Meet the Maker: Kelly Kong of MANDRN

Hey Homebodies, meet Kelly! We have long admired her brand's minimalist + efficient bags that really serve the 'fewer, better things' ideals we love. Her brand was one of the first we reached out to when we started the shop.
We're so excited to share her story on starting this company and the values that guide her. Shop the OG Remy bag here + check out more styles directly at Mandrn.
Take us back to the beginning, tell us the story behind how you got started with Mandrn.
MANDRN started over 2 years ago, after I decided to quit my lucrative marketing career in the corporate world. I always dreamed of living a nomadic life, where I could freely travel, connect with like-minded people and be surrounded by beautiful products that I share with the world. I knew I couldn’t find the right network to help me bring this vision to life in Vancouver, my hometown, so I booked a one-way-ticket to Bali in hopes that jumping off a cliff, and believing in my vision that this dream could become my reality.
When I got to Bali, I stumbled upon the suppliers that MANDRN use today who were serendipitously located in the little alley around my street. I walked past them daily and admired their leather goods they displayed in their windows. My old cheaply-made fanny pack broke, and it was impossible to find a minimal, cute, everyday replacement on the market, so I designed one with the family-factory on my street. I wore the first prototype fanny pack religiously for 6 months (well now going on 3 years) and kept receiving numerous compliments and asks of where they could buy one too. After hearing the feedback from my community, and wanting to support these incredible local artisans- I felt drawn to launch my business. There weren't enough brands that connected you back with the people who were making the products and who put so much love and energy into everything they do.
I’ve always been a big day dreamer, so starting MANDRN has been an incredible outlet for me. Anything I can imagine can be a reality and it’s been really fun to create an inspiring and dreamy world, and support the local people of Bali while we do it. MANDRN’s so much more than a brand, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a way of thinking, it’s a way of living, it’s a vision, it’s something I get to lean into daily for inspiration. I learned you don’t have to reinvent the wheel when starting a business, but do the wheel YOUR way. No one has your heart, your passion and no one is you. If you believe in yourself and your mission, eventually others will too.
We love the minimalist + functional vibe of our pieces, what inspires your designs?
Traveling inspires my designs. The last 3 years having lived in Bali, Amsterdam and Vancouver has taught me that less is more. When you are living out of a suitcase, each piece that you do bring has to be so damn versatile, it’s got to be your working-out-of-a-coffee-shop, sight-seeing, beach-walking, to let’s-hit-the-club bag all-in-one, as you don’t have a lot of space when always traveling to bring more. I wanted to create a super minimal, timeless bag that is thoughtfully designed to keep all your essentials close, elevate your wardrobe, and be wearable in so many settings. I think we achieved that at MANDRN with our fanny-pack collections.
Any tips for how to get re-inspired when you’re feeling stuck?
Be gentle with yourself when you notice you’ve drifted and are feeling stuck- it happens to all of us, and it’s often cyclical. I usually go inward and figure out where I am feeling blocked and where the root of it is coming from. Am I procrastinating because of fear? Is the task boring, is it ambiguous? Am I in an environment that is stifling? Am I around people that aren’t inspiring? When you identify where the stuck is coming from, then you can build a plan to overcome those triggers. Often the fixes are simple, change up your environment, put boundaries up with energy vampires, write a huge to-do list of that giant daunting goal and make it digestible, take care of yourself and up your self-care game. When you start experiencing little wins and feeling proud for honoring your own word to yourself, you start feeling the dopamine and boom, hello inspiration and motivation. Life is all about falling off course, noticing you’ve fallen off course and getting back on track.
Tell us a bit about your process and behind-the-scenes with your team.
MANDRN has been fully remote since the beginning. So we have part of our team in Bali (the heartbeat of the brand), Amsterdam and Vancouver. Behind the scenes usually looks like setting up calls on WHEREBY (better than zoom!), working on Asana (best project management tool when you are working with several people on one project with deadlines) Google documents and Trello to keep us all on the same page and organized. When we work with our suppliers, we prefer in-person meetings as there is a language barrier and it always saves so much time explaining and showing our feedback in-person touching the product instead of over email or phone.
