Name and Title:
Jen Kelly and Becca Perren, Co-Founders & Co-CEO’s
Company:
Petit Pehr
Contact info:
website: pehrdesigns.com, email: info@pehrdesigns.com, ph.: (416) 792-7070
How many years have you been in business in NYC?
We launched our business in 2011 as a home accessories brand with about 16 napkins, some placemats and a couple of table runners. And we thought we had too much! Fast forward 5 years later Pehr is now a lifestyle brand with a focus on baby & kids and hundreds of skus and products.
How did you get your start and what was your initial inspiration?
We started our company while we were about to go on maternity leave with our first children. We’ve been friends since we were 7 years old, so the friendship is not new, but the business partnership is about 6 years old. At the time, we saw a space in the market for well designed, high quality textiles at an attainable price. There was and still is little on the market which satisfies that criteria and matches our esthetic. Once we had our own babies, we realized that same void existed in the childrens space which lead us to the launch of Petit Pehr.
What do you feel differentiates you from others in your field?
One of the main differentiators we believe, is that we have a very clear point of view and design esthetic and we are strategically building our brand across a number of products and categories. We are not just bedding, not just accessories. We ultimately want this brand to become a go-to destination for all things baby & kids. To offer a range of products from storage to bedding, keepsakes to the regular stuff that is used day in and day out. We know the choices you make when building your kids spaces is a big investment so we want much of it to be able to grow with the child. On that note, we are super excited to be now launching kids bedding so we can finally outfit our own kids beds with the look we want.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Working together for sure. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without each other. Apparently, business partnerships have a lower success rate, but we truly believe we couldn’t have done it without on another. Quite frankly, it never would have gotten off the ground. We are also fortunate in that we entered into the business with different and very complementary professional backgrounds which has also been a huge bonus. So while we collaborate and debate so many of the decisions we make each day, we also give each other the space and autonomy to really own different parts of the business.
What is your favorite secret NYC spot?
We love love trying new restaurants whenever we are in town and have our old stand bys too. We’ve been wanting to try MIMI and Jacks Wife Freda is a timeless favourite. Our time in the city can also be pretty crazy as we’re frantically running between meetings & shows so when we have time, we love to stop by Cap beauty to pick up some goodies for ourselves.
How do you benefit mamas?
Our aim is really to create products that capture the beauty and simplicity of childhood.
We strive to exceed expectations with high quality, sophisticated and modern design at an attainable price point. We would never make anything that we wouldn’t have in our own homes. That last point is a big one for us as it’s a great litmus test for new items, and product introductions.
What is the most memorable feedback a client has given you?
Seeing newborns in the hospital wrapped in our swaddles is pretty amazing. We know how much care Mamas put into their babe’s layette and when we see those pics we melt! It’s all worth it and so gratifying. That and hearing our customers tell us they can’t own enough of our storage and the more they buy, the more they want. We agree! You can never have too much of it with all of the stuff kids collect.
Pay it forward and name your top colleagues in the same field or related field:
We have been able to meet a lot of amazing women in this Baby and Kids category. Raegan Moya-Jones, the Founder of Aden and Anais is an amazing business woman and mentor. The founders of Gathre, Hazel Village and SoYoung are all women who are making amazing products, building great brands and people we also happen to love working with.
What is the best advice anyone has ever given you? Or what is your "mantra" / words to live by?
We live by ‘never say no’. Seriously, you never know when an opportunity will take you. We have seen that time and time again. Our instinct has many times been to say ‘no’ but being open to ideas/opps lead us to some amazing break throughs as a business.
As moms, the day can escape us, what is your best time-saving trick?
Planning ahead- So unsexy and nothing revolutionary but there is really no other trick that works. Maybe there is, but we haven’t discovered it!