Elyena Lee’s personal journey into motherhood sparked the business idea
When Elyena Lee, 34, had her first child during COVID-19 in early 2020, she struggled to find baby products that matched her personal style.
Back then, she recalled, most options in Singapore leaned heavily toward “kiddish” aesthetics, and high-quality organic essentials from overseas often came at an extremely premium price point.
Frustrated with the lack of accessible choices, she started her own baby brand with a university friend that same year: Soft Spot. Today, Soft Spot sells around 20,000 products annually—and interestingly, many of its products are also purchased by people without children.
We spoke to Elyena about how her personal journey into motherhood has grown into a global baby brand, with a presence in 13 countries.
It started as an online business
Soft Spot began as an online business after months of ideation. Its first product was the Soft Swaddle, made out of muslin fabric, available in one pear print and five solid colours.
But Elyena didn’t want Soft Spot to remain solely an online brand—she aimed to establish a physical presence as well. She reached out individually to retailers, and just a few months later, Mothercare outlets began stocking Soft Spot’s products.
As the brand grew, it gradually expanded its product range and introduced more colourways. After all, the founder’s main gripe with existing baby products was that they weren’t aesthetically pleasing.
“What differentiates us from other baby brands is that we identify the mom as the main character, rather than the baby,” Elyena explained, adding that Soft Spot’s products particularly speak to millennial and Gen Z mothers who still care about their sense of style and identity.
Hence, she introduces new products typically every three months.
Finding an audience beyond parents
Over time, Soft Spot has grown to 27 product lines—from bibs to baby apparel and even bed sheets—with over 300 different colourways and patterns, all created by a team of in-house designers Elyena has hired over the years. Prices start from S$29 for its products.
The brand also discovered an unexpected audience that went beyond babies. Thanks to its soft cotton material and pretty aesthetics, the products began to be used in a variety of ways beyond their original purpose.
Mothers and even non-parents began buying Soft Spot’s single bed sheets for their design, while couples without children purchased Soft Squares—originally burp cloths—as handkerchiefs or Soft Swaddles as bath towels for their suitability for sensitive skin.
“Some customers even used swaddles as picnic mats or beach wraps!” Elyena exclaimed.
With demand rising, Elyena, who had spent eight years in the FMCG industry at multinational giants like Unilever and L’Oréal in brand and product development roles, decided to leave her full-time job in 2023 to run Soft Spot solo.
Expanding Soft Spot’s presence in Singapore and beyond
Over the years, more retailers in Singapore began stocking Soft Spot, including Tangs, Frankie & Fern’s, and A Greener Wood.
The brand also expanded its physical presence through pop-ups, such as the Christmas Atelier in 2024 and 2025, and a three-month test pop-up at Phoenix Park in Tanglin in Sept 2024.
Soft Spot has leveraged partnerships as well. One notable collaboration in 2025 paired its Soft Loaf Pouch with Anessa’s sunscreen.
That said, the brand still maintains a strong online presence, with products available not only through its own website but also via partner retailers like Stacked Store and Hipvan. This reflects Soft Spot’s vision of being “more than a baby brand,” extending its signature aesthetic into the modern home.
Internationally, Soft Spot first made its mark when it was stocked at French family concept store Smallable in 2022, which, according to Elyena, has a “strong online presence” in both European and US markets.
In addition, Soft Spot secured distributors and now stocks its products in 13 countries worldwide, with retailers spanning from Taiwan to Saudi Arabia.
A permanent retail store is not on the cards
Currently, Elyena shared that Soft Spot sells about 20,000 items a year.
Despite this growth, a permanent retail store is not on the cards for now due to Singapore’s challenging retail environment. For the time being, pop-ups and strengthening its online presence offer the right balance for the brand.
“As a small brand, our only advantage is speed and flexibility,” shared Elyena.
She hops on trends to stay relevant and takes an experimental approach, negotiating lower test quantities with suppliers to reduce risk. But while she moves quickly, she ensures that every release meets her standards.
Coming from a multinational corporation background, Elyena admitted that entrepreneurship was initially a culture shock for her.
“In an MNC, there’s always someone who specialises in every field,” she says. “As a founder, you have to go into all areas with no experience, such as vetting legal documents, accounting, IT glitches—everything—by yourself.”
There is no boss, no historical data to reference, and no one to dictate strategic direction. While it can get lonely at times, the journey has allowed her to measure her own success at her own pace, and she is proud of how far she has come.
Looking ahead, Elyena wants to expand beyond baby products into more categories. Her ultimate goal? To serve the “modern family” with more home and living items, on-the-go essentials, and potentially bags and clothing.
Featured Image Credit: Soft Spot
