Toronto 28-year-old who quit her job to do what she loves starts her own brand
A 28-year-old in Toronto that quit her job has found satisfaction in starting up her own brand, but she wouldn't have been able to launch the business without the help of her family.
Veronica Chang is the youngest of three sisters and founder of Aili Scrunchie. Her parents have actually been involved with running a business for almost 30 years, and have been a huge source of encouragement.
"From choosing the nicest fabric to feeding elastic, from cooking nutritious food to impromptu photoshoots, each of them play a huge role," Chang tells blogTO.
She also credits her mom with showing her it's ok to carve your own path, giving her the courage to quit her job as a payroll specialist with teamrecruiter.com, which she did amicably, still shouting out the company.
"I started sewing in November of 2021 as a way to self-heal, self-care and discover where my joyful spirits lay," says Chang.
"Before I tried it with a machine, I didn't know what it meant to put my creative energy and focus into something."
Before long, the dining table in the family's 650-square-foot condo was functioning as a work studio between meals. Chang cuts and measures all fabric at an island in her bedroom, and her machine sits on a table her partner built.
A major challenge is keeping her work materials away from her two cats at 3 a.m.
Chang makes big and bold colourful XXL oversized scrunchies for $19 each, and you can DM Aili on Instagram or send an email to support@ailigirlbrand.ca to order, with payment via e-transfer.
"It's amazing how one can start something without a clue and then begin to feel like we must know how everything about it works," says Chang. "Here's what I can do, I am able to create this."
Chang's future hopes are to grow the brand and continue to sell, while Aili should have its own website soon.
"All I was looking for was joy, and what I discovered was the power of dreaming, believing and creating," says Chang.
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