Slowy Slowly

Company Profile: Slowy Slowly 

This month, we asked CBDC Blue Water client and local business owner Hannah Sears for a few words about her retail clothing business, Slowly Slowly. Opened this year, Slowly Slowly focuses on encouraging people to shop more mindfully, and slowing down to consider the impacts of purchases. Located at 5685 Cunard St., you can check out their shop for a more mindful retail experience. 

When asked why she wanted to start her own business in the fashion industry, business owner Sears said “I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur, my head was always swimming with business ideas for as long as I can remember. I fell into fashion pretty naturally. I've always expressed myself through what I wear and had a love for fashion and design since I was really young.” After studying business in her undergrad, and subsequently working in large corporate fashion management positions, Hannah realized that the excessive waste, fast cyclical trends, and overconsumption in the industry wasn’t suited for her, and began working at smaller, independent businesses which inspired her to start her own shop here in Halifax.

After finding her way to CBDC Blue Water’s SEB program, Hannah benefitted from the amazing network of people, all in the same boat as her, being entrepreneurs and starting their own businesses. The SEB program helped equip Hannah with all the tools she needed to move her business forward through a great network of entrepreneurs and courses. It has also been immensely helpful not needing to rely on her business in those delicate first 12 months.

We asked Hannah if she had any tips or words of encouragement for someone starting their own business and this is what she had to offer:

  1. Talk to as many people as you can and never be afraid to ask someone you might look up to in the small business community for help or guidance along the way, even if they don't know you. I love sharing what I've learned so far with anyone who's come along and are in the business planning/launching stage of their venture.
  2. Good things take time. Building a business can't be rushed and it's not going to happen overnight.
  3. There will be many roadblocks and delays and endless signs that might be telling you to turn back. Just keep pushing forward. 
  4. Lastly, don't try to be everything and do everything - recognize your weaknesses (accounting/bookkeeping is mine!) and find someone who you work well with to do those things for you. I don't know what I would do without my bookkeeper :)