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Dominique Olowolafe: Supporting Families on the Go with Hygienic Essentials

Dominique Olowolafe: Supporting Families on the Go with Hygienic Essentials

Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs. 

Hey, friends! It's Spiffy, back again on Planet Earth with an eye on changemaking leaders making the world a more equitable place! I have another great interview for you this week. Today, I’m excited to cruise around with Dominique Olowolafe, founder and CEO at Lightly. Are you ready to be inspired?

Spiffy: Thanks for joining me, Dominique! Tell me, what challenge are you addressing through your organization?

Dominique: Glad to be with you, Spiffy! Lightly is dedicated to alleviating stress for parents traveling with toddlers and infants. We believe that no matter where you are or where you go, humans need access to basic sanitary products, our tiny humans included. Parents should no longer have to compromise on the quality of hygienic essentials while away from home. 

Spiffy: Wonderful! What motivates you to tackle this challenge?

Dominique: I’m a former pro-athlete turned costume designer/supervisor for TV and film productions. As a seasoned traveler, I knew I wanted to continue exploring the world even after I had kids. What I didn't anticipate was the overall lack of support for families on the go. I ran out of diapers at LAX in 2017, on my daughter’s very first flight. It was traumatic. The travel and hospitality industry has done a better job of accommodating pets than small children. Lightly exists as the conduit to a more inclusive culture that goes above and beyond in supporting families on the go.

Spiffy: Your motivation around inclusivity and support is inspiring. How else would you describe the impact of your work?

Dominique: We design and sell customizable nursery kits filled with premium travel essentials for hotels and other travel-based enterprise businesses. 

Spiffy: Tell me about a recent milestone or initiative by you or your organization. What impact does that make?

Dominique: We sold over 1,000 nursery kits in our 2022 pilot program.

Spiffy: Amazing! Thanks for speaking with me today, Dominique—it’s been an honor!

Dominique Olowolafe is a mompreneur and the founder and CEO of Lightly, a premium baby care brand making the "getting there" easier for parents towing tiny humans. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters. She earned her B.A. in communications from California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) and spent time as both a professional volleyball player and freelance costume designer and supervisor for large scale commercial and television productions. Yoga, champagne, and pizza are her guilty momma pleasures. (Nominated by Kerry Ingram of Visible Hands. First published on the Ladderworks website on April 19, 2023.)

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.

© 2023 Ladderworks LLC. Edited by Lindsey Brannon. Spiffy’s illustration by Shreyas Navare. For the Ladderworks digital curriculum to help K-3 kids advance the UN SDGs, visit Spiffy's Launchpad: Creative Entrepreneurship Workshops for K-3 Kids and their caregivers here.