During Women’s History Month, Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) will be highlighting female entrepreneurs who are making history today in the world of retail. The first in this series is an exclusive interview with Launi King, CEO and founder of Creative Play and Claspees. King honed her vision for Creative Play in the course of her career as a top product designer and creative executive, working in the licensing and entertainment categories on a global scale. As an inventor of No. 1 sellers, King’s passion for cultivating new talent and ideas is the engine of Creative Play.

Inner Circle: What lessons did you learn from your career at places like Mattel, Warner Bros. and Disney that you applied when launching your entrepreneurial journey? 

Launi King: Working at large corporations afforded me the opportunities to work in many different departments with very different disciplines and expertise. That back of the mind knowledge helped inform me when I started my own company.  I have always learned through experience and found that I was able to learn new skills that I have used along my entrepreneurial journey.

At Warner Bros., I started in an entry-level role which was a huge learning opportunity. I believe my thirst for knowledge helped me to be useful in different areas, especially as reorganizations and upper management changed.

During my tenure, I also was given an opportunity to live abroad in Mexico City, which afforded me the opportunity to lean in on my management skills, while also mastering my expertise in product design. I experienced new values and philosophies, which taught me that my creative direction needed to be a reflection of the consumer’s culture.

Working abroad was humbling and showed me the importance of work/life balance. This experience, which I gave 100 percent to daily, taught me how critical a healthy mental, physical, emotional and spiritual life are vital to both personal and professional daily life. I have always been a positive person, and also eager to learn, both of which continue to propel me even in challenging times. These lessons were invaluable and I use them as I my company grows.

IC: You’ve been the only Black woman in a room full of executives many times. How did you deal with that?  

LK: I actually didn’t realize how different I was until living abroad. I grew up in Pasadena, CA in a diverse neighborhood. My parents taught us about our history in this country and that I would need to work harder than everyone to be successful because of certain disparities. I was keenly aware, but it was never something I accepted would hold me back. When I was working in Latin America, I was the only Black woman in all of my meetings, and in a very traditional city. I learned to just be myself, authentically at all times.  I was selected for that assignment based on who I was and my expertise – my colleagues wanted to learn from me and they wanted to hear my ideas. When you show up trying to be someone else, as an impersonator of someone you think is better, you do yourself and others a great disservice. I cannot, nor do I want to change who I am as a Black woman entrepreneur – it is one of my super powers!

IC: Can you share a little about the inspiration behind your new brand, Claspees?  

LK: I am so excited when I get to share about my brand. Claspees started from my passion and purpose of making products that solve every day, small problems. After being at corporate companies for so many years – helping grow their brands to make massive revenues – I knew I could do it for myself. I wanted to have a greater impact in my community of women and people of color to invent and develop new products.

Claspees is a product that I have patented, manufactured and am distributing direct-to-consumer. It launched during Black History Month, and now as we are in Women’s History Month, the timing is and embodies all that I stand for.

Claspees are functional yet stylish collectible accessories that prevent the loss of drawstrings in your clothing while accessorizing your look and your fandom. The original function of the product is expanded on through the imagination of every person that gets their hands on them. Girls have put them in their hair, some put them on their sneakers and bags. I love watching customers wear them their way.

IC: Where do you think your entrepreneurial and creative spirit came from?  

LK: My family! I am one of six kids, all of which are entrepreneurs. My parents were also entrepreneurs. My father was a Motown hit-maker turned pastor and author. My mother is a speaker and author as well. Growing up, our home was constantly filled on a daily basis with creative and problem-solving people. My parents also taught me to be fearless and go after anything I dreamed of. It is why I think people have wondered how I ended up in roles or created opportunities for myself – all with an entrepreneurial spirit. I used my innate creativity in every aspect of what I did – from designing product to writing out strategies for revenue growth – I stayed close to my formative foundation to push forward no matter what challenges come my way. My family still continues to inspire me with their creativity and drive. We speak and check in daily, motivating each other to keep striving on any endeavor we are going after.

IC: What was the most difficult part about leaving your corporate job to launch a startup?  

LK: Being comfortable. I think of it like a mouse in a maze. All day you encounter the next challenge, but technically you’re going in circles. And at the end of each week, there sits a piece of cheese (your paycheck). You get in a place where you come to rely on that so much so that you can become afraid of what would happen if you left that environment. But in that environment, there is nothing all that new, you aren’t challenged, you get bored and you never reach your full potential. You have ideas, but they don’t fit inside the corporate box. You want more and this is what pushed me over that hurdle to start my company. It is exciting to create my own environment where I and my team can thrive and stretch muscles, we weren’t able to do previously. When you are living in your purpose and prioritizing what is important to you, you are full on your own creations.

IC: What is your superpower as a leader?  

LK: Being authentic. Being who I am and showing up with my ideas, vision and drive – all with the intention to inspire people. I am a woman on a mission to shed light in the inventor space and help people follow their dreams. Creative Play is a company that has diversity and inclusion in our foundation. Diverse perspectives bring a broader array of ideas, and we are here to support and cultivate the next generation of problem solvers. Making space for my teams to show up as their authentic selves, is critical to our growth.

IC: Where can people find your products?  

LK: Claspees can be purchased at www.claspees.com. We are building a community where people can showcase their fandom and trade Claspees with their friends. And if we can keep just one person from pulling their hair out over losing yet another drawstring, we will know we did our job!

IC: What’s next for you and for Claspees in 2024?  

LK: I am focused on my vision for Claspees, which is to be recognized as the go-to invention for preventing the loss of drawstrings while enhancing style and personality. We are entering our Seed raise to support all of the marketing we will be generating to showcase the product domestically, then globally in key markets. We are also in the process of patenting our next product aiming to launch in 2025.