Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Williams And Jane Molina.
Hi Joy Williams and Jane Molina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Ninni Co. began with a simple question my sister Jane asked while breastfeeding her third child: Why isn’t there a pacifier that actually mimics breastfeeding? Like so many moms, she wanted a way to soothe her baby without disrupting the natural oral movement and latch he had learned at the breast. After trying nearly every pacifier on the market with no success, we realized there was a real gap that families everywhere were experiencing.
As sisters, mothers, and lifelong problem-solvers, we couldn’t let the idea go. Entrepreneurship has always been part of our family story. Our grandfather owned a farm in Mississippi during a time when that was incredibly uncommon for a Black man, and our father built and ran his own heating and cooling business for nearly four decades. Watching them create opportunities through hard work and perseverance inspired us to do the same.
What started as a conversation around a kitchen table turned into a seven-year journey of research, design, testing, patents, and countless prototypes. We partnered with designers, engineers, lactation professionals, and manufacturers to create something that had never existed before: a patented pacifier that closely mimics the softness and oral movement of breastfeeding while encouraging babies to actively suck, just as they do at the breast.
We officially launched Ninni Co. in 2021, and we’ve been humbled by how it has grown since then. Today, our pacifiers are used by families around the world and are recommended by thousands of lactation consultants and hundreds of healthcare professionals who recognize the importance of healthy oral development and supporting the breastfeeding relationship.
The most rewarding part has never been the patents or the business milestones. It’s hearing from exhausted parents who tell us that after trying countless products, Ninni was finally the one that worked for their baby. Knowing we’ve been able to bring comfort to babies while giving parents confidence and support during one of life’s most challenging seasons is what continues to motivate us every day.
Looking back, we never set out simply to create another baby product. We wanted to solve a meaningful problem for families, and we’re grateful that what began as one mother’s frustration has grown into a company that’s helping parents all over the world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. Every stage of the journey has come with its own challenges.
In the beginning, it took seven years of research, development, and persistence to bring our patented pacifier to life. We were entering an industry we knew very little about, were financially funding the whole project and had to learn everything from product design and patents to manufacturing and running an e-commerce business.
Once we launched, the challenge shifted to education. Because the Ninni is intentionally different from traditional pacifiers, we’ve had to help parents and healthcare professionals understand how its design supports healthy sucking patterns and the breastfeeding relationship.
Like many small business owners, we’ve also balanced growing a company while raising families. Through it all, our faith, our partnership as sisters, and the encouragement we’ve received from parents have kept us moving forward. Every challenge has reinforced why we started: to create something that truly helps families.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Ninni Co. creates innovative baby products centered around supporting natural feeding and soothing. We are best known for our patented breastlike pacifier, which was created to mimic the softness, feel, and oral movement of breastfeeding in a way that traditional pacifiers do not.
What sets Ninni apart is that we didn’t set out to create just another pacifier. We looked at a product category that had remained largely unchanged for generations and asked, “Is this truly the best it can be for babies and families?” We wanted to create a pacifier that worked with a baby’s natural instincts, not against them.
Our pacifier is made from 100% medical-grade silicone, manufactured in the USA, and designed to encourage active sucking while supporting healthy oral development. We are honored that thousands of lactation consultants and hundreds of healthcare professionals recommend Ninni to families, especially those looking to support their breastfeeding journey.
What we are most proud of as a brand is the community we’ve built. The messages we receive from parents who say Ninni helped soothe their baby, gave them confidence, or provided much-needed support during a challenging season are the reason we continue to do what we do.
At our core, Ninni is about supporting families. Whether a baby is breastfed, bottle-fed, or a combination of both, we believe every family deserves thoughtful products that are designed with their baby’s needs in mind.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of our favorite childhood memories was our Friday night family dinners. Our dad worked long hours running his own business, so Fridays became a special time where we could all slow down and just be together.
We would watch our dad come home, get dressed up, give us hugs that smelled like his cologne, and our mom would trade her everyday clothes for something stylish and beautiful. We would all pile into the car and head out for dinner, usually filled with laughter, storytelling, and our dad’s humor.
Those nights weren’t about anything extravagant. They were about being intentional with each other, sharing our lives, and creating traditions as a family. Looking back, we realize those moments shaped so much of who we are today. The values our parents instilled in us, family, hard work, showing up for one another, and making memories, continue to influence how we approach our own families and Ninni Co.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ninnico.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninnipacifier/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninnipacifier/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ninnipacifier
