Mad Love Monday | Yuliya Cruikshank

Photo Credit: Nicole Constante

My name is Yuliya Cruikshank and I am the Founder of Epic Experiences.

Epicexperiences.ca is the online platform that specializes in unique experience gifts and adventure tours that bring excitement, fun and a “Wow!” emotions to any special occasion. We are on a mission to simplify gift shopping and provide a convenient gift-giving solution.

And my goal is to bring those positive emotions and precious moments to as many people as possible in Canada and beyond through Epic Experiences.

How many of you love Mondays? I love Mondays! I remember when I was working a 9-5 job and just the word Monday itself already made me feel unhappy, but once I became the Boss Babe it got a whole new meaning of how inspiring Mondays can be. Today I would like to share a bit of me, so let’s get going.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I have a bit of an old soul in me, I did realize earlier in life than the material things can make us happy only for a time being but at the end of the day the precious moments that we can cherish forever make us truly happy.

I launched Epic Experiences from my personal desire to give unforgettable gifts to my husband. I wanted to stay away from traditional stuff and would like him to experience something new on his birthday or anniversary that can leave everlasting memories for years to come. The personal reason was a push but the actual idea was bigger than that. I wanted to inspire others to live life to the fullest and experience something new, fulfill it with positivity and happiness that comes from experiences.

I love being an entrepreneur because besides being my own boss it opened up the new doors for me and let me discover new opportunities such as growing as a person and developing the skills that I even did know I had. I love to meet and be surrounded by other amazing entrepreneurs that are driven, inspiring and great to learn from.

I do have many quotes that I use on a day-to-day basis but these three had stuck with me more than anyone else: “Believe in what you do and do what you believe in”.

Life is not measured by the number of breath we take but the moments that take our breath away.

And for my personal life this one: “Life is short, break the rules, kiss slowly, love truly, forgive quickly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything.

Work-life balance is also one of the reasons I launched my company.

I love to have the flexibility to run my business on my own schedule and at the same time be there for my family.

Running an online business has its pros and cons and even I can find lots of positive moments in what I do but there is no secret that the online world can suck you in and you need to know when to unplug and turn the devices off. Having a break from what I do is very important and I do make it a priority for myself.

We all want to be happy, happiness drives our dreams. When chasing the dream remember to have time to enjoy ourselves (the ride) along the way.

“Work hard – party hard”, I had this sort of mindset since my university years and even I am not partying hard anymore these days... but you got the idea. I do take time off on the weekends which are usually dedicated to kids’ activities and the necessary time to recharge. And for me time, I like to have a lazy Sunday once in a while, it’s something that I started to do even before I was having kids and my own business. I like the idea of no need to rush to go anywhere that is time-pressured, I pretty much can stay in pajamas all day, cook meals, play with kids, just unwind or have a movie night with my husband when kids are in bed.

And during the weekdays, after a long day of work, I like to have supper together with my husband & kids where we can connect as a family, discuss how the day went, make plans for upcoming days and disconnect from our phones and just enjoy the company of each other. Just simple real moments can make a work-life balance for me a bit less stressful.

Did you ever have a time where you wanted to give up? How did you overcome this feeling?

Absolutely, I haven’t met anyone yet who won’t go through rough times of running a business. The most challenging time is to pass a 3-year mark. Once you hit this period the ride gets a bit smoother.

I do always tell myself that challenges thrown at us will make us stronger and tomorrow will be a new day. I did have a time when I allowed myself to step away from the business for a couple of days, sleep on it and just clear my mind and regain the motivation. Sometimes we can be just burned out and that is what tells us to give up. I do remind myself WHY I started my business in the first place and this always brings me back.

I also heard, we can have amazing talents and leadership skills but the most powerful skill you can have as a business owner is to never give up, period.

I would like to see more shop local initiatives so we can support each other. I would be happy to connect with like-minded boss babes to collaborate and learn from each other. Please feel free to message or comment on social media to start a conversation.  

Yuliya Cruikshank | Epic Experinces
instagram.com/EpicXPs/

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MAD LOVE MONDAY - Jordyn Leah Swim

What is your business and why that field?

JORDYN LEAH SWIM is a sustainable, ethical, fully biodegradable, born-in-Canada swimwear label for wanderlusting souls who want gorgeous pieces they can not just look fabulous in, but also feel great about wearing and supporting.  Made by women for women, with so much love. 

What inspired you to start your own business?

I’ve loved creating and designing my entire life - colouring, drawing, paging through fashion magazines and evolving into creating my own clothing as I grew up, which began to develop my love of designing fashion.  I went to fashion design school to pursue this dream and about two years before I graduated from my program, I knew that I wanted to go beyond just designing fashion, I wanted to create my own label. 

