When Carolina Llano moved to New York City, she didn’t arrive with a five-year plan or a neutral wardrobe. She landed with her husband, two young sons, and eleven suitcases. Shortly after, she hit a major obstacle: she wasn’t allowed to work right away. So she did what any creative person with too much time and too many opinions would do.She walked the entire stylish universe of the city that never sleeps and took it all in. But everywhere she looked, she saw the same monochrome outfits and was left wondering where all the bright colors in this vibrant city were.
That itch, that need to see brightness became Min & Mon, a New York brand with a Colombian heartbeat and a very specific personality, one that is quirky, bold, a little cheeky, and completely unbothered by blending in. Their focus is on bringing handmade bags, wallets, and charms to life, with characters ranging from playful googly eyes to graphic symbols, and, of course, the brand’s signature octopus, often shown hugging its twin.
The bags are unbelievably cute, but they also carry a message: connection, community, and the belief that two are better than one. In a city that can feel tough and fast, Llano and her co-founders built a world that winks back.
While Min & Mon may feel 100% playful at first glance, there is real intention behind every detail. ¡HOLA! connected with Llano and her team and learned what it took to turn a colorful idea into a thriving brand, from the early tradeoffs to the decisions that kept production rooted in Colombian craftsmanship, and the smart, strategic ways they learned to fund growth while scaling the business.
¡HOLA! approved brand, Min & Mon is the fun bag store in Nolita, designed in New York, handmade in Colombia
Min & Mon founders: Catherine McKenzi, Andrés Felipe Quintero and Carolina Llano, with their adorable pup, Milo.
Carolina also revealed how motherhood sharpened her instincts, how community helped power the brand forward, and why she believes the best founders are equal parts bold and just a little pleasantly paranoid.
“New York taught me diversity and resilience, and Colombia gave me warmth, joy, and gratitude. Both places taught me community, and I think that’s why our symbol became two octopuses hugging, because two are better than one.”
Carolina Llano
Get to know the co-founder and the story behind one of our favorite Latin-owned brands in the Big Apple.
Take us back to the moment Min & Mon became real. What was happening in your life, and how did it all come together?
My husband had just received a work visa to move to the U.S., so we came to New York City with only 11 suitcases and our two sons. The one caveat was that I wasn’t allowed to work right away. So there I was, living in the most cultured city in the world, walking Fifth Avenue and Central Park weekly, watching the most stylish women head to work or the gym in monochromatic outfits and accessories. And I kept thinking, this beautiful concrete city, where you can hear ten languages in a single subway car, needed a palette upgrade.
I thought we needed color and happiness. For the next three years, I couldn’t stop designing bags and choosing colors for the day I could finally launch my line.
Min & Mon is based in New York City but born from your Colombian heart. How did those two places shape the brand DNA in different ways?
I love both places, and they’re unique in so many ways. New York taught me to appreciate diversity, a kaleidoscope of cultures and stories that weave together into a larger, almost cosmic tapestry, where every thread matters. New York also taught me resilience. People know life is hard here, and they work even harder.
Colombia gave me warmth, joy, and gratitude. The sun rises every day, all year long, and daylight feels reliable. That steadiness shapes your spirit. Both New York and Colombia taught me about community. New York is beautiful but also tough; you don’t survive without neighbors and helping hands. I think that unconsciously shaped our symbol, two octopuses hugging. Min & Mon convey the idea of connection that two are better than one. Colombia also taught me resourcefulness. We may not have endless tech, but we love working with our hands. Craftsmanship takes time, and taking time is a way of honoring our humanity.
The brand is named after your sons. What did becoming a parent change about the way you take creative and business risks?
Raising children forced me out of my comfort zone. I remember holding my first son and realizing my life would never be the same. I was clueless, but determined. A fierce “mama button” was pressed in me. Now, years later, and three children later, I’ve learned a simple truth: I’m only as happy as my saddest child. They are the most important guests in my life. They come, and they go; I would die for them, but they are not “mine.”
In a way, entrepreneurship is similar. The business isn’t the ultimate goal; it brings happiness to customers, allows us to design beautiful and useful objects, creates fair and generous work for our artisans, and shares with the world the gift of being born in Colombia and living more than a decade in New York. Min & Mon is another baby, but again, it's not mine, it’s not an end in itself; it’s a way to bless the world.
And like parenting, you can’t play it too safe. You have to anticipate, protect, and keep moving. I once read that great entrepreneurs are a little paranoid, in the best way. That’s the mama lioness in me.
Min & Mon have such a distinct universe of characters and symbols, and the motto “In the sea of life, be an octopus.” What does that mean operationally, not just creatively? Are there other motifs with special meaning?
When I came to NYC, I felt I had arrived at a kind of world capital: so much energy, diversity, and brilliance colliding, museums, concerts, Broadway, fashion, authors, finance, art, everything. A way to escape the noise is to know your own voice, know your role, and play it well.
