October 16th 2023.
Lola Ogundele wanted her daughter Isabella to have a doll which represented her, so when she couldn't find one she decided to make her own. Now, the mother-daughter duo have just opened their first shop in London's famous Portobello Road and have reached customers all over the world.
Lola wanted to make sure that her daughter had a doll which she could relate to, so she designed it herself right down to the outfits. When Isabella first saw the doll she was amazed, and treated it like her own baby, smearing oil in its hair all over the house! People laughed at Lola when she first started, but she didn't let the negativity stop her.
The business-savvy mum applied for a market stall and had to set up fast, with Isabella helping out. The customer's reactions were a shock to her; children running over to touch the dolls' hair and take photos with them. With the positive reaction, Lola started to look for a regular supplier and eventually created her production line. She also started selling the dolls online.
The dolls have now reached customers in America, Spain, Germany and South Africa, and Isabella has even created her own brand of lip glosses and nail polishes titled 'Isabella Love'. Working on the market stall provided a chance for quality time for Lola and Isabella, and when the business took off she was able to leave her secondary school role.
The duo have become familiar faces on the Portobello Market and customers love the dolls and Isabella's products. There are now over 18 dolls in the collection, and the business only looks set to get stronger and stronger with a department store meeting this summer. Lola's advice to other single mothers is to never give up and to work for yourself.
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