We had the good fortune of connecting with Shafiqah Sarfani and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shafiqah, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
After the birth of my daughter, I realized how important it was for me to find and maintain my own personal identity, beyond the role of “mama”. With a background in healthcare, being an entrepreneur was far from my list of things to accomplish in life. But motherhood changes you. I had this innate need to spend as much time with my littles but I also had a strong urge to figure out my next big thing. What started off as a “passion project” has now turned into a purpose. I like to think of my daughter as the change agent – in my mindset and my drive – a spark that enabled me to build a new brand and a new me. Taking the first step was a fluke, but this new path has become a meaningful part of my new identity – as a mama and an individual.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Lion & Light is a mama-owned, small business that began with a simple desire and turned into a big dream. I’m Shafi, the head and heart behind this labor of love. Fun Fact – the name of my business is significant because my son’s name means Lion and my daughter’s name means Light. Although starting this business has given my life a new purpose, ultimately, this venture is for my children, who are my everything.

As a mama of two little ones myself, it is very important for me to create products that are functional and simplify everyday chaos, without compromising personal style. Every product at Lion & Light is thoughtfully designed with the goal to provide easy-to-use and unique items that make parenting simpler and elevate the everyday “mama look”. From one mama’s heart, my hope is that our products make other mamas feel empowered to tackle the day so that the days are filled with effortless and memorable moments with the littles.

We are a new, small-business that technically started in Fall 2023 however, out first product launched in July 2024. The Jetsetter Mini Diaper Bag is the perfect combination of functionality and style. The inspiration – of course my children. When my son entered toddlerhood, I found myself needing less and less things when leaving the house with him – whether it was to the grocery store or the park or even a longer full day trip to the zoo! …and a bulky backpack was just slowing us down! I knew I needed something compact to fit my on-the-go lifestyle and that still made me feel fashionable and trendy…and I knew what I was looking for didn’t exist. So I created it myself! After months of planning, designing, sourcing, problem solving, and perfecting, we finally had a diaper bag that did it all – comfortable and stylish, functional yet minimalist. Today, it’s the only bag I personally use with both my kids and I’m never going back to a traditional baby bag ever.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
City Centre – Great spot, especially on the weekends and especially with kids for family friendly fun. An ideal day would be let the kids play and run around in the lawn and then have dinner at Bellagreen and dessert at Jeni’s Icecream!

Day trip to Galveston or really Surf Side Beach – a little further of a drive but a much cleaner and better spot to spend a day on the beach.

Some non-kid spots that are my favorite for dinner and drinks with friends are Uchi, Le Colonial followed by gelato at Amorino, Steak 48 for a fancy celebratory dinner.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, Aadel, is my biggest supporter. For years, the narrative I told myself and the world was “I do not have a business bone in my body”. I genuinely believed that I was not meant for the world of entrepreneurship. But my husband always, always told me I was destined to do something great. He didn’t know exactly what, of course, but he knew I was capable of something new, something different, even thought I didn’t know it myself. I am extremely grateful for his unconditional support and encouragement to take a step that was terrifying, especially for someone who has struggled with self-confidence issues her entire life. His belief in me was, and is, unwavering. For years I ignored it, denied it, but when I took the step, it was his voice in the back of my head that kept me going. And with every step, I felt a little more sure, a little more confident. My mindset now allows me to take risks, do hard and uncertain things with a little more ease than before. Forever grateful for my best friend, life partner, my husband.

Website: https://shoplionandlight.com

Instagram: @_lionandlight_

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.