Entrepreneur Interview – Lindsay Marles

Entrepreneur Lindsay Marles is the founder and CEO of Austin Lloyd. She has a background in management consulting and product marketing as well as experience in the baby goods and logistics industries. She received her MBA from Duke University.

Interview Q&A:

1. What is your business/Business Name? What does your business do?

Austin Lloyd. Austin Lloyd is a monthly subscription service of premium educational toys for children 3 and under.

2. Why did you get into this field? What opportunities did you see?

80% of a child’s brain develops by age 5. With pre-K starting at age 4 and preschool starting around age 3, there seemed to be great opportunity to help children develop before pre-school. Kids learn through play, so sending a monthly box of developmentally appropriate toys makes it easy for parents to start engaging and helping their children learn.

I came up with the idea because I have three nephews and I always wanted to buy them educational toys that got them away from screens. After getting my MBA and then working at UPS, I gained the knowledge to launch the business and a foundation in logistics.

3. What have been your biggest challenges?

Growth with little to no budget is by far the biggest challenge.

4. What has been your greatest reward?

There are so many! The greatest reward is probably the amazing network of people I have met within the start-up community. Everyone is incredibly supportive and we learn so much from each other.

5. If you could change something, what would it be?

I would have started building my business credit sooner. I decided to open some personal credit cards instead of business credit cards because they had 0% interest for longer timeframes. Getting business loans is more challenging without that credit history.

6. If you could give a new entrepreneur advice, what would it be?

Network and become a part of a start-up community as soon as you can. The relationships you build will help keep you motivated and excited about the business while also opening new doors.

7. Social Media. Yay or Nay?

Yay

8. How do you market your products?

Social media and mommy bloggers are our primary marketing channels.

9. Is your business a service or a product? If you are a product, how do you handle production?

Service

10. What is unique about your business?

Austin Lloyd delivers customized boxes of toys that are developmentally appropriate for your child, right to your door. We find unique, high end toys that engage your child and help prepare them for pre-school and beyond.

11. Sell me your product/service.

80% of your child’s brain will develop by age 5. Why wait until pre-school to start educating your little one? We do all of the research to select engaging toys that are developmentally appropriate – and fun – for your infant or toddler. Subscribe to Austin Lloyd to help lay the foundation for lifelong learning.

Don’t have a child, but need to send a gift? We offer gift subscriptions too.

12. How can people get in touch with you? What’s your website/Contact information?