Building Charlie Bears from the Ground Up: How Charlie and Will Turned Their Dream Into Reality with Charlie Bears

Starting a business is never easy, but for Charlie and Will, building Charlie Bears was a labor of love. In this post, we’ll dive into the early days of the brand—how they took the leap of faith to follow their dream, designed their first collection, and created the foundation for the Charlie Bears we know and love today.

When Charlie first shared her dream of creating affordable, collectible bears, it was a bold idea. The teddy bear market at the time was dominated by either high-end collectibles or mass-produced toy bears. Charlie wanted to create something that combined the artistry of collectible bears with accessibility for everyone.

“I told Will, ‘Let’s sell everything we own and start a bear business.’ Most people would think I was crazy, but he believed in me and said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

And that’s exactly what they did. Charlie and Will sold their home and cars, moved into rented accommodation, and used every penny they had to fund their dream. With a simple dressing table, a secondhand laptop, and a heart full of determination, Charlie began designing the first collection of Charlie Bears.

The collection consisted of 12 unique bears, each designed with Charlie’s signature attention to detail. She worked tirelessly to ensure every bear had its own personality, from their expressive faces to their soft, high-quality fabrics. The goal was to create bears that collectors could fall in love with at first sight.

“Each bear had to feel special—like it could become someone’s lifelong companion. I wanted every detail to be just right.”

The next challenge was finding retailers to carry the bears. Charlie and Will started with nothing but their determination and their collection of samples. Armed with an IKEA shelf and a borrowed car, they attended trade shows, introduced their bears to shop owners, and shared their vision for the brand.

“We didn’t have fancy displays or marketing budgets, but we let the bears speak for themselves. People could see the heart and soul we put into them.”

One of their big breakthroughs came when they pitched Charlie Bears to QVC. It was a nerve-wracking experience, but their passion and hard work paid off. Their first live show sold out, and it became a turning point for the brand. From that moment, Charlie Bears started to gain traction, and the dream began to grow.

“It was terrifying to be on live TV, but seeing the bears sell out was incredible. It gave us the confidence to keep going.”

The early days of Charlie Bears were filled with challenges, but Charlie and Will’s unwavering belief in their vision kept them moving forward. They proved that with creativity, determination, and a little bit of courage, even the boldest dreams can become a reality.

In the next post, we’ll explore how Charlie Bears began to expand, bringing their magical bears to collectors around the world and introducing exciting new designs along the way.