Apron Designers Cook Up Success
by Entrepreneurship Expert Roger Pierce, BizLaunch.ca March 2008
What could be more fun than being in business with your good friend? "We've been chums since high school," says entrepreneur Jessica Wong.
Wong and her friend Vanessa Lee own Domistyle Inc. (www.domistylegifts.com), a company that creates fresh and funky aprons for the modern and stylish hostess. Domistyle designs, manufactures, and markets its aprons to both wholesale and retail clients.
One day the two friends went looking for aprons and couldn't find any they liked. They realized there was a gap in the marketplace and decided they could bring something stylish and fun into kitchens everywhere.
Knowing they worked well together and possessed complementary skills in art and commerce, Wong and Lee formed their company four years ago.
The entrepreneurs definitely have fun in their business. "Each apron is silk screened with a hand-drawn original piece of artwork and embroidered with a cute and clever message, such as 'Will Cook for Shoes' or 'Caution - Hot Dish'," explains Lee.
To make running their business easier, the partners each signed up for a TD Business Visa® card in 2004. "We use our cards to make supplier purchases and to travel to trade shows," explains Wong. "Getting each partner a card made sense because we're both running around so much," she adds.
Lee says she enjoys receiving rewards for using her business card. "We redeem our points for travel which saves our business money."
Wong says Domistyle Inc. chose a Visa Business card because "it is a well-known brand and it's accepted worldwide. With a Visa Business card, we don't have to worry about being able to buy what we need-wherever we are."
Domistyle plans to cook up more business by expanding its product line and developing its brand in the United States.