Inspiration Series: an interview with Lora Lutostanska Enthoven, Founder of Wonderland Agency

The UK is home to around 5.2 million active companies, but only 19.1% of these are female-led [1]. Enter Lora Lutostanska Enthoven, founder of Wonderland Agency, who is no stranger to navigating this male-dominated landscape. Over the past 24 years, she and her female-led team have developed Wonderland into an award-winning global creative agency. We caught up with Lora to learn more about her journey as a founder, mother and creative visionary, the impact she’s had on the industry, and what she has in store for the future.

Tell us a bit about your background. Who or what was the inspiration behind Wonderland Agency?

My career has always been driven by a passion for storytelling, creativity, and immersive experiences. After graduating with First-Class Honours in media, I immediately made my mark in the music industry, co-managing iconic acts like Eurythmics and being an integral part of the team in launching pop phenomenon S Club 7. It was a fast-paced world where artistry met strategy, and it gave me my first real taste of what it meant to build something from the ground up.

Fuelled by an ambition to broaden my scope, I then embarked on a two-year global journey – exploring different cultures, creative scenes, and the power of human connection. That experience profoundly shaped my approach to storytelling and experiential design.

By the age of 24, I was headhunted to create Blonde Productions, an agency focused on filling London’s most exclusive clubs with high-profile corporate clients. It was an incredible training ground, where I learned how to balance creative vision with commercial strategy. But I always knew I wanted to build something bigger – an agency that wasn’t just about throwing events but crafting transformative brand experiences.

In 2006, I launched Wonderland Agency while pregnant with my first child; it began with just three people in my living room. From the beginning, Wonderland was about breaking boundaries and redefining how brands connect with audiences. We weren’t just producing events; we were designing worlds, narratives, and unforgettable moments that left a lasting impact.

Over the past 24 years, Wonderland has evolved into an award-winning global creative agency, collaborating with some of the world’s biggest brands – including Amazon, Red Bull, Nike, Sky, TikTok, Microsoft, MrBeast, and Disney, to name a few. We specialise in concept creation, immersive storytelling, and multi-platform experiences, ensuring every project we touch is as strategically powerful as it is creatively bold.

At our core, we’re driven by curiosity, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of pushing boundaries. Wonderland isn’t just about events – it’s about creating cultural moments that inspire, captivate, and amplify brands on a global scale.

What challenges have you faced as a female founder, and what does Wonderland Agency do to support and empower entrepreneurial women?

Building a business as a female founder, especially in an industry traditionally dominated by men at the top levels, has come with its fair share of challenges. When I started Wonderland, I was young, ambitious, and determined, but I quickly realised that being a woman in leadership often meant having to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. I encountered moments where my ideas were questioned, assumptions were made about my capabilities, and I had to constantly prove that I belonged in the room.

On top of that, balancing business growth with motherhood added another layer of complexity. I launched Wonderland while expecting my first of three children, and like many women, I had to navigate the pressures of building a company while also being present for my family. There’s this unspoken expectation that you can either be a great business leader or a great mother – but not both. I refused to accept that. Instead, I used it as fuel to create a work culture that supports women in ways I never experienced when I was starting out. Being lucky enough to have an incredibly present and supportive husband was also hugely powerful for me, allowing me to juggle and thrive in both aspects of my life, although I didn’t always get the balance right, which is an ongoing challenge to this day!

At Wonderland, empowering women isn’t just something we talk about; it’s embedded in our culture. We champion flexible working, which allows our team, especially working mothers, to thrive without sacrificing their personal lives. We actively mentor and support women in the creative industry, providing opportunities for growth, leadership, and ownership. We also collaborate with female-led businesses and entrepreneurs, ensuring that our network is filled with strong, inspiring women who are shaping the future of our industry.

For me, success isn’t just about the brands we work with or the events we produce; it’s about the people we uplift along the way. Wonderland was built on the belief that creativity flourishes when diverse perspectives are celebrated. That’s why we’re committed to fostering an environment where women are not just supported, but actively empowered to lead, disrupt, and redefine what’s possible.

What advice would you give to other female entrepreneurs navigating motherhood and their business?

First, let go of the idea that you have to do it all, all the time, and do it perfectly. The truth is, there is no perfect balance – only what works for you in that moment. When I launched Wonderland, I was pregnant with my first child and had to build my business while navigating the unknowns of motherhood. It was intense, but it taught me one of the most valuable lessons: adaptability is everything.

My biggest piece of advice? Don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether that’s from your team, your family, partner, or your support network. You don’t have to carry everything on your own. As women, we often feel this pressure to be superhuman, to prove that we can do both without breaking stride. But the reality is, delegation and support systems aren’t weaknesses – they’re essential for long-term success.

Secondly, set boundaries and protect your time. There will always be another email, another meeting, another demand for your attention. But time with your children, your wellbeing, and your personal moments are just as important as the next big business decision. I had to learn to carve out space for both – being fully present at work and fully present at home, rather than constantly feeling torn between the two.

