Growing up in Hong Kong, I used art as a way to find community and create designs that represented queer love and identity. In a place where I felt like I couldn't express myself freely, I found escape by drawing playful, colorful designs that I shared on Instagram.

From these drawings, Paws of Pride was born—a brand that uses whimsical animal characters to provide comfort to the LGBTQ+ community.

With no ad spend, I grew POP to a team of 5 and a social presence of over 200,000 followers, powered by the co-creative relationships we formed with our audience. Every product was shaped by conversations about how our audience would like to be represented, using platforms like Instagram, email, and TikTok not just for promotion but for dialogue and involving our followers in the design process.

Since 2021, we’ve sold over 50,000 products across 70 countries, generating $400,000 in annual recurring revenue and giving back 10% of our proceeds to the community.

By growing our team and partnering with organisations, I envision the brand eventually becoming a creative hub that collaborates with artists, activists, and storytellers to create a global brand recognised not just in clothing but as a third-space, with physical locations where people can not only find products they resonate with but find friends and community.