Do you have a personal favorite from your collection?
My favorite is always changing, at the moment I am obsessed with our Atlas bum bag in Sage, it totally elevates any outfit I wear, and it’s nice having the extra room to carry all my things. I love our new hand-woven Remy, however, I’m waiting for summer for it to match my neutral attire.
What do you hope people feel when they purchase and wear your bags?
I hope they feel a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing they are supporting local Balinese artisans and a small business. I strongly believe if you put so much love and passion into your products, the end-consumer will feel that everytime they wear it. I want them to feel inspired to chase their dreams, and live a positively free, intentful life.
Do you have any meaningful rituals that bring you joy?
Waking up early has been a game-changer for me. It really sets the tone for the day as I have 2 hours of self-care rituals I can do before the world wakes up.
- I will light a candle, grab some tea and dive into my morning pages - I write 3 pages every morning in my journal. It’s a free flow of writing, and I write down all my thoughts and process anything that i’ve been going through. It’s amazing, extremely healing and gets rid of the noise before I start my work day.
- I meditate for 10 minutes a day, using the Daily Calm app and have noticed a huge difference with my focus.
- I love doing Melissa Wood Health, a 20 minute low intensity pilates class that connects me back to my body.
- Every Monday morning, I am like a kid on Christmas eve, eagerly waiting to listen to my weekly curated Spotify playlist, and find some new dance tunes to jam to that week.
What does ‘homebody’ mean to you?
“Homebody” to me, means comfort. It means listening to some really good tunes, it means feeling warm, it means a fresh bouquet of wildflowers, a candle being lit , it means being around those you love. Homebody for me is synonymous with being cozy and being in a beautiful, inspiring space. It means being present and appreciating the little things. I am a HUGE homebody myself so Homebodies, Unite!
Keep up with @thehomebodiesco & @wearemandrn on Insta
1 comment
Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful info with the how-to�s! It is so appreciated!
https://heylink.me/moversintaif
https://cutt.ly/Kryy79pa
https://cutt.ly/gryy5lmf
https://cutt.ly/jryy5LW8
https://cutt.ly/Xryy57qS
https://cutt.ly/aryy6lnd
https://cutt.ly/bryy67Ls
https://cutt.ly/Wryuqbz3
https://bit.ly/3o2IBcy
https://bit.ly/3ROv71y
https://bit.ly/3WmrELl
https://bit.ly/4b6aRkc
https://bit.ly/4bqz3xG
https://2u.pw/7p9EBY9
https://2u.pw/yxjqpH4
https://2u.pw/NPKsEsd
https://2u.pw/jVHsVc6
https://2u.pw/FCZK7oT
https://bit.ly/4gzTHO6
https://bit.ly/3WZfIyH
https://bit.ly/42PmtGY
https://bit.ly/3EuKclH
https://paste.kodi.tv/jacudowozi
https://paste.kodi.tv/ajalusitid
https://rentry.co/c838re94
http://nopaste.paefchen.net/1984779
https://ko-fi.com/moversintaif
https://moversintaif.edublogs.org
https://www.edocr.com/user/jeddahnakl
