Angelique Warner is no stranger to the needs of active mothers. As a mother of four children, then under four, while also caring for 14 other children as a House Parent at Glenwood Academy, Angelique noticed a considerable gap in the baby carrier market. No carrier allowed her to breastfeed hands-free.
To fill the gap, Angelique developed the GoGoVie Premium Baby Carrier, becoming the first Black woman to create, patent, and manufacture a baby carrier in the United States. GoGoVie offers seven unique carrying positions, including reclined, semi-reclined, and upright positions. Five of the seven positions allow hands-free breastfeeding, giving moms like Angelique more mobility and freedom.
After developing her product, Angelique opened her business in 2016. “What inspired me to start the business was really trying to go beyond just having a product,” said Angelique. “I’d like to create a business and run it myself and create some type of legacy and generational wealth for my children.”
In 2021, Angelique received a Back to Business grant through a program that A4CB administered in partnership with the State of Illinois to help business owners recover and return to business. “During the pandemic, I didn’t have inventory and was not able to re-up my manufacturing,” said Angelique. “It’s helped keep the business running and paying the business bills.”
Earlier this year, Angelique worked with A4CB’s Business Coaches on creating a partnership development strategy and pricing to scale into large retailers. Today, her product is available online at Target, Amazon, buybuyBABY, and Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Looking forward, Angelique hopes to get GoGoVie products into brick-and-mortar stores, namely, Target, and bring on a full-time team. “I want to grow as a team to make the brand bigger, greater and more notable,” said Angelique. “I want to be the top-of-mind brand when people think of a buckled baby carrier or a sling – they’ll think of GoGoVie!”
