Leosun was born out of a simple problem: a lack of well-made, stylish sunglasses for kids that didn’t fall into either extreme—too flimsy and cheap, or too expensive and precious. Its founder, originally from South Africa and now based in the UK, had spent years in traditional retail, developing products for a large fashion chain. When she moved to the UK, became a parent, and found herself shopping for her own children, she saw an opportunity to create something more thoughtful.

“I wanted something classic, not overly kiddie, and made to last,” she recalls. The first versions launched during lockdown, riding a wave of online demand. Despite being new to e-commerce, she navigated suppliers, logistics, and paid ads—all while handling the entire business herself. Early traction confirmed she was onto something.

But rapid growth came with cost. Paid ads delivered traffic, but ate into profits. Supplier issues piled up. Eventually, she sold the business to a well-established larger company in the fashion accessories and lifestyle space “At the time, I thought it was the right call,” she says.

“I realised I missed the brand—I wanted to do it my way.”

Less than a year later, she bought Leosun back. Since returning, she’s completely rebuilt the business model around sustainability—both financial and personal. Gone are the performance marketing campaigns. In their place: a focus on organic content, community-building, and steady retail expansion. She brought in a freelancer to handle brand content, refined her email strategy, and started partnering with other kids’ brands for mutual promotions and growth.

“Before, I felt like I had to launch new colours every season just to keep up,” she says. “Now, I’d rather be more considered—one great product at a time, no waste, no panic launches.”

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Instead of chasing volume, she’s focusing on depth: lower return rates, better supplier terms, a tighter SKU range, and building long-term stockist relationships in key markets like Australia and Europe. “Wholesale helps us balance the seasonal nature of sunglasses,” she explains. “I want to get the product into people’s hands—not just screens.”

While she still works full-time for another retail brand, Leosun remains her passion project. “I’ve always run it part-time, but with the right people around me—freelancers I trust—it’s possible,” she says. “Hiring full-time can wait. We’ll scale when we’re falling over.”

“Profit over pace: I’m not chasing hyper-growth anymore.”

Looking forward, she wants Leosun to become a staple in the kids’ category: timeless, durable, and essential. “You see adults wearing sunglasses all the time—but not kids,” she says. “Their eyes are even more sensitive. I want to help shift that mindset.”

The goal isn’t an exit anymore—it’s building something lasting, thoughtful, and profitable on her own terms. “I’ve seen what happens when you push for growth too fast,” she says. “This time, I’m doing it differently.”

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