Louise Ulukaya, CEO of Mon Coeur

Born in New York, Louise Vongerichten Ulukaya would spend her childhood days growing up in both New York and the south of France where she studied and practiced ballet. In 2005, Louise went to Washington DC to study finance at American University. Upon completing her degree, she returned to France to pursue her MBA at ESSEC Business School in Paris. After living in Dubai and Hong Kong, Louise returned to New York City.

Since her return, New York has been graced with two of her restaurants under the Chefs Club name. In 2016 Louise decided to establish the Food Dreams Foundation with her family and to pursue her philanthropic endeavor by helping students access education and jobs within the culinary industry. Since then, more than 60 students from every part of the world have been participating in the program.

On this episode of the Grit Daily Startup, after the birth of her first son in 2019, Louise says she decided to create a children’s clothing brand that cares for the environment, respects the people making it, and that looks and feels good while being accessible for all. She set out to design clothes that would care for the planet and for the environment while also not compromising on the comfort, look, and feel of the clothes.

After 2 years of research to perfect the best technologies and blends of materials to make earth-friendly clothes for kids, Mon Coeur was born.