In our Mini Interview series, we sit down with inspiring founders in the children’s space to talk about the journey behind their brands, their experiences as parents, and what keeps them motivated.
Today, we chat with Marie and Steven Le Van, the visionaries behind Le Toy Van to discuss everything from childhood inspirations to their top tips for balancing work and family life.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Le Toy Van?
Steven begins, “My father, Georges Le Van, founded Le Toy Van almost 30 years ago now and created the first ever Le Toy Van toy which was a dolls house – still on show today at LTV HQ. The vision for Le Toy Van was always simple, to create beautiful unique toys, lovingly made with intention, to stand the test of time. I spent a lot of my childhood playtesting all of my father’s wonderful creations and today I am lucky enough to continue that legacy with my sons. Our toys continue to spark young imaginations through learning-based fun, ready to be cherished and enjoyed for a lifetime of play.”
How has becoming a parent influenced your approach to business?
“Since becoming parents, we have realised how much trust in a brand is vital to building and maintaining a loyal customer base. This has influenced us to run our toys through even more safety tests than ever before and focus more attention on redesigning elements which we feel could pose any potential risks. Our experiences as parents have helped us develop products that we know children will love and parents will trust.”
What do you think sets Le Toy Van apart from the rest?
“I believe what sets us apart is our commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship and timeless design. Our team of talented toy makers design right here in the UK and we only partner with ethical manufacturers where every piece is mindfully made and crafted from solid, repurposed wood. We’re always striving to improve our products and always adhere to the highest industry standards. We emphasise storytelling and encourage imaginative play through our toys and are happy to have picked up a few awards, covering everything from design, quality, sustainability and educational play value.”
How do you manage the balance between work and family life?
“What some people may not know is that the Le Toy Van office is actually in our back garden, so commuting is very easy! This helps to increase our productivity and stay involved with all the progress made by the rest of the team. The convenience of work and home being in one place means that we have the freedom to switch between the two at whim. However, we understand that this is quite a unique situation, so our best tip is to accept all the help offered by family and friends. Balancing work and family life is hard as it is, so there’s no point making it any harder by doing it all alone!”
What is your proudest moment since taking over Le Toy Van?
“Seeing every new collection launch – it’s so exciting to watch our designs go from conception to completion. This is a process most people don’t see or even consider but there is such a long and thoughtful journey behind each and every one of our toys. Seeing our toys hit the shelves, finally available to make any little boy or girl happy, is the very last step but it’s the most rewarding part!”
What trends do you see emerging in the children’s market?
“We’re strong believers in ‘less is more’. We’re constantly trying to strike the balance between traditional style and innovative design. We’ve learnt how important it is to declutter in order to elevate – if a feature of one of our toys doesn’t have a strong purpose, then it doesn’t make the cut. Also, attending shows and seeing what else is out there and taking inspiration from the world around us is really important for staying relevant in an industry that has so much competition.”
Do you have a favourite product or collection that you’ve launched with Le Toy Van?
“Cherry Tree Hall – it’s our most iconic and best-selling Dolls House. I think what makes it different from other dolls houses is all its distinctive features, it has lovely floral details on the window shutter and a grand front door with an awning. It’s an instantly recognisable piece that has cropped up in all kinds of unexpected places, most recently in a TikTok by Sophie Tea Art in her charity shop transformations series.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your entrepreneurial journey?
“One can have it all but not all at once. Take each day as it comes and just focus on one thing at a time and always use your B.R.A.I.N to make decisions. It’s a great acronym for helping with decision-making and stands for Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, Nothing. It has been really useful for breaking down important decisions and determining the best route to follow.”
Finally, how do you unwind after a busy day of running a business and being a parent?
“We unwind in two parts really, pre-bedtime and post-bedtime… Before the kids go to bed, our evening usually consists of playing games, the current favourite being ‘choo choo trains’. After the kids go to bed, we relax by turning to the trusty combination of Netflix and chocolate.”
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