ep108 - Passion, Design & Global Business: Meet the Woman Behind Harlowe Lighting - CineD Focus Check

In this episode, we sit down with Helena, founder of Harlowe (previously Hobolite) and CEO of AEC Lighting Solutions, calling in from her Shanghai office fresh off a trip through Europe. Helena’s story is anything but ordinary: raised in the Chinese countryside, self-taught in art from age five, trained as a mechanical engineer, and now running a globally recognized premium lighting brand with 26 years of manufacturing heritage behind it.   To learn more about Harlowe, head on over to their website. (00:24) - Introduction (01:08) - What is Harlow? The Brand Story (04:41) - Helena's Childhood & Falling in Love with Art (07:46) - Breaking Down the Business: Engineering Meets Design (08:44) - Women Leading Companies in China (10:59) - Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry (12:41) - The Design Philosophy Behind Harlow (15:12) - Competing Against the Big Players (17:52) - Behind the Scenes: Where Ideas Come From (21:35)  - Win-Win Collaborations & Business Model (22:22) - Patents: Are They Worth It? (24:40) - Global Tariffs & Running an International Business (26:59) - The Future of Content Creation & AI (31:22) - Balancing Family Life as a Single Mom & CEO (34:33) - Will Her Son Take Over the Business? (36:02) - Hobbies: Painting, Calligraphy & Neuroscience (37:02) - Helena Turns the Tables – Questions for Johnnie   We hope you enjoyed this episode! Do you have feedback, comments, or suggestions? Write us at [email protected]