https://rentry.co/c838re94
https://www.reddit.com/r/pnn4230/
https://www.reddit.com/user/PomegranateLife1229/
https://rb.gy/oegdmm
https://rb.gy/8zuqxs
https://rb.gy/tm6krp
https://rb.gy/oegdmm
https://rb.gy/8zuqxs
https://rb.gy/tm6krp
https://tempaste.com/moversintaif
https://justpaste.it/f94vk
https://justpaste.it/f94vk
https://justpaste.it/avn1a
https://justpaste.it/agvkp
https://justpaste.it/c7d5w
https://justpaste.it/a1881
https://justpaste.it/agvkp
https://rentry.co/c838re94
https://cutt.ly/MwCxTHEc
https://ko-fi.com/moversintaif
https://paste.ee/p/Q0bc3
https://rentry.co/fo3963yc
https://rentry.co/fo3963yc/raw
https://www.pinterest.com/dammam_pmm1
https://medium.com/cleaning-company https://medium.com/pnn9299
https://medium.com/pvv9499 https://medium.com/pnn6766
https://medium.com/pnn1559 https://medium.com/jeddahnakl
https://moversintaif.edublogs.org
https://www.edocr.com/user/jeddahnakl
https://rentry.co/c838re94
http://nopaste.paefchen.net/1985088
http://nopaste.paefchen.net/1985086
http://nopaste.paefchen.net/1984779
https://www.behance.net/f7a8a5b3
https://controlc.com/2354c315
https://pastebin.com/5cVEFCwd
https://goo.gl/iRWLXB
https://goo.gl/53wgB4
https://goo.gl/fkBcn8
https://goo.gl/W74Wwp
https://goo.gl/MKdvqr
https://www.crokes.com/movinmakkah/info/
https://yamcode.com/dlyl-shrkat-nkl-aafsh-bgd
https://hackmd.io/Csjh1MqTaum7CUWa8Q3lA?view
https://hackmd.io/moversint/S1uyc369p
https://cutt.ly/4wCjlqaU
https://walling.app/H0nJyJwmmyuK1A2saCBQ/-
https://bitbin.it/lIf4wziu/
https://bitbin.it/BHOujxrS/
https://bitbin.it/v00s5VGQ/
https://apaste.info/QgoR
https://commie.io/#efYiw5LZ
https://controlc.com/20018b5d
https://tempaste.com/afashdammam
https://tempaste.com/transfer-furniture-dammam
https://linktr.ee/movinmakkah
https://linktr.ee/albeetalzhabi
https://movinmakkah.livejournal.com/306.html
https://moversinriyadh.my.canva.site/moversinriyadh
https://pastebin.com/dVaMZ4Zc
https://paste.ee/p/ypQOGCDf
https://paste.ee/p/O4xK6BXP
https://oktob.io/pnn9799
https://oktob.io/posts/81103
https://oktob.io/posts/82001
https://oktob.io/posts/81294
https://oktob.io/posts/81200
https://oktob.io/posts/81107
https://oktob.io/posts/81211
https://app.daily.dev/posts/bx5oWFhIu
https://taplink.cc/moversintaif
https://www.tumblr.com/movinmakkah
https://movinmakkah.simdif.com/
https://paste.myst.rs/cj1uyr2j
https://paste.myst.rs/yaj8vldp
https://apaste.info/WK90
https://pastebin.com/Sm58m4CC
https://rentry.co/movinmakkah
https://www.pastery.net/utstrm/
https://pastelink.net/2az9iz5u
http://pastie.org/p/02RWjYENqEntsphazPgROC/raw
https://www.diigo.com/user/pnn9499/b/738040873
https://tempaste.com/servicesinTaif
https://paste.ee/p/rNypS
https://pastelink.net/services%20in%20Taif
https://paste.mozilla.org/m7EM4sUi
https://paste.ee/p/kvMBq
https://paste.rs/Ual13.txt
http://nopaste.ceske-hry.cz/405960
https://devpost.com/moversintaif
https://www.youtube.com/moversintaif
https://www.pinterest.com/moversintaif/
https://www.pinterest.com/roqaya65/
https://www.wattpad.com/user/jeddahnakl
https://www.wattpad.com/user/linkedmohamed
