2015- The day I pitched for a Business Grant from The North Bay Business Center.
Our Story
Hi! I am Diana, The Owner of The Decal Shop Canada. The quick and “pretty” summary is That I am a Young Female Entrepreneur in Northern Ontario who has been operating since 2015. The “real summary” .... well get ready for a good read.
A hard working Farm Girl who loves to Barrel Race - that is basically my genetic makeup. Oh - and a good sense of humor on top of that. Growing up in a tiny Village in Northern Ontario, I learned that Entrepreneurship was the only way to make any money. Seeing as Commanda, Ontario - to this day does not even have a corner store. At the age of 10 I had posters in the Commanda Post Office “Diana’s Odd Jobs.” ( By the way - The Post Mistress is my Amazing Mom. We will talk about her more later) I did all kinds of gardening, wood piling, grass cutting ..... to earn money so I could ride my horse.
I have a love for Horses that is probably equal to an addiction. I worked hard, after school, on weekends and during my summers. I am a competitive Horse Barrel Racer (which is a rodeo event) At the age of 14 I was competing in the Provincial and Nationals and I qualified for the World Championships which were held in the US. I qualified again the following year - and soon...... It was time for College. I sold my horse and moved to Toronto to study Graphic Design. I earned my College Diploma with Honors - and immediately moved back to Northern Ontario. The city life was not for me.
I fell in love for the Graphics and Signage Industry. I recall seeing a cargo van that had beautiful graphics on it for a painting company. I remember thinking “I would love to be able to do that” . Website design and Mobile App design didn't excite me. So I began focusing on that. Strait out of College I had a job at a Sign Company.
My Entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, I hadn’t owned a horse in almost 2 years. I was determined to buy one therefore, I needed to work harder and earn more money (just like in high school) so I started a Freelance Graphic Design Business. I was only 19 at this time. Just starting my career. Starting a side hustle to try and help fuel my dreams forward. Then .... well here came the monkey wrench that became a pivotal moment of my career.
My boss at the time took me into his office and addressed that I had started a Graphic Design Business. He told me that I was not allowed and I was to sign a “no compete” or I was fired. Once again I was only 19, logically I “should” have complied. Rather, I told him I wanted the day to think about it. I went home, I started Business Planning. I called my Mom and I remember asking her “do you think I can do it” she told me the famous quote from Henry Ford “Diana, whether YOU think you CAN or YOU think you CAN’T - YOU are right” I went back that afternoon and handed in my keys. *P.S I still speak and do business with this former Employer - great business.
When I designed The Decal Shop’s logo, the wings are to symbolize the freedom that I gave myself by not giving up on my Entrepreneurial ways. I know I would have been crushed if I had given up on my goals to own a horse again, and my goal to Barrel Race again. I knew I needed more income. So there I was at 19 years old - instead of buying a new car - I was buying a brand new Roland BN-20 Printer / Plotter.
Shortly after that I bought my horse Rain. My horse “addiction” was filled again. She was 10 years old and untrained. I have spent many, many hours with her. Mind you I have owned her 8 years and counting. She is my mascot.
In 2015 I was awarded a Small Business Grant through The North Bay Business Center. I remember feeling so validated as a young entrepreneur. Unfourtunatley, us entrepreneurs don’t always get that - but you already knew that.
In 2017 I opened up a shop in Sturgeon Falls. Business was really successful and I loved working with local clients. Things were going great in business aspects..... Here is the part.... the part that all entrepreneurs know too well. The unforeseeable. The part where things get hard. The hardest part about being a young entrepreneur is that I was still figuring out my life as an adult. I moved, bad relationships bad breakup. I found myself drinking excessively. Went from a bad relationship to a toxic relationship. I was overwhelmed and my mind..... Broke. I went in to a state of psychosis and I was hospitalizes. Later I was diagnosed with Manic-Depressive Disorder.
This part of my life was really hard. I had to close my shop location which was devastating. I also found it within me to break up from that toxic relationship. But, it took me years to re-structure my life and find stability. I don’t know how but I found it inside of me to keep pushing forward. I worked Part Time and Full time jobs while I “layed low” with my own Business.
I am not writing this to look for any pity. I want people to know my real story. Because my life may look “great in pictures” but I am not trying to fool anyone. Life gets REAL - I don’t believe that only showing the highlights is fair. We all have our struggles. I know that you do too.
My Mom has always been my stronghold. I always come back to that quote “ Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
Fast forward to now. I have had many life and business goals reached. This past summer Rain and I competed in Barrel Racing locally. The Decal Shop is an Online business serving clients from coast to coast and to the City of Iqaluit. And I am in an amazing relationship with a man I've known since grade school. If you read all of this.... I am surprised. But, thank you for reading all of my story. I truly hope that life treats you well and that you have the strength and resilience to overcome any hardships that may come your way.
