Jacqueline and Janae of Loon and Bloom
Jacqueline and Janae of Loon and Bloom
Mompreneurship
We’ve always had a passion for Canadian fashion and love this story of two friends coming together to produce a Canadian-made housedress! Scroll down to learn more about how Jacqueline and Janae started their business, how it’s been affected by the pandemic, and why they choose to create Canadian fashion items vs. outsourcing to cheaper alternatives overseas. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own local fashion business, this feature is for you!
How did your journey into the world of e-commerce and fashion begin?
Janae was a big house dress lover and gifted one to Jacqueline during her last pregnancy, who immediately fell in love with the comfort and functionality of the house dress. We both saw a need in the Canadian market for beautiful, quality, well-made house dresses. We began dreaming and talking about starting our own house dress company. We decided to take the leap, and we are so glad that we did!
What has been the most surprising aspect of building a business together as friends?
We love just how well we complement each other and how we keep each other going. We keep each other motivated and on track. We each have different qualities and strengths that we bring to the table. We have a lot of fun together and it is amazing how much we have learned about each other since starting a business together!
What advice would you give to other friends who are thinking about starting a business together?
Go for it! It is so much fun to have a partner to support you through the many high and lows of building a business. Make sure that you enjoy working together and collaborate well. Having open communication is so important in a business partnership. It is also a great idea to write up a business agreement and outline your expectations for how the partnership will run.
Did the pandemic affect your business?
Absolutely! We had just started planning our business at the beginning of 2020. When the pandemic hit, it definitely slowed things down. We went from meeting weekly to not seeing each other and trying to plan through phone calls and texts. Places that we needed to go to were shut down and supply chains were delayed with fabric and other materials that we needed to move forward. It was such an interesting time to build a business but we believe that we learned things that we wouldn’t have otherwise if we had started this business at another time.
What made you decide to produce quality-made, Canadian clothing vs. outsourcing your product to be created overseas for cheaper?
We decided that we wanted to support our local economy and oversee the manufacturing process as much as possible. Having our products manufactured locally and having the employees paid well was important to us. We source our materials as much as we can from within Canada. There are so many amazing Canadian businesses and a kind of camaraderie in the Canadian small business community, that we love.
What has been the most valuable lesson you've learned as e-commerce women in business so far?
We have learned to expect the unexpected! Delays and issues will inevitably arise. It is essential to plan as well as you can but to be flexible and able to problem solve and pivot as necessary. We have also learned that it is so important to celebrate our wins! It is easy to get caught up in the things that we feel aren’t going right, and forget all of the things that we are doing well.
What tips or advice do you have for other women who are looking at starting their own online fashion business?
There has never been a better time to get into online business. Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to dive right in and chase your goals! We recommend finding yourself a business mentor or coach. We had the most amazing business coach, Candice Munro from Buttercream Clothing. Her wealth of knowledge, experience, and support was so helpful in getting us up and running.
What does the future look like for Loon & Bloom?
The future is bright for Loon & Bloom! We have big plans to grow and expand our product lines to include many more pieces and styles for women, as well as items for children and babies.
What do you want to be known for as a female entrepreneurs?
We want to be known as female entrepreneurs that support and lift up other women. We want to be known as a brand that has an amazing, inclusive community. Our goal is to bring women together and give back in whatever ways we can.
What inspires and motivates you when things get hard?
Keeping the bigger picture and the goals that we have in the forefront of our minds is what motivates us to keep going. Even in our short few months of business, we have faced many setbacks. Reminding ourselves of our goals and using those experiences as learning opportunities has helped us stay focused.
What is one thing you know now that you wish you knew back when you were just starting out in your business or in your careers in general?
We have learned that you can’t do it all. It is impossible to keep all of the balls going at the same time. Sometimes you will drop the ball in your business/professional life and sometimes you will drop the ball in your family/personal life and that’s ok!
What is one thing women can do more of to support each other?
As women, we can cheer each other on and lift each other up. Don’t compare yourself to others and don’t judge. Be generous and speak kindly of the women in your circle. All of us are doing the best that we can!
What are you looking forward to the most in your careers?
We look forward to continuing to grow our brand and our community. We have big dreams and goals and would love to be able to give back.
Pass it forward! Who is one woman who has inspired you and your career?
Candice Munro of Buttercream Clothing
Candice Munro from Buttercream Clothing has been an amazing mentor and coach. She is a very knowledgeable and successful businesswoman, but more importantly, she is an amazingly generous human being who finds joy in helping other women find success. She is a huge supporter of Canadian brands and she brings people together and into that community in such a beautiful way. She is definitely someone that we inspire to be like in business and otherwise!