Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melissa Ching, Founder of ComfyComfy Canada, located in Ajax, ON, CA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
ComfyComfy Canada was created out of a passion for helping people sleep better, naturally. Our breathable organic buckwheat pillows are moldable and adjustable. Because they offer the perfect support for the head and neck to relax and recuperate during the night, you wake up feeling refreshed. No more headaches. No more neck pain. No more tossing and turning trying to get comfy. No more waking up at night to a sweaty head. Just comfy sleep and better mornings.
Tell us about yourself
I have been a long-time user of buckwheat hull pillows. I remember my first encounter with a buckwheat pillow when I was in my early teens. I had suffered from a minor neck injury that has always caused me discomfort. Randomly, my father brought me to one of those As Seen on TV stores, and we saw this really interesting pillow that could be shifted around and molded to your head and neck. My dad bought it for me, and it was the best pillow I'd ever had! Over the years of traveling and moving, I'd lost my buckwheat pillow and decided to try something different because there were all these newer pillows such as memory foam and even pillows filled with plastic beads. Still, in the end, they didn't offer the relief I needed for my neck pain. It wasn't until my mother-in-law asked if I'd ever tried a buckwheat pillow that I remembered that nifty little pillow I used way back. So she gave me one, and I could sleep comfortably again! After working in Taiwan for many years, I moved back to Canada and decided it was a good time to try something new. My mother-in-law encouraged me to bring buckwheat pillows into the mainstream in Canada, and so ComfyComfy Canada was born.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to help others sleep better. Every time I hear how our pillows have helped others find relief from neck pain, headaches, back pain, and even sinus issues, it puts a smile on my face. I think many people don't know that a good supportive pillow can drastically improve their quality of life, so when they experience this with our pillows, they are pleasantly surprised.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Trying to balance work life and family life. It's easy to be thinking about your business constantly, but you need to establish a time for working and time for other things. Otherwise, it could occupy all of your time.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Use a work management platform such as Asana to organize, track and manage your projects and tasks.
- Ask for help when you need it, and don't be afraid to reach out to other local businesses for tips and advice. I have, and they have usually been very supportive!
- Hire someone for tasks beyond what you know or if you don't have time for them.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.comfycomfy.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comfycomfyca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfycomfyca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/comfycomfyca
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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