If you’re a social butterfly, or a Twitter junkie, or even local entrepreneur, then you will definitely have heard of The Fuchsia Factory, a sassy and very successful start up from right here in Canada’s capital city. Celebrating it’s one year anniversary this month, The Fuchsia Factory organizes seriously fun speed networking nights for women entrepreneurs, and leverages business connections to ensure each event is set in a splashy new venue. This little company that could has already begun to expand, and is now making waves with women entrepreneurs in cities across the country.
This week, Founder and Chief Social Butterfly Tina Yelle is hosting a birthday bash, tagged #FuchsiaSoiree on Twitter, for past participants. It’s promising to be quite the party, and this girlaboutOtown is going, of course! But before I get all decked out for a night with the girls, I thought it was about time I introduced you to Tina.
Tell us a bit about yourself. I would rather talk about you! I’m a procrastinator and a perfectionist (quite the combination). I love Eminem (not M&Ms) and I’m most relaxed at the cottage!
Are you from Ottawa originally? If not, how did you come to live here? I was actually born and raised in a small community just outside of Sudbury, Ontario. I worked for MetLife there, and was later asked to re-locate to Ottawa and manage the claims operation out of their Head Office.
What did you do before founding the Fuchsia Factory? Do you have a background in business? My background is in the dental profession. I also taught the Dental Assisting program at the Community College in Sudbury. My father had quite a successful construction company and a good mind for business…I guess it just runs through the genes.
You have three kids, with one still at home! How on earth do you manage? Wine helps! But more importantly, having a husband who is truly present in the children’s lives. I couldn’t imagine doing all of this with 3 boys on my own. I’m very blessed!
We all have periods of stress, which must be true for you too. What do you do to beat stress? I really enjoy nonsense! It is such a great way to forget about everything and just be in the moment. You know the old saying ‘dance like no-one’s watching’…it works!
Your business model is so unique. It’s like a mash up of speed dating and a fee-based networking organization, only pay-as-you-go. What inspired the concept of the Fuchsia Factory? Yes, it is based on the model of speed-dating. A number of years ago while visiting a friend in the US, I had an opportunity to attend a speed networking event with her. It was brilliant and I wanted to bring this to Canada, but with my own unique twist! I’m a ‘lay awake at night dreaming up ideas type gal’ so after 4 years (yes, 4 years), The Fuchsia Factory Inc. was born.
Where did you come up with the name? It is so catchy! Coming up with a good name is not as easy as it looks! It took a lot of brainstorming with my branding gals. We loved this name because a – women relate to pink and b – we needed a place to gather and get ‘er done!
Women (and men) who have attended Fuchsia Factory events are super enthusiastic, and more than willing to rave about their experiences. Many do, and the buzz is amazing! Why do you suppose that is? It is quite a RUSH to attend one of our events! It is FAST and FURIOUS and it really winds people up! A lot of women will tell you they have a hard time falling asleep when they get home. I don’t know of any other event where you can go and connect with every single person in the room in such a limited period of time. Last year, I personally met over 400 women at our events!
Tell us how the events work, and talk a bit about what the benefits are for participants. When the session starts, everyone sits in pairs — often across from each other at long tables. The first person has a minute or two to introduce themselves and deliver their ‘elevator pitch’, a short summary of their work and their business. Then a whistle or bell sounds, and the person opposite takes their turn. Once both people have had their chance to speak, another whistle sounds and one half of the group moves on to the next person, and so on. It’s like musical chairs.
When the round is complete, there is chance to chat — over cupcakes — and participants can exchange information, arrange for follow-up, or set up phone calls or coffee meeting. By the end of the evening, you will have met everyone in the room.
If I had to highlight the key benefits for participants, I would say first, there is no yearly membership fee to belong. Our events are strictly pay as you go. This way, you are not locked in to a group that in 3 months from now, you may see no reason to attend. Secondly, our structured format takes the guesswork out of networking. We guarantee you will meet everyone in the room before you leave, not just one or two.
What did it take to get your business of the ground? How long? What lessons did you learn? The moment I decided to move forward with this, it was game on. Two months, max! The biggest thing I learned is that you don’t have to be a one man show. Surround yourself with the right people, who have the specific knowledge and skill sets you may not have, and learn from them.
What has been your biggest challenge? Definitely recruiting! It is extremely time-consuming to find women who are the “right fit” for this business. I have some amazing women on board right now and they are absolute treasures to work with. Now, to get the rest of Canada up and running…
Who are your greatest supporters? You know, we have so many amazing supporters , and it would be difficult for me to name them all. But they know who they are, and we know who they are , and we really, I mean REALLY appreciate all they do! We always ask newcomers how they heard about us..it’s a good habit to get into when you are in business!
You just launched last year, but your networking events are now being held in 4 Canadian cities, and it seems you are expanding rapidly across Canada. It’s amazing! Is the Fuchsia Factory a franchise? No, initially it was going to be a franchise opportunity but after a lot of research, I realized it just wasn’t the right way to go for us. All of our Fuchsia Girls are Independent Contractors!
What advice do you have for women entrepreneurs? Grab some great mentors and JUST DO IT!!! Women in biz ROCK!!
What does the future look like for you and the Fuchsia Factory? My long-term plan is to have a Fuchsia Factory in every major city across Canada. I see myself doing a lot more traveling as a result and I think I’m really going to enjoy that.
What is the best part about living in Ottawa? We actually moved out to Embrun a few years ago, but I love Ottawa! It really has a small town feel for such a large city. The support in this community is incredible!
Is there anything that drives you nuts about the city? Traffic on game night!
What about your favourite places? Do you have any favourite shops, restaurants or activities? Well, I don’t shop just for the sake of shopping but I do enjoy visiting with our participants at their place of business such as Melissa at The Flour Shoppe, Emilia at Lilac Lingerie and many others. Alternatively, I can often be found having a latté with Tweeps at Starbucks/Trainyards.
Photos by Hugh Durant of Starfish Creative Events + Inspiration