A big part of my inspiration to completely direct my own career path has come from my father who owned his own business and he’s really inspired me to follow in those footsteps for the huge rewards and freedoms that come from the intense work something like that requires.

Do you have a go-to quote/motto?

My absolute favourite quote is by a man who I’m sure almost everyone has at least heard of and it has been my favorite since I was little!

'Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.' —Dr. Seuss

This quote expresses so well my deep belief in honoring the uniqueness and individuality of each person that touches my life and whose life I might touch.  This grounding belief is something I seek to incorporate into the fabric of my swimwear label; I have a vision to create the pieces in my label for every beautiful body and soul.

What’s a personal goal of yours to accomplish? Time frame?

A big personal goal of mine that I’m currently working on is to build more confidence to be the face of my brand, which has been challenging for me in the past. I’ve always been a very private person with my personal and professional life but I know it’s very important to connect on a personal level with my customers.

I’m sure they want to know more about me just as I want to know more about them. I hope to accomplish this by the end of the year! 

Do you have a professional goal set or set of goals for your business?

Wow, where to begin?

I have such a long list of goals I want to achieve in my life, but of course, we all have only 24 hours in each day and so I’ve listened to the advice of already successful entrepreneurs and have organized the goals that are most important to me into a short, medium, and long-term plan.  

We don’t have to sacrifice fashion and quality for sustainability and we don’t need to riot against fashion; we just want fashion to be more mindful. One of my immediate goals that I’m focusing a lot of attention on this year is to give my label a voice for the promotion of ethical, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly fashion. 

The fashion industry as a whole is responsible for an enormous amount of pollution - in fact, the industry is the second largest polluter in the world! - and awareness of this reality is growing but answers and change are slow in coming.  

I believe that small, sustainable changes in practices by both producers and consumers are the way to build the ripple effect that will slow the fast fashion practice that’s created so much waste and harm in its wake. We don’t have to sacrifice fashion and quality for sustainability and we don’t need to riot against fashion; we just want fashion to be more mindful.  

Why do you love being an Entrepreneur?

There is no satisfaction quite like there is in growing a successful business. To take an idea and bring it to life is incredible. When that idea also positively impacts those around you, that is a rewarding feeling. 

I love that I get to design and create whatever I want, I get to direct photo shoots and work alongside some of the most amazing, talented people, and I get to meet a lot of like-minded individuals. 

Oh yeah, and I get to travel! 

As an entrepreneur, you are completely accountable for your performance, too. It motivates me to do the best work I’m capable of, and continually strive to improve not only professionally but personally.    

Did you ever have a time where you wanted to give up? How did you overcome that feeling?

There are days that are just overwhelming, and I think everyone who’s stepped into the uncertainty of an entrepreneurial venture has experienced times of conflict about whether it’s worth it to keep going, and I’m no different.  

There are times I just sit and think, “What the hell am I doing? Why am I even doing all of this?”  

I get through these times by reminding myself of the point of it all, of the reasons I first started this dream, and what the impact of it is when I make it into the success I envision. 

I tell myself that I became an entrepreneur for a reason - because I wanted to make a difference, because I had a great idea, and because I have a passion for pursuing this idea.

Personally, I surround myself with other entrepreneurs or like-minded people, I really find this helps me quite a bit. I’m so lucky and grateful to have some really close friends and a partner who own their own successful businesses and one phone call or glass of wine with them completely changes my attitude. 

Having a strong support system that includes others on the same journey as you are, who understand the unique challenges and struggles of it, is so valuable and I can’t recommend strongly enough to others building a business that they connect with a good business community where they can find support and encouragement, as well as give it to others in return.  

And you know?  A bit of pressure is not a bad thing!  I actually find that I tap into my most creative and innovative core when I’m under some pressure.  

What’s your best Boss Babe moment? The first moment of reassurance. 

My best Boss Babe moment so far was the absolute sweetest thing. I’m lucky enough to receive some amazing feedback from my customers but one day I got a direct message on the JORDYN LEAH SWIM Instagram account that really stood out from such a kind soul. 

She told me that 2 years ago she would have never worn one of my suits but that she decided that her body gets to wear whatever it wants even if it’s not social media’s ideal body. She then told me how confident and sexy my suits made her feel and that was the cherry on top. 

Swimwear for a lot of women is one of the most intimidating pieces of clothing they will ever own. I promote real beauty - the skin you’re in right now is perfect right now and I want to support you in your journey to self-acceptance and self-love.

In fact, many of the images on the website show women who are not professional models - they’re our friends, sisters, family, and supporters. Each a beautiful body and soul exactly as she is right now. 