For me, the octopus is a reminder to stay curious and adaptable. I’m an artist, but I’m also a CEO. I know my limitations, so I focus on building a great team. Execution matters. We started from scratch, and I believe in fine-tuning, steady progress, not just “crazy ambitious” plans. Gradually perfecting small plans takes patience, and patience requires humility. Watching this story unfold over more than ten years has been deeply satisfying and humbling.
Carolina Llano with her co-founder Catherine McKenzie
“One of my happiest adulting moments was realizing we could pay major bills with a credit card and actually accumulate points. I truly wish someone had told me that earlier, because those points end up covering real things like fairs, flights, and essentials.”
You stayed committed to using Colombian craftsmanship even though cheaper paths exist. What tradeoffs did that require in the early years?
Early on, people told us to manufacture in Asia because it could be cheaper or faster. However, I thought, there’s a reason I was born in Colombia. I knew incredible artisans, and I wanted that talent to be seen and valued. Colombia has a strong leather tradition, and I felt that multigenerational knowledge was being pushed aside as economies shifted toward service work.
I wanted to help preserve that craft. Colombia also teaches resilience; people are natural survivors. We’re used to adversity, and we’re resourceful. Everyone becomes a little “MacGyver.”
Let’s talk business. How did you fund Min & Mon at the beginning, and what do you wish you had known then that you know now?
Be prepared to fall, to fail, and pay attention to how strong your community is. I once read a story where a horse asks a kid, “Do you know how to ride?” The kid says, “Of course, you get on and go.” And the horse says, “No. Riding means knowing how to come back after you fall.”
We failed many times. We started with our savings and gradually used them for prototypes, trademarks, our website, small production runs, a showroom, and storage. We burned cash slowly for years. Then, in the final year, we spent as if there was no end in sight, until we ran out of money. That’s when we knew we had to change the business plan, but we had exhausted our resources. Then my best friend said, “I want to join,” and that was the moment the company truly took off, from the ashes.
Carolina balances being an entrepreneur with another important job, being mom
That’s great, she stepped in. Also, did credit help you during those times? How do you use credit strategically now?
We’ve been in business for almost ten years, and one of my happiest “adulting” moments was realizing we could pay major bills with a credit card and accumulate points. I wish someone had told me that earlier. We use points for fairs, flights, and other essentials.
Our management team is very organized. We understand our seasonal ups and downs, and we know when peak production hits. We use credit carefully and a line of credit wisely when needed. It gives us flexibility to grow without losing ownership.
For us, it’s also a way to protect our vision, how we treat our people, and the message we communicate.
You co-founded the business with close partners. How did you divide roles early on, and how has that evolved?
When you’re tiny, you have to divide and conquer. Working with my husband, my great friend Catherine, and my sister Isa has taught us to keep very clear roles and responsibilities. They have been wonderful at supporting the vision and contributing creatively. We all complement each other very well and make an interesting team. Andres is the trailblazer of our team. With his architecture background, he is boots-on-the-ground, designing and opening physical stores and pop-ups.
He is the mind behind our characters and illustrations, as well as the guiding voice of the brand. Catherine leads the marketing team. She is great at negotiating and has become deeply knowledgeable in the technical side of digital marketing. Isa oversees and manages the website backend, inventory, and e-commerce fulfillment.
I am in charge of creating the main collections and styles for each season, guiding all teams across the different fronts, and envisioning the business plan for each year. Working with my husband, best friend, and sister has been a privilege; we have all grown in our roles over the past few years.
“I love Colombia’s leather tradition, and I felt that multigenerational knowledge was being pushed aside as economies shifted toward service work. I wanted to help preserve that craft.”
What has been your hardest business challenge, and what helped you push through?
We’ve had quite a few lately. One big early challenge was signing our first store in Nolita on a 5 year lease. I couldn’t believe we would be able to pay that rent month after month. Then COVID hit. We had three stores in NYC, and watching them close for months was brutal. It pushed us to sell online, which turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to us.
We truly believe everything happens for a reason. We’re not alone. There’s a mighty hand sustaining our steps, even when hard things happen.
What advice would you give to someone considering taking a chance on their idea?
It takes a village. Two are better than one, and three can be even better. Be open to walking roads that aren’t straight lines. Sometimes you take two steps back before you move ahead.
Inside Carolina's fun mind!
A recent risk you’re proud of: A few days ago, I taught my daughter I can still do a “media luna” (a backbend against a wall, ending upside down).
Your most-used founder phrase: “Brutos pero decididos.” The concept in English would be “Not the brightest, but unstoppable.” A saying, I learned from Yonatan Bursztyn, the founder of Totto, the biggest backpack company in Colombia.
One tool you can’t run the business without: A good cup of black tea, and an electric sharpener.
A design symbol/motif/color you’ll never get tired of: Adding eyes to objects. It’s a reminder that we’re not alone, that there are realms we don’t see, like in Toy Story, where what you see isn’t all there is.
The last thing that made you laugh in the studio: Last night my daughter Esther said, “Mom, you’re working too hard. Here, I made you a sketch for a bag you’ll love, and now we can play together”
