Asian persuasion: a line of Asian-inspired children's clothing helps one mother keep her daughter's cultural heritage alive

Entrepreneur, Sept, 2004 by Nichole L. Torres

WHAT: a designer of Asian-inspired children's clothing

WHO: Leslie Karen Potter and Lynn Potter Wells of Meili & Me

WHERE: Longview, Texas

WHEN: started in March 2003

WHEN LESLIE KAREN POTTER ADOPTED her daughter from China in 2000, she fell in love not only with her new little one, but also with the Chinese culture. She wanted her daughter, Meili, now 4 years old, to grow up knowing about and being proud of her cultural heritage. So Potter, 49, decided to combine her passion for Chinese-inspired clothing with her background as a professional shopper and stylist to create a line of clothes for her daughter and other children, too.

Potter recruited her sister, Lynn Potter Wells, who had a background in graphic design, to partner in the venture. Though the sisters live in different states (Potter in Colorado and Wells in Texas), they're able to divide their duties easily via telephone and the Internet. Potter handles the manufacturing, while Wells takes care of the marketing and design work.

At startup, the pair was able to locate an Asian-American seamstress to help design and create pieces with just the right flair. And being part of the Asian-American adoption community has helped Potter and Wells get the word out about their products. "The reaction has been really great," says Wells, 51. "We went to an Asian adoption festival for three hours and sold $2,700 worth of clothing." The buzz is so positive, in fact, that the entrepreneurs have even received requests for little boys' clothes as well. Full of ideas for the future--including a line of children's decor and diaper bags with Asian-inspired prints--the founders of Meili & Me expect sales to hit $30,000 within a year.