What platform do you find most success from?

I find that Instagram is where I receive the most success and interactions from my business right now. Instagram is such a huge platform for brands like mine and it’s heavily based around businesses, bloggers, and influencers. 

It’s also a great visual platform to help you form a more personal connection with your customers. People want to see what you’re up to, what you’re discussing/designing for future collections and styles and love looking at beautiful images. Give the people what they want!   

Work-life balance: What do you do to destress? What is your must-have moment of the day?

When I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed it’s a MUST to destress and have an hour or two to myself. 

I really enjoy fitness because it does help immensely with my mental health. I could go to the gym feeling run down mentally and emotionally and leave an hour later in a completely different mood. When you get your blood flowing and your body moving, you release endorphins that combat stress. 

Friends and family are really important to me as well. If I get the chance to hang out on the couch with my best friends or have an evening with my partner, it makes all the difference. Not discussing work during those times when you’re relaxing and taking personal time to yourself is also very crucial to a healthy, happy brain.    

What are you looking to learn from other YEGBOSSBABES in the community?

I always have an open mind and I love learning and listening to other Boss Babes in my community! 

As entrepreneurs, we are always educating ourselves, no matter how long we’ve been in business or how much we think we have perfected our craft. I think it’s so important we come together to support our local #BossBabe community and share our experiences with one another.

I strongly believe in co-opetition, not competition, and a very intelligent businesswoman taught me that. 

I can’t wait to meet more amazing and inspiring women and hope to have the opportunity to collaborate more with them!

Jordyn Leah Heck | Jordyn Leah Swimwear
instagram.com/jordynleahswim

Growing in Tandem: Kayla Kaliszuk and Kirsten MacDonell Talk Motherhood, Business, and YEG BOSS BABES

Not too long ago, Kirsten MacDonell was having a lunch meeting at Earl’s. She noticed her server—a woman in her early twenties—eavesdropping on her conversation, clearly interested in the words being exchanged over shared appies and salads. When Kirsten signed off on the bill, the server saw an opportunity to jump in.

“Are you from YEG BOSS BABES?,” she asked, the same way you might ask a celebrity to confirm their identity.

“I am!” replied Kirsten.

“I love what you’re doing,” the server said. “Keep doing what you’re doing.” 

For Kirsten, moments like this illuminate the true value of what she and YEG BOSS BABES co-founder, Kayla Kaliszuk, are doing. “It’s like, ooh, they’re into it,” says Kirsten. “Our work makes a mark in society, and we want to continue.” 

When you think of a typical “networking event,” what comes to mind? Probably a lot of suits. Probably a large, nondescript conference space or a ballroom full of business types, chatting stiffly about growth or returns or establishing a brand identity. Probably lots of greys. Lots of blacks. Lots of men. 

This, at least, is the atmosphere Kirsten faced most often while working in sales for a large company.

“The networking stuff we went to was 95% men. There weren’t a lot of women attending,” she says. “And the feedback I was getting from coworkers was like, ‘I was so uncomfortable going to those events because I didn’t feel like I could relate to anybody.’”

Kirsten decided to create a space where networking wouldn’t be such an intimidating, dude-driven experience. As a “solopreneur” herself (Kirsten has her own photography business in addition to a sales job) she knew how hard it was to gather resources and grow a business without a support network. She texted a few friends, including Kayla, a fellow small business owner, and asked if they were interested in starting a wine club (a terrific way to generate interest). “We can go to each other’s houses, meet women who are doing similar things, and swap resources,” Kirsten said over the group text.

“Kirsten sent us a logo and we were like, ‘this is awesome, let’s do it!,’” says Kayla. 

Fast forward a couple of years and YEG BOSS BABES—the outcome of the wine club—is now a thriving business with over 139 members and 1700 email subscribers. Their mission? To connect women entrepreneurs with the resources and community they need to grow and thrive in business.

“I feel like more and more women are wanting the freedom to start their own business, but they don’t have friends or resources to lean on,” says Kayla. 

That’s where YEG BOSS BABES (YBB) comes in. Led by Kirsten, Kayla, and additional co-founder Amy Bender, YBB hosts everything from vision board workshops to holiday mixers to seminars with award-winning women entrepreneurs—“yegsperts,” as they’re called. They also have a membership program. Perks include a space on the YBB directory page (a beautifully-designed online database of women-run businesses in Edmonton), event discounts, and professional headshots.

Read more about this featured article at the Hillberg + Berk website here.

Writer: Mica Lemiski
Photos: Janelle Dudzic Photography & Nicole Constante Photography
Location: @homebyblondy