https://t.co/bEnKpmhOua
https://rentry.co/5qunfauv
https://rentry.co/6szh6378
https://pastelink.net/jv497vbs
https://pastelink.net/xqvso4h2
https://longbets.org/user/jeddahnakl/
https://apaste.info/LTmW
https://rentry.co/v9enh7g6
https://www.instagram.com/mecca054/
https://paste.ee/p/7nHsj
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/e8c5a8fe
https://rentry.co/owf8z7x6
https://archive.org/details/@user_27767
https://archive.org/details/dammam-movers
https://hackmd.io/-HiH-TvPQQG4zUUI0Il3eA
https://hackmd.io/YJc4k7QiRlGBTxSH_ix6Hg
https://hackmd.io/_Csjh1MqTaum7CUWa8Q3lA
https://hackmd.io/@movinmakk/HknekCQpa
https://is.gd/zMEJDl
https://is.gd/bdIzKb
https://is.gd/IkUfsB
https://is.gd/nXlMSI
https://is.gd/zfkyFq
https://is.gd/U1BdUe
https://linkr.it/1mFylz
https://linkr.it/4pMGZz
https://linkr.it/297s0K
https://linkr.it/4nuVcO
https://linkr.it/13sKd3
http://ben-kiki.org/ypaste/data/95199/index.html
http://ben-kiki.org/ypaste/data/95200/index.html
http://simp.ly/p/3ZbFV2
https://sleekbio.com/moversintaif
https://tinylink.net/3AQsw
https://tinylink.net/I9O0u
https://tinylink.net/PzN7W
https://tinylink.net/9atci
https://gurl.pro/-8hxf5
https://gurl.pro/b2yxe1
https://gurl.pro/ko-ui1
https://rentry.co/622f8cod
https://apaste.info/5T6x
https://paste.kodi.tv/ewupusadan
https://www.merexpression.com/jeddahnakl
https://hackmd.io/Z0CQDnGeQGGWjwLYPiqHkg
https://bandori.party/user/192402/bbnn7592/
https://dojour.us/u/pnn9299
https://dojour.us/e/24030-/preview
https://www.mixcloud.com/pnn9299/
https://about.me/moversintaif1
https://www.furaffinity.net/user/moversintaif/
https://taplink.cc/moversinqassim
https://rentry.co/moversintaif
https://hackmd.io/@MoversinJeddah/SJlHOO4MA
https://movinmakkah.livejournal.com/
https://mastodon.social/jazanmovers https://www.tumblr.com/transferfurniturejeddah https://rentry.co/6wv78gdb https://hackmd.io/moversint/BJ5PIGX70
https://ln.run/y2ztq
https://hackmd.io/@moversint/rJMlp65m0
https://hackmd.io/@movinmakk/SJpKlgB_yg
https://rentry.co/dhz4dmt5
https://hackmd.io/@moversint/rJOrZvpm0
https://rentry.co/bth55rto
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/raw/0b231c72
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/19048433
https://paste.enginehub.org/BHLVJAlFh
https://paste.enginehub.org/s7U09LDXh
https://linkfly.to/70117BNZJiG
https://ln.run/ENKLG
https://ln.run/wMHZI
https://ln.run/LToJ_
https://ln.run/C8_DJ
https://ln.run/DAjL1
https://rb.gy/16cl37
https://rb.gy/7z0bel
https://pastelink.net/vf4k1ek6
https://rentry.co/uas2hqpt
https://paste.gd/q81qGWn1
https://rentry.co/pkkev8rp
https://rentry.co/n9ccvocp
https://pastelink.net/b93c8m1m
https://bpa-mastery.mn.co/posts/79525923
https://pvd-psycho.mn.co/members/32147707
https://pvd-psycho.mn.co/posts/79527523
https://notes.io/wXrRG
https://paste2.org/2pe0Lxbv
https://paste.kodi.tv/yotefazocu
https://snippet.host/tcrita
https://ideone.com/b4YbS6
https://justpaste.it/jbp6c
https://rextester.com/EDETE76429
https://rextester.com/RAV95074
https://pastelink.net/v2304cmr
https://justpaste.it/jbp6c
