- Words by TessVan StraatenPhotography by Lia Crowe

Devon Bird never thought of herself as an entrepreneur, but after launching a successful clothing store in Sidney two years ago, she香蕉视频直播檚 now preparing to open another boutique next door香蕉视频直播攁nd she couldn香蕉视频直播檛 be happier.

香蕉视频直播淏uilding this business and being connected with what I love to do香蕉视频直播攊t香蕉视频直播檚 not a job,香蕉视频直播� says the 31-year-old owner of Moden Boutique. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 entirely consuming in the best possible way. I香蕉视频直播檓 doing exactly what I want and what I should be doing.香蕉视频直播�

Devon started working in retail when she was just 16 years old香蕉视频直播攊t was her first job香蕉视频直播攂ut despite her love of fashion, she didn香蕉视频直播檛 think it would be her career.

香蕉视频直播淚 always worked in retail because I liked the discount, and it was somewhere I felt comfortable,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淚 got my degree in sociology with a concentration in health and aging, and I thought I was going to run an assisted living facility for independent seniors.香蕉视频直播�

But after getting into merchandising a few years ago, Devon found her passion and decided to push herself out of her comfort zone. She packed up her life in Vancouver and moved back to her hometown of Victoria to open up Moden, which means 香蕉视频直播渕ature香蕉视频直播� in Norwegian (a nod to her grandmother who came to Canada after the Second World War and had a unique fashion sense).

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not an age to me, it香蕉视频直播檚 a mental space,香蕉视频直播� Devon explains. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 really relate to my millennial generation much, so mature was a state of being, a state of mind, a comfort in oneself香蕉视频直播攁 mature place to be. You know who you are and you香蕉视频直播檙e living that truth and that香蕉视频直播檚 what Moden meant to me.香蕉视频直播�

That philosophy, of being true to oneself, is also how Devon is running her business. But it香蕉视频直播檚 a lesson she had to learn the hard way.

香蕉视频直播淲henyou start a business, you don香蕉视频直播檛 have somebody telling you what香蕉视频直播檚 right or wrong, and I think I started trying to be everything to all people,香蕉视频直播� she admits. 香蕉视频直播淎fter I opened, people would say, 香蕉视频直播極h, the store is too empty香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播榶ou need to carry this香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播榶ou need to carry that香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播榳hy don香蕉视频直播檛 you carry skirts?香蕉视频直播� and I would think, 香蕉视频直播極h gosh, I need to carry more skirts and dresses, I need to do more evening stuff,香蕉视频直播� and it started to impact the vision I had for the store, which is everyday comfortable dressing.香蕉视频直播�

Devon felt like she was being pulled in too many directions and had to stop, re-evaluate, and learn to trust her gut.

香蕉视频直播淵ou can香蕉视频直播檛 let people tell you who you are,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淵ou need to know what your business is about. And it香蕉视频直播檚 a reflection of you, so you have to be true to that, and everything香蕉视频直播攆rom how you decorate to what you have in the store香蕉视频直播攈as to come from that vision, or the message is totally lost.香蕉视频直播�

For Devon, who says she always thought she香蕉视频直播檇 make a better employee than employer, learning to run a business has come with a steep learning curve. But she says the key is not being afraid to ask questions.

香蕉视频直播淚 think what you learn is that you have to be quite shameless and ask questions and not be afraid to look silly,香蕉视频直播� she advises. 香蕉视频直播淚 had to really get over not looking qualified, which was a very humbling experience. But it was also encouraging to see how willing people are to help you when you do ask.香蕉视频直播�

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic just 15 months after she opened the store posed a unexpected and unique challenge香蕉视频直播攐ne that many new businesses struggled to survive. But it香蕉视频直播檚 also been a valuable learning experience.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 made us more nimble and one of the positives out of COVID-19 is that people香蕉视频直播檚 habits are broken up,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淣obody wants to go to a big mall full of people now, so they香蕉视频直播檙e looking for their outdoor shopping centres; they香蕉视频直播檙e looking for their local, independent boutiques.I香蕉视频直播檝e been so encouraged to see people coming back, people really worried about my business and buying gift cards or shopping online for the first time just to support me.香蕉视频直播�

Devon香蕉视频直播檚 so encouraged, she香蕉视频直播檚 planning to expand and open a new store香蕉视频直播擬oden Essentials, which will carry lingerie, loungewear and basics香蕉视频直播攊n March.

香蕉视频直播淥pening a business at anytime is a risk, but you mitigate that risk by being really clear,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淎re you offering something that people need? I want to continue to do what Moden did, which is offer what香蕉视频直播檚 missing and I think the next space that could really be elevated is lingerie and lounge.香蕉视频直播�

It all comes back to Devon香蕉视频直播檚 approach to business and life香蕉视频直播攌nowing who you are and being authentic.

香蕉视频直播滻f you香蕉视频直播檙e doing exactly what you香蕉视频直播檙e supposed to be doing, you香蕉视频直播檙e using your skills and your heart is in it. So it香蕉视频直播檚 really difficult to fail because you香蕉视频直播檙e using all of your strengths and putting that out there,香蕉视频直播� Devon says. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 really the key to success.香蕉视频直播�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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