Photo | Lauren Dary
Hey! My name is Trish and I am the owner of Portage and Main. We design and manufacture kids clothes here in Edmonton. We have been around for almost 5 years now. We operate a factory out of South Edmonton where we make all your goods, and two retail stores in Edmonton. We believe fashion should be fun and kids should be comfortable in what they are wearing.
If you are looking for information on what we stand for and our manufacturing processes we have a wealth of information on our website, however I would like to take this chance to talk to all the Boss Babes out there about YOUR business.
Your business cannot be all things to all people.
This means saying no (a lot).
It means saying no when you are asked to make or do something that you don’t believe in or aren’t passionate about. This could mean taking on a side project that detracts from your main business, or simply providing a product of service that doesn’t align with the values of your company. Women have this amazing thing called intuition, and it is right the vast majority of the time. Listen to your gut.
Pretty much everyday I have customers, staff, family and friends that have “shirt ideas” for me. I politely smile and nod, but the unfortunate thing is these ideas are more often than not things they have been on shirts made by other companies. My sister sent me a screenshot of a Brunette the Label shirt she wanted me to make for her. First of all, we have a ton of amazing designs that we have poured our heart and soul into to choose from. Secondly, support the company that actually designed it (it was even on sale for cheaper that I would make it for)!
It means saying no to people who would prefer your products or services to be at a specific price point. I hear this all the time from entrepreneurs- “customers”, family and friends trying to get a deal. THEY AREN’T YOUR CUSTOMER. Your customer is willing to pay full price for your goods or services. Wait for your customers and treat them like gold. Your customer is amazing and will support your business in ways that you could never believe possible.
As a business owner you want to satisfy the needs of everyone, but in doing so not only will you compromise your own mental health, but you will LOSE customers along the way. Being true to what you believe in regard to your business is so good for your soul. Once you stop saying yes to everyone and start doing only what aligns with your core values and believes will help your business be sustainable long term.
This community of Boss Babes in Edmonton is so crucial for support. Support what other women are doing whether as a customer, or someone to vent to on the tough days. Historically being a woman business owner hasn’t been the easiest, but we can change that narrative and be supportive in the community but also assertive in our business.
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