Juliana VanLaanen: Winner of the 2025 Great Companies International Women Entrepreneur Award

Name: Juliana VanLaanen

Business Name: 2MamaBees

Location: Fort Lauderdale , USA

Category: Sustainable & Innovative Toy Manufacturing

Website: www.2mamabees.com

Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-vanlaanen/

Company Detail:

2MamaBees is a twenty-time award-winning manufacturer specializing in luxury playhouses, swing sets, and children’s toy products designed to inspire creativity, foster family bonding, and promote sensory development. Founded in 2019, the company has grown from a small Etsy shop into a leading domestically manufactured brand, available in over 120 retail locations, including Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Saks Fifth Avenue, and FAO Schwarz.

The products stand out for their exceptional craftsmanship, sustainable design, and heirloom-quality materials, handcrafted by skilled Amish artisans. The company prioritizes eco-friendly practices, incorporating real-plant window boxes, non-toxic finishes, and instruction booklets made from seed paper that can be planted after assembly.

Beyond delivering high-quality, innovative play experiences, 2MamaBees is committed to giving back. The company actively supports environmental and charitable initiatives through partnerships with American Forests, the BumbleBee Foundation, and Dec My Room, ensuring its impact extends beyond just play.

Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage:

2MamaBees sets itself apart in the market through a unique combination of luxury design, sustainability, and child development-focused innovation. Unlike mass-produced alternatives, its heirloom-quality playhouses and swing sets are handcrafted by Amish artisans in the U.S. using sustainably sourced wood and non-toxic materials, ensuring durability, safety, and eco-conscious manufacturing.

Parents choose 2MamaBees because it creates more than just toys—it creates experiences. The playhouses feature real-plant window boxes, allowing children to engage with nature, and the instruction booklets are made from biodegradable seed paper, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability. Additionally, the products are designed to promote sensory play and motor development, incorporating interactive elements like click-turn stove handles, cuttable play food, and climbing structures that encourage physical activity and imaginative play.

Customers also trust 2MamaBees for its award-winning designs, premium craftsmanship, and dedication to giving back. Through partnerships with American Forests, the BumbleBee Foundation, and Dec My Room, every purchase contributes to reforestation efforts and charitable initiatives supporting families in need. The brand’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and meaningful play makes it the preferred choice for families seeking luxury, purpose-driven, and environmentally responsible children's products.

Challenges Faced During the Journey:

Building 2MamaBees has been an incredible journey, but it has not been without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles the company faced was breaking into the manufacturing and toy industry as female entrepreneurs. This space is traditionally male-dominated, and early on, there was a need to prove credibility to suppliers, investors, and even customers who were not used to seeing women at the forefront of this kind of business. Instead of letting that be discouraging, the founders used it as motivation to build something exceptional and redefine what leadership in this industry looks like.

Another major challenge was navigating growth while maintaining a commitment to sustainability and quality. From the beginning, the goal was to produce eco-friendly, heirloom-quality playhouses and swing sets, but that required choosing domestic manufacturing, sustainable materials, and ethical production methods—all of which can be more expensive and logistically complex. Finding Amish artisans to craft the products was a turning point, allowing the company to offer something truly unique while staying true to its values.

Funding and cash flow management were also significant obstacles. The business was self-funded in the early days, which meant every decision had to be strategic. Breaking into major retailers like Walmart and Sam’s Club was a huge milestone, but getting there required persistence, networking, and proving that the products could compete at scale.

Lastly, balancing business and motherhood has been one of the most personal challenges. 2MamaBees was built with family in mind, yet as founders and mothers, there has been a continuous effort to navigate the difficult reality of running a fast-growing company while being present for their families. It is a constant learning process, but by building a business with purpose, sustainability, and heart, the goal has always been to create something that truly makes a difference—for children and for future generations.

Advice for Women Entrepreneurs:

Juliana VanLaanen’s biggest piece of advice to young women aspiring to be entrepreneurs is to trust themselves and take the leap, even if they do not have all the answers yet. Expertise in everything is not required to start—learning happens along the way. Surrounding oneself with mentors, industry peers, and people who believe in the vision is crucial. Seeking advice is important, but doubt—whether internal or external—should not be a reason to hold back.

Another key lesson is to embrace resilience. Entrepreneurship is filled with challenges, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty, but persistence is what separates success from failure. Every obstacle is an opportunity to learn and refine the approach. Staying adaptable, being open to feedback, and never being afraid to pivot when needed are all essential traits.

Most importantly, it is advised to build a business that aligns with personal values. Whether focusing on sustainability, inclusivity, or social impact, having a deeper purpose fuels passion and makes the journey more fulfilling. Success is not just about profits—it is about creating something meaningful that makes a difference.

And most importantly—women deserve a seat at the table. If one is not offered, they should pull up their own chair. Women belong in leadership, in boardrooms, and at the forefront of innovation. The key is to keep pushing forward and not be afraid to take up space.