Born entrepreneur

SPOTLIGHT

By Mary Teresa Bitti

When In Touch caught up with Melanie Wong ‘12 Public Relations graduate, she was strolling the streets of Mykonos, Greece. The founder and owner of Olive + Splash, a sustainable athleisure wear brand based in Burlington, Ontario, loves to travel. “Travelling has taught me great lessons that I use in my life and in my business: problem-solving, planning, and learning to trust yourself,“ says Melanie. “And it‘s a great inspiration for my company.“

Melanie designs each piece in her line of made-in-Canada bamboo clothing for children and adults. “Bamboo is not only great for the planet, but the more you wash it, the softer it feels,“ she says.

Melanie launched her business in 2015, just as sustainable fashion was beginning to gain traction. (In 2018, the number of shoppers looking for ethically, environmentally responsible clothing jumped 47%, according to fashion search engine Lyst). She hit on the idea when she was shopping for her two young nephews and couldn‘t find the cool, sustainable, long-lasting clothes she wanted for them. So Melanie did what entrepreneurs do when they see a problem: she created the solution.

The designs and colours are gender neutral making each piece easy to pass down. “We make adult style clothes for kids,“ says Melanie. It wasn‘t long before parents started asking her to make the designs in adult sizes. Olive + Splash apparel is now available online and in boutiques across Ontario, in Montreal and Vancouver. Melanie also promotes the brand with pop-up shops across Southern Ontario and through collaborations with other designers and brands, including Angela Price, wife of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, whose young daughter wears Olive + Splash. She also worked with Toronto designer Paul Ho on a custom cashmere wool coat.

“Mohawk had more graduates who were working and achieving in their fields than other programs I looked into.“

– Melanie Wong ‘12

As the business approaches its five-year anniversary—a big milestone as about 30% of all small businesses in Canada fail by this point—Melanie is planning for growth. She wants to place the brand in more retailers across Canada and the U.S., build her in-house team, expand the product line, and seek out more collaborations.

She‘s doing this while also building her other business. Melanie is a partner of Burlington-based Peninsula Automotive Sales & Leasing. “I work seven days a week but it doesn‘t feel like work. “I wake up Sunday mornings and am so excited to go to my office and work on both companies.“

For Melanie, being a business owner came naturally. When her father emigrated from Hong Kong, he and his family opened the first Chinese restaurant in St. Catharines, Ontario. This year, Cosy Restaurant & Tavern is celebrating its 55th anniversary. Melanie and her four siblings—all entrepreneurs—worked at the restaurant. “We all inherited that hustle and drive you need to be successful.“

After graduating from Brock University with a degree in political science and international law, Melanie had intended on enrolling in law school. Instead, she re-evaluated, travelled the world and chose Mohawk College to pursue her graduate education. “Mohawk had more graduates who were working and achieving in their fields than other programs I looked into,“ Melanie says of her decision. “After graduating, there have been multiple times when I‘ve reached out to former professors for support. It‘s been fantastic.“

Her advice to up-and-coming entrepreneurs: “Don‘t give up. Being an entrepreneur is an emotional roller coaster. There will be times when you question why you‘re doing this. Then something amazing happens. If you‘re passionate about it and it makes sense, keep at it.“

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