in the daily management of a store but also in the choice of collections, pure sales, customer satisfaction, also in going to the end of things and have rigor in the various tasks that this entails.
What are the challenges for a brand like yours?
Go even further, reinvent yourself, constantly adapt. Asking the right questions, making the right choices and above all surrounding yourself with the right people, that's the essential point for me!
Is social media a big challenge for you? Open door to the world or rather daily duties?
Day by day I am discovering this war machine which brings me great visibility and generates sales throughout Belgium and also in France.
I didn't believe it, not knowing all the possibilities, and I'm still far from the maximum capabilities of a network to bring a brand to its summit, but I find it just GREAT, I'm excited to go even further through that.
I am increasingly convinced that this is an effective way to connect with our target audience and introduce our brand to those who are not familiar with it. They are there to start a conversation, to participate and help me create a community around my brand.
You are the mother of two adorable girls, do you manage to balance your life as a mother, a woman and an entrepreneur?
Yes, I set my own limits even though I know that there are times of the year when it is intense, but then I make up for it at other times. I generally end my days around 5:30 p.m. and on weekends I am with my family.
I try to let go and try as much as possible to enjoy the present moment, otherwise we never stop and I need to set these limits for myself to bounce back better. Above all, I am lucky to have an encouraging and very present husband. And girls who are more and more independent, that helps enormously.
A little professional or personal advice to give to those who read us?
I realized quite quickly that the main thing is to surround yourself very well, for the people you work with, to also realize that you are not good at everything and to delegate certain things. To move forward even more peacefully.
But also that everything does not happen in one day, we do not yet know how to divide ourselves 😉
Also stay yourself because authenticity is always something positive for me.
People love and perceive this authenticity, and give it back to us in one way or another.
Always be up to date with what's happening, be informed, listen: what is the customer looking for? Be as fair as possible in your prices.
Another important point is to differentiate yourself, to have your own identity while having a logical common thread.
Being independent is not always easy but gives such great personal satisfaction that it is worth not giving up and questioning yourself when necessary :)
Thank you Steph for this great energy and this empathy for wanting to present creators who want it.
I so wish you the best in everything you do.
Thank you Steph for this great energy and this empathy for wanting to present creators who want it.
I so wish you the best in everything you do.
Emma
Don’t hesitate to discover her world and follow her
Lovely Pop
Lovely Taacha