https://binshare.net/DlCxaRaco7OCzhsNLKJA
https://wokwi.com/projects/422470432345297921
https://dly.to/sL0VKwMTTXy
https://dly.to/KPhdNx2PCzn
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/37996/transfer-furniture
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/37995/furniture-moving-company-in-taif
https://yamcode.com/furniture-moving-company-in-taif
https://yamcode.com/furniture-moving-company
https://yamcode.com/furniture-moving
https://glot.io/snippets/h4hbiy0onh
https://glot.io/snippets/h4hbm30fcz
https://solo.to/fashdammam
https://biolinky.co/fashdammam
https://paste.kodi.tv/fizicedatu
https://paste.kodi.tv/kuhetawoso
https://paste.kodi.tv/ovixeqazij
https://paste.myst.rs/fianaa3p
https://paste.myst.rs/276qygcf
https://paste.enginehub.org/Ts0XYgMjb
https://paste.enginehub.org/5cTpnTWbE
https://anonpaste.com/share/6f6c8a23f3
https://anonpaste.com/share/0fdc4f359d
https://pastelink.net/udgryxlb
https://pastelink.net/u7f07ujx
https://notes.io/wXRhc
https://rextester.com/HQFXW89314
https://rextester.com/NNE55289
https://controlc.com/7fa3e1a3
https://controlc.com/dd72b7bb
https://tempel.in/view/n60PMAOk
https://tempel.in/view/iZv8bpmW
https://app.daily.dev/posts/zem2ca6o3
https://rentry.co/88fewfpg
https://rentry.co/gczrhepa
http://paste.jp/eb6d638b/
https://ideone.com/AKzDE1
https://tempel.in/view/YUwIks
https://tempel.in/view/XPb8
https://magic.ly/moversintaif
https://friendpaste.com/5J3NTmvAdbh0UXbhkKfFjs
https://friendpaste.com/5J3NTmvAdbh0UXbhkKfDrs
https://friendpaste.com/3aWWK2E11sXOCZTfJG7zT5
https://telegra.ph/Furniture-moving-companies-in-Taif-02-06
https://paiza.io/projects/KOHclrJG-WYvGPrFOqL9Eg
https://paiza.io/projects/f_eI2Uz6u2R-VrEtYIwDIQ
https://paiza.io/projects/Kd8fyt4xpzNIQq1ro8wkhg
https://cccv.to/5yovv294pjnr1d
https://paste.intergen.online/view/e3a7b857#XtkOiJAIH5x8ai925k14gFkNPVx1aI0e
https://paste.intergen.online/view/670df6f9#1LGhz5nMKqdImmOqXuzYhFdtkHzvFK0L
https://paste.intergen.online/view/514b9a4a#RdQtKVzjedKKM39INQaPao4ROJJJ4UQp
https://moversintaif.hashnode.space/default-guide/v1.0?t=1741224971683
https://moversintaif.hashnode.space/default-guide/transfer-furniture
https://moversintaif.hashnode.space/default-guide/furniture-moving-company-in-taif
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/0a4f91e5
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/6c168210
https://notes.io/wLg4C
https://notes.io/wLg4F
https://ivpaste.com/v/IgXKMI0MFS
https://ivpaste.com/v/AUS83tzwOy
https://solo.to/dammam
https://hackmd.io/MoversinJeddah/Byv4098o1g https://hackmd.io/MoversinJeddah/HJM11j8o1e
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/bf35f9b6
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/35a5e468
https://glot.io/snippets/h57s7k12gw
https://glot.io/snippets/h57s8ygfcb
https://glot.io/snippets/h57sb9fy1x
https://anonpaste.com/share/687a0ac74c
https://anonpaste.com/share/0019f959a5
https://snippet.host/hegxcw
https://snippet.host/kfrgca
https://justpaste.me/qN2w1
https://justpaste.me/qN4F
https://tempel.in/view/MWHp
https://bento.me/iuoi