Ever heard the saying "the only thing that doesn't change is change"? I've had my comfortable moments with that philosophy as well as my resistance to it but in the end, it pretty well defines the process of evolution. Do you want to be the caveman in the intergalactic society or the visionary in the prehistoric times. I must admit that characteristics of both appeal to me depending on my state of mind but forced to choose, I would opt to be the visionary in any time zone. I see the whole process as a letting go of one tarzanish cord to reach for the next, influenced by the past yet inspired by the future.
Many years ago, someone asked me " do you want to run a business or create a job for yourself? In my usual paradoxical way I said" a little bit of both." Success has many definitions.
I was the 7 year old entrepreneur who set up a corner store in my yard. My best day was $7.15 in sales. Tremendous success considering most of my items ranged in price from 2-25 cents. My packaging consisted of seal-a-meal pouches and hand made paper bags. I was doing what I loved, providing a service to the neighbourhood kids, and rewarded for my efforts. Although my purple and yellow cash register and cardboard sales counters have long since been replaced, the inspiration and drive still come from the same place.
Officially speaking, I launched my line of clothing in the Ottawa Byward Market in the summer of 1991. With a background in Psychology from the University of Ottawa and a love of design, colour and simplicity, I designed a stylized line of casual adult and children's clothing. It was a terrific venue for new products. It never occurred to me that I would still be offering that line 17 years later. I just did what I loved. In 1997, I bid farewell to the market and spent the next 9 years travelling throughout Canada participating in artist and consumer shows.
With two small children now to consider, life on the road has limited appeal. The worldwide web has provided a new playground for my creativity as well as a different breed of challenges and opportunities. This 7th edition is a work in progress. With so many different facets, this platform gives me the freedom to call on the visionary and set the artist free while still running a business . In so many ways, I am still playing in my yard!
As the pendulum of change swings again, time has come to take on new challenges and perhaps set more permanent roots. Come visit my new store at 463 Sussex Drive!
