“And I feel like being able to teach this at a young age, even if it's like, you know, lemonade stand basics, right? Like, what do you need and how much do you have to spend? And what is it going to take for you to go out there? And what does it mean to actually earn a profit and all of that?”
In this episode of Startups in Stilettos, host Ingrid Zapata-Read sits down with Osayi Lasisi, founder of Pocketlings, a joy-centered toy and book company inspired by her daughter’s search for plush dolls that truly reflected her. What began as a personal frustration quickly uncovered a much larger gap in the toy industry—one that children and families experience every day.

With over 13 years of marketing experience and multiple community-powered ventures under her belt, Osayi shares how she turned her daughter’s idea into a growing brand rooted in authenticity, cultural representation, and emotional connection. Together, they dive into building product-based businesses without constant hustle, leveraging partnerships and community for growth, navigating manufacturing and tariffs, and validating ideas—especially when those ideas come from kids.

What we talked about:
Finding the Right People [4:52]
Community Powered Growth [9:39]
Getting Started with a Business [14:02]
Partnerships are Everything [17:36]
Dolls in Daycare [22:08]

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Connect with Osayi:
@pocketlings on Instagram

Osayi Lasisi on LinkedIn

Pocketlings

Connect with Carlyn: ⁠⁠

@carlynbushmanconsulting⁠⁠ on Instagram ⁠⁠

Carlyn Bushman⁠⁠ on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Carlyn Bushman Consulting⁠

⁠⁠ Connect with Ingrid: ⁠⁠

@itsingridsworld ⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠

Ingrid Zapata-Read⁠⁠ on ⁠Linkedin⁠

⁠⁠⁠Grow With Community⁠⁠⁠

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Osayi Lasisi Builds Representation One Doll at a Time