Judy Jou, co-founder and designer of Ele Story (now Mommy & Me Clothing), shares her immigrant upbringing, early love of fabrics, and how family shaped her creative path. Born in Taiwan and raised in California from age 10, Judy recounts learning English, overcoming grief and depression, and finding refuge in art and sewing. From childhood Barbie-dress experiments to a Master’s in costume design (UCLA), a creative role at Pixar, and eventually launching Ele Story with her husband, Judy reveals the highs and lows of turning a passion into a sustainable business.
In this honest, heartwarming conversation with Erica Pasvar, Judy talks about: building a fashion brand while mothering and working full-time, trusting her husband’s leap into entrepreneurship, the product evolution from handmade Bay-Area production to direct-to-consumer strategy, and the creative choices behind her timeless, simple children’s and mommy-and-me collections. If you love stories about resilience, design, and small business persistence — tune in for practical inspiration and creative courage.
Key Moments:
Judy’s childhood in Taiwan and moving to the U.S. at age 10; language barriers & resilience.
Early fabric obsession: Barbies, grandma’s sewing, and creative exercises from her aunt.
Academic path: fine arts at Northwestern; MFA in costume design at UCLA.
Working at Pixar — learning new skills, hybrid creative/production roles.
Grief and reconciliation with her mother; how family influenced design choices.
The birth of Ele Story: starting with handmade children’s clothes and craft-fair hustle.
Husband’s pivotal role — operational legwork, factory sourcing, and business risk.
Shifts in business model: wholesale → direct-to-consumer for sustainability.
Creative philosophy: simplicity, collectable groupings (not just single pieces), Japanese children’s fashion influences.
Practical realities of scaling a small fashion brand (production, marketing, shipping, solo founder grind).
Advice for women considering entrepreneurial pivots later in life.
Connect with Judy
Shop Judy’s collections: elestory.com
Follow Ele Story: Instagram / Facebook @elestory
Connect with Erica
Email // Facebook // Instagram // Linkedin // YouTube
***This Podcast is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission. ***
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Intro and Exit Music written and performed by Daniel Ging.