Also, stop feeling guilty. As a mother and an entrepreneur, there will be moments of compromise, but that doesn’t mean you’re failing at either. Your children are watching you build something incredible, and that in itself is an inspiration. I’ve found that rather than seeing my work as something that takes me away from my kids, I view it as something that shows them what’s possible when you chase your passion and create something meaningful.

Motherhood and business aren’t two opposing forces; they can coexist beautifully when you build a system that works for you. Finding and nurturing an incredibly talented team to surround yourself with, who can take the baton and run with the business when other areas of your life take the forefront, is everything. Be kind to yourself, embrace the chaos, and trust that you’re creating something valuable in both your career and your family life.

Wonderland is committed to operating as a responsible business. What does that mean to you, and why is it important when running a successful business?

For me, running a responsible business isn’t just about ticking sustainability boxes; it’s about being intentional with every decision we make, from the way we treat our people to the impact we have on the world around us. Success shouldn’t come at the cost of ethics, wellbeing, or the planet. As business leaders, we have a responsibility to challenge the old ways of working and create something better.

At Wonderland, responsibility means a few key things. First, it’s about people. A business is nothing without its team, and we’ve always been committed to fostering a culture where creativity thrives and people feel valued, supported, and empowered. That means ensuring diversity, promoting equal opportunities, and offering flexibility – particularly for working parents and those juggling personal and professional ambitions.

Second, it’s about sustainability. The events industry has historically been waste-heavy, and we take a proactive approach to changing that narrative. From how we source materials and design installations to ensuring minimal waste and using sustainable suppliers, we integrate responsible practices into every stage of production.

Finally, it’s about long-term impact. A truly responsible business doesn’t just focus on short-term wins; it builds something that lasts. For us, that means not only creating incredible experiences but doing so with integrity, innovation, and a commitment to progress. We want Wonderland to be a business that inspires change – one that sets new standards for what’s possible in the industry.

How do you balance creativity with practicality in your business strategy?

Balancing creativity with practicality is an art in itself, and it’s something I’ve had to refine over the years. At Wonderland, we thrive on pushing creative boundaries, but we also recognise that visionary ideas need solid execution to truly make an impact.

For me, creativity is the soul of the business, but strategy is the backbone. It’s easy to get carried away with big, bold concepts, but if they aren’t feasible – whether in terms of budget, logistics, or brand objectives – then they remain just that: concepts. The key is ensuring that every idea we develop is not only exciting but also achievable and aligned with our clients’ goals.

One way we achieve this is through collaboration between our creative and production teams from the very start. Instead of treating them as separate entities, we integrate the two so that practical considerations – like budget constraints, logistics, and sustainability – are factored in at the concept stage, rather than becoming roadblocks later. This allows us to refine ideas early, ensuring they are both visionary and viable.

Another crucial aspect is understanding our clients’ brand and business objectives. Creativity isn’t just about making something visually stunning; it’s about crafting experiences that resonate with the right audience, drive engagement, and deliver measurable results.

Lastly, data plays a huge role. We’re in an industry that thrives on emotions and experiences, but we also use insights, analytics, and audience behaviour to refine our strategies. Creativity needs to inspire, but it also needs to be effective.

For me, the sweet spot is where innovation meets execution – where ideas are as breathtaking in reality as they are in the initial brainstorm. That’s where Wonderland operates best, and that’s how we continue to create experiences that don’t just impress but truly deliver.

What are your ambitions for the future?

My ambitions have always been about building – not just businesses, but movements that challenge the norm and leave a lasting impact. Wonderland has been my world for over two decades, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve all built as a super team: a globally recognised creative agency that continues to redefine brand experiences. There’s still a lot more to do with Wonderland, with so much growth potential that I am thrilled to see flourish under the watchful eyes of our female powerhouse. But as an entrepreneur, I’m always looking for the next evolution, the next challenge, the next way to innovate.

IKIGAI is something incredibly exciting in the pipeline for me – it’s more than just a business; it’s a passion project born from personal experience. Longevity, holistic health, and biohacking have played a transformative role in my own journey, and I want to bring that knowledge to others in a way that’s not only cutting-edge but also deeply personal, creating personalised pathways to help people live healthier, longer, and more fulfilled lives. Watch this space…

At the same time, I’m still deeply committed to being a CEO and entrepreneur across multiple ventures, including Hire It – an industry leader in hiring and building beautiful creative furniture for the events industry, with clients such as Netflix, TikTok, PrettyLittleThing, L’Oréal and Formula One. I thrive in that space between creativity and business, and I love building brands that are both disruptive and meaningful. Whether it’s scaling Wonderland, launching IKIGAI, expanding Hire It, or supporting and mentoring other startups in their own journeys, my focus is on creating companies that stand for something bigger than just profit.

Ultimately, my ambition is to lead, innovate, and inspire – to create businesses that don’t just succeed but set new standards in their industries. I want to continue building brands that challenge the way we think, live, and connect, while also empowering other entrepreneurs – especially women – to do the same.

There’s still so much to do, and that’s what excites me the most.

[1] “The Gender Index Report 2025: Driving positive change through data” (2025), see here.

Many thanks to Charlotte Morrison, a current trainee in the Corporate team, for her help in preparing this article.

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© Farrer & Co LLP, March 2025