The Decal Shop Story - Where it all began

About Diana - Owner and Operator of The Decal Shop Canada

Diana Manella - Owner / Operator of The Decal Shop Canada

Hey! So it is Diana here writing this, first blog post ever! A little bit about myself, I come from a large family. There are seven children in the family. We grew up without a lot of money, but with a lot of love and a place to call home. I have been an entrepreneur since I was a young girl.  From the age of 9 I had my first "business". A simple poster hung up in the post office of Commanda (which is  where my Mom works)  with a header  "Diana's Odd Jobs." Commanda is a very remote town in Northern Ontario that only homes about 125 people. There was no possibility of getting a job, so I had to create my own.  I did many odd jobs from raking leaves, stacking firewood, gardening,  building construction and many other tasks. I did this from the age of 9 all the way through high school. After school, weekends and full time throughout the summer. I am also a farm girl. I was raised on a farm where hard work was just the way life was. I love animals and always loved art and design.

Why Entrepreneurship? 

So what would drive a young girl to work so hard? A horse of course. I have been a horse fanatic all of my life. I Barrel Raced competitively when I was in grade school locally,  and then competed Nationally and Provincially when I was in High School. I qualified to go to "The Worlds" twice.  So all my hard earned money went into travelling, entry fees and upkeep of my horse. Being an entrepreneur was the only way I could schedule my own time so I could compete and train as well as make enough money to do so. I learned so much from this experience. I had to come up with the money myself to compete as our family did not have that kind of extra money floating around having 7 mouths to feed and all. I was fortunate enough to received some sponsorship's and I also had a lot of people help me along the way. Many people invested their time into me which I am truly thankful for. Special note to my riding coach, Becky,  she was an amazing part of my growth as a rider as well as my overall self confidence. Her passion and drive really inspired me and taught me how to make goals and achieve them, even when things are not going 100% as planned as life does. 

Diana and horse "Bully" Barrel Racing  in New Liskeard Ontario. 

Time to get a Career.

I completed high school and it was time to go to college. I had to sell my horse to help pay for the expenses. I went to school at the RCC Academy of Design in Toronto. I discovered a lot in this phase of my life, going from a small town to the big city was not easy. Heck, I still had dial up internet at home! I went through a one year intensive program for  Graphic Design and Interactive Media. I wanted a career where I could be creative and artistic. I graduated with honors and then quickly moved back North, one year in the city was more then enough for this country girl. I then worked at a Sign company for about two years as well as Freelanced my Graphic Design Skills. By the age of 19 I had the entrepreneurial itch again. 

Yes, I started in my parents basement too. 

​At the age of 19, I decided to quit my job and start my own company. I knew it wouldn't be easy but I had to give it a shot. Hard work was not a new thing for me, so I was up for the challenge. I moved back home and did what many entrepreneurs do, I started the company in my parents basement. I was very fortunate that they supported me though getting my company started. I went through The Starter Company program where I received a $5000.00 grant to get the business started. I attended all kinds of events and trade shows,  selling small decals I made and promoted my custom work. In 2016 I moved out of my parents basement into Nipissing and quickly moved again when  I met the love of my life, Shane.

Diana on the day she pitched her business plan to receive a $5000.00 grant.

Diana and Shane with "Oden" the Lion at our Grand Opening in 2017

The Decal Shop, what it is today.

After meeting Shane, I operated the company from his home . With his help we started growing quickly. In 2017 we moved the business into Sturgeon Falls to a shop location. We hosted a grand opening in 2017 and an Open House in 2018 where we had an exotic petting zoo and pony rides to help promote the business. I have been truly blessed to be able to be a successful young entrepreneur in Northern Ontario. We have grown thanks to the support in our community. We serve many different business including car dealerships, Mining Companies, Manufacturing Companies, Petroleum and Propane Companies, Construction Companies and more.  We have moved the business back to our home location and look forward to expanding our reach Canada wide as well as continuing to serve our local clients. 

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