There was a common thread woven
By Candice Smiley
through all of the stories I was able to interview for this edition. The desire to own a store or start a business with no clear cut direction; only simple and pure desire. It was fascinating! I’m so blessed to share the stories with you here.
Cathy Evans worked as a University of Alberta Administrator for over 17 years. It was a leadership position that she loved… or thought she did.
“It was always in the back of my mind,” she says. “If I could, I would love to own a little store.” I can hear the nostalgia enter her voice. “I’d love to have the conversations, build relationships and be a part of the community.” I smile at this point. Cathy took a course from the Anderson Career Training Institute which she says, “helped a lot!” She started her career in Career and Image Coaching and for two years, was happy. She was working with a coach to get more speaking opportunities, to further grow her business, when the pandemic hit and everything ground to a halt.
41
KALOS Couture
“I had thought to help other women, using my experience in human resources, to help them start their own businesses.” It was a good Cathy Eva n s idea, but the change in the way she could meet with clients and the way clients were responding, left her twiddling her thumbs and wondering what to do next. “I had no idea what to do next,” she e agin a Im t says. Then an idea came to her. t o Y What if I designed clothing? She h a d a h i s to r y o f f a s h i o n , l o v e d clothing and style… She laughs, “I had spent good money on fashion too!” It seemed like a great shift in direction. Cathy even had some experience working as a model for Tina Mac Modelling and had been the first plus sized model in Edmonton working various fashion shows. “Fashion had always been a thing for me,” she says.
Diana
The challenge was this. “Women want to touch, feel and try something before they buy it,” she says. I find myself nodding. This is true. Then something serendipitous happened. While out on a drive with her husband to Onoway, Cathy saw a “for rent” sign. She peeked at the space through the windows. “It’s perfect!” she thought. A quick call to the owner revealed that he was on his way into
