Three Years of Ellor & Co. | Our Small Business Story
From Our Founder
Three Years of Ellor & Co. – Our Story So Far
It's hard to believe Ellor & Co. is three years old. As we celebrate our birthday this month, I've found myself looking back at how it all started, and realised I've never really shared the full story.
Shop Our Full RangeSo many of you have joined us along the way, but the beginning of this little brand is something I've kept mostly to myself. So, as we mark three years, here's how it really began.
The idea actually started before the business did.
I was nine months pregnant with Harris, and Elizabeth wasn't even one yet.Like most parents, we'd discovered the frustration of mouldy bath toys and cheap plastic toys that didn't seem to last. Around the same time, we were using silicone plates, bowls and cups every single day, and I remember thinking, why isn't anyone making more toys from silicone?
That thought stuck with me.
Where It Began
A Curious Idea and a Lot to Learn
Whilst waiting for Harris to arrive, I started researching everything I could. I signed up for courses, learnt about importing products and began trying to understand what it would actually take to start a business.
At that point, I had absolutely no experience. I was just curious and willing to learn.
In January 2023, we settled on the name Baby Ellor and decided to register the business.
Two weeks later,
Harris was born.If you've ever had two children under two, you'll know just how chaotic that stage of life can be. Looking back now, I'm not quite sure what I was thinking trying to start a business alongside it — but somehow, we made it work.
For the first few months, progress felt slow. I spent hours trying to get our products listed on Amazon, but it just wasn't happening. There always seemed to be another hurdle to overcome, and before I'd even made my first sale, I was already losing money on Amazon fulfilment fees.
Then I was invited to have a stall at a local school summer fair.
It was the push I needed to stop waiting until everything was perfect. I set up a Facebook page, packed the products into the car and, on 1st July 2023, I did my very first event.
1st July 2023
Our Very First Event
From there, things gradually grew. Not overnight, and certainly not without mistakes, but one step at a time.
Sometimes you just have to start before you feel ready.
One Step at a Time
Learning Every Hat Along the Way
Over the last three years, I've learnt how to build a website, taught myself email marketing, spent hours understanding toy safety and product testing, worked with manufacturers and laboratories, learnt photography, created content and worn just about every hat you can imagine.
The funny thing is,
I still feel like I'm learning every single week.A New Chapter
From Baby Ellor to Ellor & Co.
After taking the huge leap and leaving my job last September, Baby Ellor became Ellor & Co. It felt like the right time.
We weren't just a baby brand anymore — our products were growing alongside our own children. Elizabeth and Harris have inspired new ideas, tested samples and reminded me why I started this in the first place. Firm favourites like our stacking pebbles, stacking cups and tea set all grew out of that.
Running a small business isn't always easy, but I genuinely wouldn't change it.
Every order still makes me smile, because I know someone has chosen to support our little family business.
Three Years On
Where That One Idea Has Grown
What started with one idea, two children under two and a lot of determination has grown into a brand trusted by families across the UK, with a full range of silicone toys that grow with your child. If you'd told me all of this three years ago, I honestly wouldn't have believed you.
Trusted by UK Families
Stocked in independent shops and chosen by families right across the country.
ZSL London Zoo
Featured in the play space at ZSL London Zoo, something I still can't quite believe.
Susie Ma's Seal of Approval
Given the thumbs up by Susie Ma, founder of Tropic Skincare.
The Moments That Matter
More Than Just a Sale
There have been so many moments I'll never forget, packing orders around nap times, loading the car for events, seeing customers return year after year as their families grow, and watching complete strangers choose to support a business that started at our kitchen table.
Those moments have reminded me that every order is so much more than a sale.
It's someone putting their trust in us, and I'll never take that for granted.
Thank You
Here's to the Next Chapter
If you've been here since the very beginning, or you've only just discovered us, thank you. Every order, every message, every share and every recommendation has helped us reach this three-year milestone.
Supporting a small business doesn't just buy a product. It helps someone continue building a dream, and I'm so grateful that so many of you have chosen to be part of ours.
Here's to the next chapter. ❤️
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