Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ella Aizenshtat, co-founder of La Bella Umbrella, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
La Bella Umbrella is a Toronto-based unique and luxury brand of rain umbrellas for everyday people. Run by a mother-daughter team of Canadian entrepreneurs, we’ve been in business for seven years and pride ourselves on the quality, originality, and affordability of our products. We spent the first two years in product development, perfecting each component of our umbrellas, from our flexible fiberglass windproof frame and waterproof 300 thread-count soft pongee fabric to the comfortable and classy white handle and rustproof fasteners. Our customers know that we stand behind the quality of our products, with our two-year unconditional warranty and our personalized customer service. Each of our 48 designs was created by us and is meant to suit the different styles, interests, and fashion choices of our customers. We have umbrellas to fit every lifestyle - from light and portable to extra-large canopy stick umbrellas to the new reverse-inverted umbrellas.
Tell us about yourself
We started this business after we were inspired by our travels. We visited some gorgeous places and wanted a way to carry those beautiful landscapes and memories with us long after we came back home. We also LOVE the rain but never liked the negative connotation that usually comes with rainy days - the feeling of dreariness and lethargy. We wanted to find a way for people to feel cheerful even when it rained and noticed that most umbrellas in North America are dark and solemn! It became our goal to brighten up rainy days with stylish and colorful umbrellas. We started with travel designs such as Paris and Venice, then added nature and floral designs, humorous designs, and wedding-themed umbrellas. Our goal is to help others stay dry in style (and with a smile!) by bringing our customers what they want - a quality they can count on and a feeling of elegance when they open their gold embellished gift box with their unique umbrella!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our biggest accomplishment is creating a unique and quality product that we are proud of and succeeding in bringing it to market! We are thrilled that our passion has sparked so much interest in our customers. We love reading about how excited they are to receive their umbrella or how much their loved ones enjoyed their holiday gift!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
When you run a business, one of the hardest things is being able to stop working! It’s easy to get caught up in what you do because you’re passionate about it. Some days we work from the moment we wake up until the time we go to bed and barely stop to eat! Taking some time for yourself and prioritizing self-care and non-business-related family time (especially when it’s a family-run business!) is very important.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Think of something you’re passionate about and see if it fills a gap in the market - if so, follow step number 2!
- Focus on quality and building trust with your customers.
- It’s not easy, but it’s worth it, so don’t give up!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Stay Dry in Style!
~ Viki & Ella
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.labella-umbrella.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/labellaumbrella
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labellaumbrella/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
