Maggie Allen
...is half of the founding duo behind Hi Little One. The other half is Maggie's sister, Nell. Together, they started this company when they were having a hard time finding newborn gifts they actually liked. Something cute, but not too cute. Something personal and fun. But it wasn't easy; so they started making our own. Today, Hi Little One remains a designer owned and operated personalization shop for kids. Each one of their orders is carefully crafted by a graphic designer. They stand behind the promise of customization, creating something truly unique with every item.
Talk about the beginnings of Hi Little One.
Hi Little One started well before our Kickstarter campaign that launched last April. My sister Nell and I have been making t-shirts for friends and family for several years. The idea for Hi Little One grew from that and from the fact that we were constantly trying to find cute gifts to give our friends (who were starting to have children) that were cute, but not too cute, something personal and fun. We are two of eight kids, so we have been around A LOT of babies and we think that gives a bit of an edge on what they should be wearing. They are perfect little people and even though they are brand new, they already have a personality all their own.
How has your business evolved? How have you evolved?
The company has evolved so much already in the short time we have been in business. We have been able to get to know so many people and hear their amazing ideas on what styles and products they would like to see. We have redesigned the website and re-launched it using a different platform than we had first built. We have started working with companies to create personalized baby gifts for their employees and schools for their “New Kids”. Nell and I have evolved in learning on how to be flexible, how to be patient and navigating the world of social media (which is still a huge work in progress).
Do you think about the ecological impact of your products? What do you do to improve this impact?
We believe in responsible production. We use and print on American-made apparel. This reduces our emissions, supports our economy and allows for tighter quality control.
Why do you think a localized economy is important? How has living in Minnesota impacted your business and products?
The local economy is an extremely important part of what makes Hi Little One what it is—we grew up in Minnesota and love and appreciate how people support each other and local companies. Our community in Minnesota has been huge in shaping how we design, style and produce our products. Minnesota is filled with so many wonderfully creative and smart individuals and companies and there is so much natural beauty in the lakes, the parks and the people. It is such a wonderful place to grow up and raise a family. Our MN Baby onesie is one of our top sellers!
Talk about the fulfillment that comes from being the owner of Hi Little One.
It has been a challenging, amazing and rewarding starting Hi Little One. Building a company with my sister and working to combine my love of styling and merchandising with her incredible design skills has resulted in a product we are very proud of. We are a family/community focused company. One of the most rewarding aspects of our company has been the fact that we have been able to give back to a cause that is important to our family. 10% of our profits go to organizations dedicated to fighting Pediatric Cancer.