A hard working Farm Girl who loves to Barrel Race - that is basically my genetic makeup. Oh - and a good sense of humor on top of that. Growing up in a tiny Village in Northern Ontario, I learned that Entrepreneurship was the only way to make any money. Seeing as Commanda, Ontario - to this day does not even have a corner store. At the age of 10 I had posters in the Commanda Post Office “Diana’s Odd Jobs.” ( By the way - The Post Mistress is my Amazing Mom. We will talk about her more later) I did all kinds of gardening, wood piling, grass cutting ..... to earn money so I could ride my horse.
I have a love for Horses that is probably equal to an addiction. I worked hard, after school, on weekends and during my summers. I am a competitive Horse Barrel Racer (which is a rodeo event) At the age of 14 I was competing in the Provincial and Nationals and I qualified for the World Championships which were held in the US. I qualified again the following year - and soon...... It was time for College. I sold my horse and moved to Toronto to study Graphic Design. I earned my College Diploma with Honors - and immediately moved back to Northern Ontario. The city life was not for me.
I fell in love for the Graphics and Signage Industry. I recall seeing a cargo van that had beautiful graphics on it for a painting company. I remember thinking “I would love to be able to do that” . Website design and Mobile App design didn't excite me. So I began focusing on that. Strait out of College I had a job at a Sign Company.
My Entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, I hadn’t owned a horse in almost 2 years. I was determined to buy one therefore, I needed to work harder and earn more money (just like in high school) so I started a Freelance Graphic Design Business. I was only 19 at this time. Just starting my career. Starting a side hustle to try and help fuel my dreams forward. Then .... well here came the monkey wrench that became a pivotal moment of my career.
My boss at the time took me into his office and addressed that I had started a Graphic Design Business. He told me that I was not allowed and I was to sign a “no compete” or I was fired. Once again I was only 19, logically I “should” have complied. Rather, I told him I wanted the day to think about it. I went home, I started Business Planning. I called my Mom and I remember asking her “do you think I can do it” she told me the famous quote from Henry Ford “Diana, whether YOU think you CAN or YOU think you CAN’T - YOU are right” I went back that afternoon and handed in my keys. *P.S I still speak and do business with this former Employer - great business.
When I designed The Decal Shop’s logo, the wings are to symbolize the freedom that I gave myself by not giving up on my Entrepreneurial ways. I know I would have been crushed if I had given up on my goals to own a horse again, and my goal to Barrel Race again. I knew I needed more income. So there I was at 19 years old - instead of buying a new car - I was buying a brand new Roland BN-20 Printer / Plotter.
Shortly after that I bought my horse Rain. My horse “addiction” was filled again. She was 10 years old and untrained. I have spent many, many hours with her. Mind you I have owned her 8 years and counting. She is my mascot.
In 2015 I was awarded a Small Business Grant through The North Bay Business Center. I remember feeling so validated as a young entrepreneur. Unfourtunatley, us entrepreneurs don’t always get that - but you already knew that.
In 2017 I opened up a shop in Sturgeon Falls. Business was really successful and I loved working with local clients. Things were going great in business aspects..... Here is the part.... the part that all entrepreneurs know too well. The unforeseeable. The part where things get hard. The hardest part about being a young entrepreneur is that I was still figuring out my life as an adult. I moved, bad relationships bad breakup. I found myself drinking excessively. Went from a bad relationship to a toxic relationship. I was overwhelmed and my mind..... Broke. I went in to a state of psychosis and I was hospitalizes. Later I was diagnosed with Manic-Depressive Disorder.
This part of my life was really hard. I had to close my shop location which was devastating. I also found it within me to break up from that toxic relationship. But, it took me years to re-structure my life and find stability. I don’t know how but I found it inside of me to keep pushing forward. I worked Part Time and Full time jobs while I “layed low” with my own Business.
I am not writing this to look for any pity. I want people to know my real story. Because my life may look “great in pictures” but I am not trying to fool anyone. Life gets REAL - I don’t believe that only showing the highlights is fair. We all have our struggles. I know that you do too.
My Mom has always been my stronghold. I always come back to that quote “ Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
Fast forward to now. I have had many life and business goals reached. This past summer Rain and I competed in Barrel Racing locally. The Decal Shop is an Online business serving clients from coast to coast and to the City of Iqaluit. And I am in an amazing relationship with a man I've known since grade school. If you read all of this.... I am surprised. But, thank you for reading all of my story. I truly hope that life treats you well and that you have the strength and resilience to overcome any hardships that may come your way.
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