In conversation with Joey Li and Thuta Khin

“Everyone deserves the right to have access to the most basic human needs of safety, comfort, hygiene and health… We decided we wanted to be a part of solving this problem.”

- Joey Li

Image: Thuta Khin and Joey Li, Leiho

Joey Li and Thuta Khin are the founders of Leiho. Leiho means 'How are you' in Cantonese and sometimes that's all we need to tell someone to show that we care! With a combined background in marketing, film, media and charitable work, Joey and Thuta have been working on their social enterprise together since 2019. 

Tell us about your business, how did you come up with the idea or concept?

Joey: Leiho is a social enterprise on a mission to improve the quality of life for people experiencing homelessness through smiley bamboo socks, eco-conscious gifts & everyday products. Every purchase helps us fund impact projects and donations of essentials to those without a home. 

In 2019, Thuta and I did our masters together and we found out that clean socks and underwear were one of the most requested but least donated items of clothing at homeless shelters. Everyone deserves the right to have access to the most basic human needs of safety, comfort, hygiene and health through the most simple essentials like toiletries or underwear. So, since then we decided we wanted to be a part of solving this problem.

What Are Your Brand Values And What Is Your Ethos?

Thuta: At Leiho we always say that it’s all of our little steps put together that make a big difference. Even as a small business we play an important role in the impact that we are making to our planet and society. We are an eco-conscious brand, putting people and the environment at the heart of every decision we make and this includes everything from our suppliers, products, packaging and more. With every new product we introduce, we make sure that it’s a better version of the previous, from quality to the environmental impact it makes. And through our eco-conscious products, we plan to encourage more individuals to incorporate small acts of kindness in their everyday lives, through their purchases and at the same time lend a helping hand to vulnerable communities.

Were there any obstacles you faced whilst creating and growing your business, if so how did you overcome them?

Joey: When you run your own business there are obstacles everyday that you will face and the challenges are never ending but the biggest motivator is knowing that we have an incredibly supportive community around us whether it’s mentors, customers, friends, family or other founders. Having a good support system really makes such a big difference when you’re struggling. On top of that, the impact we make is a huge contributing factor to overcoming obstacles and challenges too! Being able to directly see an impact and work with amazing organisations that work frontline to support those in need is truly why we are in business in the first place.

Did you have a mentor or support structure in place when founded it?

Joey: We had a few mentors here and there when we first graduated our masters because our accelerator programmes that we were part of had such extensive mentorship support and all the advice we got really helped shape our business model and refine it. We are now looking to onboard a few mentors and advisors to help scale our business.

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your journey as founders?

Thuta: It’s been so rewarding working with local charities and organisations, and to see the difference we are making as a collective partnership. Most recently we ran a pilot Employment Project together with Islington Council to hire 2 gentlemen part time who used to sleep rough to hand make our Christmas Sock Crackers for the festive season. We were not only able to give the gentlemen a small income to support themselves but also help them gain transferable skills that they can make use of in their future jobs. Knowing that our products are helping fund impact projects like these are also another reminder that the hard work is not only influencing us as founders but also to the local community as well as our customers!   

What's Been The biggest lesson–about yourself, your abilities or just general life lessons – you’ve learnt since starting your business?

Joey: Juggling running a business, personal life and family life. I struggled to have a good work-life balance for a few years and it really took a toll on my mental health and led to just really bad burnout. I always made time for friends and family but my mind was not physically present. I’ve now learnt how to manage my time, stop giving myself excuses, how to have more productive days and get rid of those “less than 5 minute” tasks that have been sitting on my to-do list for weeks. It’s so amazing learning how to be more productive because I now have more time to hang out with friends and family and actually be physically present and enjoy myself.

Thuta: Very similar to Joey in terms of managing work-life balance but I am also learning to celebrate small wins and not dwell on setbacks! I’ve also learned that as founders we aren’t expected to know everything. Surrounding ourselves with a good support system and a strong team is how we are now planning to grow and move forward. 

Image: Leiho Socks, Leiho

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Joey: Stop giving yourself excuses!

Thuta: Just do it. And sometimes it’s okay to take one step back to take 2 steps forward as opposed to being stuck in one spot for a long time. 

How do you find the work-life balance? What strategies and routines do you have in place to cope with the work-life balance? 

Joey: If you organise your time right and genuinely get what you need done without pushing things off the list for “next time”, having that work-life balance can be quite manageable. 

Would you recommend any resources that have been useful for you when starting/running your business?
Thuta: Since Day 1 we’ve been a part of the CityVentures, an accelerator program for alumni from City University and the team has been a huge part of our journey, providing mentorship, a coworking space and a really inclusive support network. There are also many other accelerator programs that have helped us such as The School For Social Entrepreneurs, HATCH Enterprise, Cambridge Social Ventures and eBay For Change.  Founders Hub is also great for business related resources, templates.

What would be your advice to anyone wanting to start their own business?

Joey: Just do it! Get those silly ideas on a piece of paper and start brainstorming. There are so many things life will throw at you and you just have to learn how to cope with it. There are also so many days where you want to give up and stop but just remember, all the struggles you’ve had in the past have led you to where you are today. We all have to go through tough challenges to get to the other side. So, if it’s been in your mind for a while - do it!

What do you love about London?

Joey: I love the support in London for start ups and founders. It’s such a creative circle and everyone that we get to know have such incredible stories to tell and the discourse around purpose is just so interesting here! It’s the perfect place to start if you’re looking to start something sustainability focused or impact focused.

What is next for Leiho?

Thuta: Many exciting things! We are growing our team because we can’t do everything by ourselves as founders. We are also working on some exciting new product launches, as well as partnerships and collaborations with charities to run more impact projects this year. There will also be some Leiho in-person events and pop ups coming soon so please keep an eye out, follow us on socials to find out more about how you can get involved with us! We are also open to collaboration ideas so if you think we could potentially work together, please do reach out!

Website: leiho.co.uk

Instagram: @leiho_uk

Twitter: @leiho_uk

Facebook: @leihouk

LinkedIn: Leiho UK