Pineapple Chic

Trisha Taylor is ACCESS' first client at our Thorncliffe Park Chapter, and the owner of Pineapple Chic, a line of fashionable maternity clothing. ACCESS asked Trisha to share some of her personal reflections as a new entrepreneur. Here is her story:

A few years back, I went to college to study social work. Everyone wanted me to go, but my heart wasn’t in it. After two years of trying to convince myself that combating social issues was my calling, I made the daring decision not to return and opted to find something I really wanted to spend my life doing. I briefly tried my hand at child-related event planning, and after three failed attempts, I soon discovered it was definitely not for me. Who knew events for children and youth were so much work…

It just wasn’t for me.

It was not until I was pregnant with my second child that I began to think about alternatives. I was having a difficult time locating clothing that complimented my new-found curves and rattling nerves. I began to research “Mompreneurs”, stay-at-home moms who managed to create fashionable clothing lines while still caring for their children. It was at that moment that I decided I was going to become a Mompreneur, and I told myself that I was going to master this.

That was when Pineapple Chic was born. I made a few visits to Enterprise Toronto, and recall scanning their extensive resources for any funding sources that could assist me. I heard about ACCESS and got connected to their development manager, who provided me not only with a wealth of information, but also with support along the way.

The great thing about working with ACCESS is that they provided me with the tools and support to create my own business plan. They didn’t do the work for me. While it was not easy, I embraced it because it allowed me to take a serious look at my goals and projects. The process of developing my business plan wasn’t a job for ACCESS, it was mine.

So far, the loan has assisted me with my first production run, and helped me develop a website that will launch in the fall. I’m very grateful for the opportunity, mostly because I know that I would not have made it this far without the support. In the future, Pineapple Chic will continue to making fashionable maternity clothing, and will explore more innovative and green options.

Second to parenting, running a business is by far the most challenging yet rewarding task I have ever embarked on, and I encourage anyone with a desire for entrepreneurship to research and apply for this loan, because it just might change your life.