Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in clothing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Trisha Pitura, co-founder of MINI TIPI, located in Gatineau, QC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a women-owned manufacturing company that provides beautiful products that are made for everyone. We use authentic indigenous designs to celebrate and reclaim art and culture. We support artists and give back to our community.
We sell on our website, Simons, and over 60 stores across Canada. We also offer Corp orders in large quantities with specialized Logo tags. We design, cut, and sew all our products in Gatineau, Quebec, with our amazing team of fourteen! We have exclusive designs that are woven on beautiful, high-quality, Ecofriendly fabric in Italy that is then cut here in our warehouse and transformed into our products.
We offer queen size blankets with a trim finishing, shawls that fit all body types and are reversible, everyday bags that are oversized and practical for all your daily activities, our very popular seasonal mittens that are extremely warm and durable, and of course, our children's ponchos that are four seasons and super cute!
Tell us about yourself
Melanie and I met in an aqua fitness class with our firstborn girls, which led quickly to friendship, and in 2016, we started having fun in the evenings creating a small business. We are both creative minds, I love textile and product development and designs, and Melanie is creative with the visual content on our social media platforms and the branding.
We quickly realized we were building a product that was being well received and set ourselves apart from who we are and the unique, authentic product we are creating. We are both driven by passion and making a difference in the community.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We decided to take time to celebrate the wins! And there are a lot of amazing opportunities that came our way and that we were part of, but it is the overall impact we have on the community that really drives us. We are really proud of taking the jump out of our basements and leasing a 7000 square foot warehouse to grow our business. We are proud of our amazing team of 14 that we employ and come to work every day to help reach our company vision. We are proud to collaborate with artists to celebrate culture and allow our customers to connect with the culture and feel proud to wear or use our products. Our hearts sing when we receive customer feedback about how they connected with the significance of our designs, whether it is an indigenous individual reconnecting to their culture or a non-indigenous customer feeling they are supporting and experiencing a part of the culture. We are proud of being recognized and supported by the community as making a difference and that we are inspiring others that it is possible.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Melanie and I are mothers and wives, and we are very proud to show our children that hard work pays off and to inspire them to be anything they can dream of, but the balance of family and building a rapidly growing business over the last two years operating through a pandemic has been challenging. Bigs risks, big rewards:)
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Our advice to an entrepreneur just starting up is to try! and take the chance! There will never be a good time; you just have to learn and try things. Some ideas will work, and some won't. Not to give up, and surround yourself with people who support your ideas or who have some experience so you can get advice. Use social media to reach out and ask questions to the business you are following that are successful. Most importantly, being an entrepreneur is never-ending; you need to be able to practice self-discipline and find your balance, so it does not consume you. Be well-read, and take care of your mind and body.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://minitipi.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minitipi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mini.tipi/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mini-tipi/
Photo Credits to: @janallaphoto & @ofwilddawnbranding
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.
