JACLYN GENOVESE:
motivation: loving what you do! Can you introduce yourself: Business Name, Your Name & Position and Business Contact details. Jacflash - Spaces by Jacflash, Fitness by Jacflash Jaclyn Genovese Founder and CEO Jaclyn@jacflash.net What is your origin (life experience that led you to become an entrepreneur)? Jaclyn: I think I always knew that I was going to be an entrepreneur, or at least work for myself, in whatever capacity it may be. My grandmother was an entrepreneur: she was a single mother of three boys who owned an antique shop and was even featured in Chatelaine magazine. My father is also an entrepreneur, so I always looked up to both of them, and they made me feel like anything was possible. How long has the business existed? Jaclyn: I established Jacflash in 2007- so twelve years ago now! It began with a clothing boutique on Queen St. West that I ran until I closed its’ doors in 2013. How was your business idea for Spaces by Jacflash conceived? Jaclyn: After a few years of running my store, Jacflash, I realized that I was no longer jumping out of bed, excited to go into work every day. I then knew that I needed to make a change. I finally decided to close Jacflash’s doors, and determined that I would continue online, but I wanted to see what else was out there for me. With the budget that I had at the time, I moved into a rental house, which my friends thought
I was crazy for doing. It was pretty run down and “haunted” looking, but within weeks, I had redesigned the entire space. I put up paneling myself, repainted the house, swapped out old fixtures and more, and when my friends and family came back to see the finished product, they were all shocked! Many of them then asked me to do their own homes, and from there, Spaces by Jacflash was born!
AFTER A FEW YEARS OF RUNNING MY STORE, JACFLASH, I REALIZED THAT I WAS NO LONGER JUMPING OUT OF BED EXCITED TO GO INTO WORK EVERY DAY. I THEN KNEW THAT I needed to make a change. In addition to Spaces by Jacflash, there is also Fitness by Jacflash and events that you organize, how do you manage everything that you do? Jaclyn: I am extremely schedule oriented, and I love to do lists. I have a small but incredible team that I couldn’t do what I do without. I think to make sure that everyone knows what tasks they have to complete every day and every week, and what projects are a priority, makes the business stay on track. If something doesn’t get finished during the workday, or before the weekend, like my bookkeeping and invoicing or design intent, then I will stay up late to do it, or make it my weekend task and I don’t really rest until it is finished. I have also learned to say no, which I was afraid to do years ago. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to meet all of the women that ask me for
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