Meet Kara Vendel | Founder MM Lidl Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kara Vendel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kara, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
MM Lidl Co. was born in 2020, the same year my son was born. He was actually born on January 1st – what I thought was going to be the best year ever quickly took a turn with the pandemic, a racial reckoning, a massive political divide and the country quite literally was on fire. All I could think was “what world did I bring this little boy into!?” Well, as a new mom does – I was up all night before my first day back at my corporate job after maternity leave and the idea truly just popped into my head – I thought what if I could build a brand that’s DNA was about making the world a better place and cultivating compassion in our littles? It’s what the world seemed to need in the moment; authenticity and kindness.

Like a little kid waiting for their parents to wake up, I tossed and turned and stared at my husband until he opened his eyes so I could share my idea. A values-based children’s brand with pillars that I strongly believed in. Pillars that could be weaved subtly throughout the products. He was supportive, yet skeptical – optimistic, but poked holes – and to this day he continues to challenge me on all aspects of the business but gives me the confidence to keep going. I leaned a lot on family and friends during the ideation stage. I networked and put myself out there.

Through lots of conversation and soul searching, what began as a children’s brand morphed into a hat brand. I’ll never forget the day I figured out the name and firmed up our brand pillars. My son was around 5 months old – my mom and I found the only quiet place in my tiny house – my bedroom and we sat on the bed and just brainstormed. At last landing on:

Moving Mountains Lidl Company aka MM Lidl Co.

MM because we believe “Compassion Can Move Mountains”

Lidl because we carry hats (aka lids) for the littles in your life and you

And lastly, Co. for company and also the abbreviation for Colorado – where I call home.

And our brand pillars:

Compassion Can Move Mountains

Confident Girls Become Strong Women

Every Child Deserves a Fair Chance

Love is Love

Mother Earth is Ours to Protect

After months, or more like 3 years (+ another baby) of mulling it over I decided to finally make the leap. I had gotten feedback on the idea of a values based brand from what felt like everyone and their mother. I sat on the brand long enough and it still felt like it could go somewhere so I wanted to make it a reality. Launching MM Lidl Co. was the scariest, most vulnerable I’ve ever felt, yet – I’ve never felt more happy or fulfilled. And that has made all the time and energy worth it.

What should our readers know about your business?
MM Lidl Co. is not just a hat brand for the whole family, we’re a hat brand with meaning. A hat brand with a mission. A mission to raise a more compassionate next generation of “lidls”. A hat brand that gives back. A brand customers can feel good about wearing.

Every hat purchased has a hidden meaning behind it, with a tag that correlates to one of our key brand pillars. It’s a way to subtly support our brand ethos. It means supporting and sporting causes you care about, but in a way that’s a little more elevated and especially cute on the lidls that wear them!

As the founder, what excites me most about our brand is not only the product, but the way we’ve been able to support our community. Not only have I been able to give back financially, I’ve also been able to engage with youth in the community in teaching them about entrepreneurship and retail 101 and even running a design contest to create their own hats! In addition, we’ve been able to host an event where parents and their lidls volunteered together by packing lunches for local migrants and making blankets for Children’s Hospital. To be able to bridge the brand with volunteering has been the ultimate dream!

As a business, we’ve learned so much. It’s been a long journey – but I truly believe it’s just beginning. The challenges have been hard – but in all honesty, the biggest challenge has been getting over my fear of failure. As I look back – my fears were bigger in my mind than in reality. Reminding myself that success doesn’t happen overnight, failure is a part of life, and knowing that it’s more about the journey, realizing there will be starts/stops/twists/turns and accepting what I can’t control has given me the clarity to push forward through any obstacles.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Day 1: Acclimate to the city and elevation, grab a coffee at Mob on Tennyson and maybe have a relaxing morning walking around Sloans. Head over to New Terrain for beers & food in the afternoon.

Day 2: Take a hike in the morning & grab a sitter for the night and enjoy a show at Red Rocks.

Day 3 – 5: We’d definitely take a couple days out of town or in the mountains – our favorites are always Telluride or Steamboat but love a good day trip to somewhere closer like Breckenridge, Idaho Springs, Boulder, or Fort Collins.

Days 6/7: Coming back to Denver, we’d want to make sure we hit a few of our favorite restaurants/bars/breweries/coffee shops at some point – Hey Kiddo, My Boy Tony, Call Your Mother, Safta, Sushi Den, Bakery Four, Devil’s Cup, Call to Arms, Post Oak and so much more!

As for other spots around town, we’d definitely want to get to Rino, Lohi, Larimer Square, Cherry Creek, and of course Wash Park to show them around.

There’s so much to do in this city and I love how each part is full of local shops and restaurants – it can be hard sometimes to venture out of our little pocket of NW Denver, especially since having kids – but we sure enjoy it when we do!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Who doesn’t!?

First and foremost, my husband has given me so much support throughout this journey, he has shouldered a typical 9-5 which has given me the runway to launch MM Lidl Co. and has been there through every up and down in my life for more than a decade. MM Lidl Co. 100% couldn’t happen without him.

My kids – for always supporting “Mommy’s hats.”

My parents – for giving me opportunities throughout my life that led me to starting MM Lidl Co. Encouraging me to do what I want but also helping me lay the bricks to ensure I had a solid education and career foundation. And now stepping in to help with child care, warehouse hats, and provide endless moral support.

Family, Friends, Previous Co-workers, Entrepreneurship Group – for teaching me, inspiring me, and giving me all the encouragement to keep on going.

Every person who has said something to the effect of “that just gave me the chills!” or “I could cry hearing your mission” – these are the people that remind me every day why MM Lidl Co. exists and help me to keep my eye on the brand mission – raising a more compassionate next generation of “lidls”.

Website: https://mmlidlco.com/

Instagram: @mm_lidl_co

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-vendel-76102652/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmlidlco

Image Credits
Mallory Seargeant (Ramper Creative) | Haley Venditti