By Destany Fuller | WeINSPIRE Journalist

SAN MARCOS, Texas — After noticing a lack of representation within the party-supply market, wife and mother Andrea Lyons founded her own party supply company, Anna + Pookie. Lyons’ company is centered around celebrating and uplifting Black children by representing them with party supplies and decorations of various themes such as princesses, superheroes, mermaids and more.

Lyons said she started the company in 2018 after realizing a lack of diversity in children’s party supplies.

“I had struggled for many years trying to find products that represented,” Lyons shared. “It started with my nephew 21 years ago looking for invitations, looking for party supplies that look like him… I just got a little, to be honest, frustrated because there are no party supplies that look like me.”

The founder said that she chose to make a difference rather than continue to be frustrated. 

“I produced what I wanted to see and how I wanted to see my child represented,” she added.

One of the unique things about the company is its name. Lyons shared how the company’s name is a combination of both her and her sister’s childhood nicknames. She said she felt this was significant because of the emphasis her family places on making sure everyone is celebrated, especially during birthdays. 

“I grew up in a family, no matter what the occasion was, my mom and my grandmother particularly made sure that we felt celebrated… My grandmother would just make a box cake sometimes, put frosting on it, put candles in it and we would sing happy birthday to whatever family member it was,” Lyons explained. “When I started thinking about a name… I wanted to do a throwback to a time in my life when I was… happiest.”

Lyons continued by describing the steps it took to create her business. She explained how she sought out designers and illustrators whose work would fit into her brand. Lyons was finally able to determine a look for her brand after nearly four months; from there, she found manufacturers to actually bring her ideas to fruition.

Lyons said this process involved a lot of researching and long nights for her, especially since she didn’t have a precedent to follow. 

“It’s just kind of been me doing the research,” Lyons said. “I don’t know anybody that’s ever done this before. So I’ve kind of just been doing it myself and trying to figure it out along the way.”

After months of work and preparation, Lyons was finally able to see her ideas come to life. She described the experience as being overwhelming. 

“It was one of the most overwhelming experiences I’ve ever had,” Lyons said proudly. “When I got the physical product, I cried because I was overjoyed because I had something tangible that I can say, ‘Hey, this is something I created’... overjoyed was one of the emotions that I had, because I actually had done it.”

Lyons emphasized her overall goal of making sure that Black children feel celebrated with her decorations. She shared the praise she receives from parents who are grateful for her work. 

“Two things I get a lot of is, ‘This is amazing, I’m glad my child can see themselves’ and the other part will say, ‘I didn’t even know I needed this until I saw it,’” Lyons said.

Lyons said she feels her impact with her company has been a reminder to the Black community that they deserve a space to feel celebrated as well. 

“I think the impact is reminding us that we deserve a space in an industry that has overlooked us for a long time,” Lyons said. “It just blows my mind that nobody else, and I’m talking about big companies, has thought to do this.”

Lyons defines her business as being “culturally relevant,” a term she describes as “a feeling that something gives that resonates with your being.” She said her company inspires as well as invokes happiness and pride. 

The founder shared her hopes for expansion and the addition of new themes in the future, but until then, she urges audiences to remember to celebrate themselves. 

“Every day is an opportunity to celebrate,” she says. “Every day is an opportunity to celebrate and make sure that our children know that we celebrate them and we value them and we want to have fun.”

To learn more about Anna+Pookie or to support Lyons’ business, visit her website, Instagram or Facebook.

Watch Full Interview Here