During this Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023 meet Olivia, founder of Ollivia Tuck co. She is a Graphic Design student from Fanshawe College, she started her business idea during pandemic, inspired by other small businesses.
In Summer of 2022 she joined the LeapIn Accelerator Program to learn how to manage her hobby as a real business and being one of our small business entrepreneurs.
Ollivia Tuck Co. sells originally drawn and designed stickers and sticker sheets, keychains, tee shirts and tote bags through Instagram and pop up events.
Ollivia Tuck Co. - Olivia Tuckey
Introduction:
Hi, my name is Olivia Tuckey and I'm the founder of Ollivia Tuck Co. and the program I studied is Graphic Design.
1. What sparked the idea to start your own business?
I started my business because I've always been creative ever since I was young, and I just got inspired over COVID through all these small businesses I followed for years and just kind of decided to jump into it.
2. When did you identify the opportunity?
I started my business because when I heard about LEAP Junction, I really wanted to get into it and have that experience. My roadblocks would probably be just trying to find the supplies I needed and the right quality of supplies to make the products and getting the designs that people really like.
3. How many hours per day and per week did you work during the first stage?
So, I'm still in school so, during my first kind of starting period, I probably worked about like 5 to 10 hours on my business, so not very much because I was still in school.
4. How did you find out about LEAP Junction? How have they supported you in your business development?
So I found out about LEAP Junction through one of my classes, they brought them in and had them guest speak about it, and they've supported my business in a lot of ways. They have given me opportunities like going to Toronto and other different things, like doing markets in the school, so, they've definitely supported me a lot.
5. What does work/life balance look like to you?
So I think having a work life balance is really important. I really try and work on that quite a bit, so, right now, since I'm kind of like, not in school, but kind of am I do work three days a week on my business and then two days a week I'm either doing like my personal stuff so that could be hanging out with friends or family, working at my other job or taking different classes like art classes outside.
6. Is there anything you would do differently if you were starting over?
If I started completely over again, I would definitely take the business side and learning definitely a lot more seriously. I really avoided it when I first started, and I just never was passionate about it. And so definitely taking LEAP was a really big game changer. It really helped me get my act together on the business side and made me more confident in what I'm doing.
7. What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business today?
Definitely, don't be afraid to start, just go into it and have an open mind. You're definitely going to have your highs and your lows, but all you need to do is take the leap.