After being a stay at home mom for the past six years, I had this burning desire inside me to finally make my lifelong dream a reality, to be my own boss without compromising on the responsibilities of motherhood. I knew I had to create a business that would allow me flexibility to work outside the normal hours of an 8-5 job and I wanted to bring something brand new to the northern American market. It all started when I went shopping for a pair of sneakers and a handbag soon after arriving on Canadian soil in 2019. I just couldn’t find what I was looking for, I missed some of my favourite South African brands and there was just nothing similar around. We decided to create an online platform that would offer something extraordinary with a product range that displays a piece of my heart and South African heritage, and so Zulula.ca was born.
Photo Credit | Karen Mackridge
The first hurdle was coming up with a name that did not already appear on a search engine. The name Zulula comes from ‘Zulu’ which is the largest ethnic group of Southern Africa and the ‘la’ is taken from ooh-la-la, which is said when you think that something or someone is surprising, unusual or very attractive.
We started to carefully select suppliers that focused on immaculate workmanship to ensure that we could offer exceptional products. All our products are handmade in South Africa from genuine leather and bring a new sense of luxury to northern America. We also chose to include an exclusive fabric range, which we are growing with exciting new fabrics over the coming months.
We wanted a range of products suitable to women, men, children and even babies with our gorgeous diaper bags. We are currently also working on our travel collection and adding a business executive range for all the hardworking men and women.
I live by a motto written by Jay Danzie that says ‘Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.’ My aim is to ensure that this is displayed to each and every person that has an interaction with Zulula.ca. We designed the logo for the business with a pineapple, which is seen as the queen of all fruits because it has a crown. For centuries, the pineapple held the symbolic meaning of luxuriousness, friendship (and family) and good vibes amongst others.
These expressions build the foundation on which Zulula.ca was born. My journey thus far has been one of extreme excitement, from shopping for new products, becoming part of a new community to a Hollywood actress following us on instagram; sometimes I have to pinch myself that it is all real. I do, however, have to continually remind myself about patience and that building a business takes time. I am finding I spend more time in the gym than ever before, as it forces me to take time out, really helps my stress levels and head space.
I am so grateful to have found the YEG BOSS BABE community and look forward to interacting with like minded women in the industry. I have a whole new market to learn about, along with a new way of working. I believe the YEG BOSS BABES deliver such a high standard of principles, I cannot wait to get involved.
Jamie Guzovich
