HCUO’s “Who Runs the World?” series aims to highlight the stories of female founders running small businesses while completing their studies. 2020 has been a heck of a year, but here’s one positive: lingerie is back in style! Our Instagram feeds are flooded with cute lacey designs, and we’re not mad about it – especially when it means we get to support small business owners like Emma Jull, founder of Monarch Lingerie. Emma is a marketing management major in her first year at the University of Guelph. Her business (now Monarch Lingerie) started out as Monarch Vintage – a way for Emma and her friends to sell clothes. Monarch Lingerie has since blossomed into Oxford County’s go-to business for handmade lingerie!
I had the chance to ask Emma all about how she balances making lingerie for her customers while keeping up with her classes.
HC: How did you come up with the idea to make and sell lingerie?
Emma: “I’ve always had that entrepreneur spirit. I’ve [also] been sewing for 10 years and I basically came across [the idea] one night and thought ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I could customize the most personal things that I wear every single day?’ So from there, I started experimenting with designs and started [making] my own bralettes. After that, people who saw what I was doing were really interested and wanted to buy pieces from me… and that was the beginning of my business.”
HC: Where did the name ‘Monarch Lingerie’ come from?
Emma: “The ‘monarch’ part comes from my grandma who passed away when I was younger; we always had this thing within our family where if you saw a monarch butterfly after she passed away it was like her being there with you. I [even] ended up getting a monarch butterfly tattoo on the back of my arm and my mom has [a] matching one. It’s [interesting] because ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always really loved butterflies and after my grandma passed away it was a stronger [attachment] for me … so butterflies are a huge part of my life.”
HC: How do you balance running a business and doing your studies at the same time?
Emma: “Making a schedule is definitely really important [and] obviously I want time to have a social life and [to] be able to see my friends. I do make sure to schedule in time for myself, but I also like to [remind myself] that when I spend time working on my business, I’m taking a break from school. I try not to schedule too much ‘me time’ or too much ‘business time’ and instead try to combine the two. Sometimes sewing can be stressful, but for the most part it’s a really nice mental break—just to get your hands on and create something—so I think it really works for me to be able to study for an hour, take a break, sew, and then go back to studying.”
HC: What is your favourite part of running a small business?
Emma: “I think what I’ve always loved the most about running my business in particular is the feedback I get from women who have bought one of my pieces. The first thing I always ask everyone is ‘How does it fit?’ I make everything custom and I’ve only been [running my business] for about 9 months so I’m definitely still new but as soon as someone tells me ‘It fits like a glove’, ‘I feel so beautiful’, ‘I feel confident,’ that’s the best [feeling]—knowing that I can make all of these women just feel beautiful in what they’re wearing because it’s something that someone created just for them.”
HC: What do you think makes your business stand out in your niche?
Emma: “I think the reason I stand out is because I’m creating very nice quality but also handmade pieces that you really just can’t get at very many other places. When I tell people I make handmade lingerie, [they’re] always like ‘What the heck?’ they never expect [it] because it’s just not something you hear of [often]. [There’s] also the fact that all of my stuff is custom—I do plus sizes, my brand is inclusive to every body-shape and type and I feel like that’s something that’s hard to find at stores where everything is mass-produced.”
HC: What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?
Emma: “I think the biggest [piece of] advice that I could give [is] if you have something you’re really passionate about and you want to make a business out of it, there is almost never any harm in trying it out and seeing who’s interested in what you have to offer. There’s been a lot of trying times in my business where I’ve thought ‘I’m not sure if people are going to like this,’ ‘I don’t know if people are going to support this decision,’ or ‘I don’t know if people are going to enjoy my designs’ … there’s always a lot of self-doubt and second-guessing but I don’t think Steve Jobs second-guessed himself so I’m not going to either. I think that if you have an idea you should just go for it. I’m not supporting mortgaging your house and throwing away your future for a business idea, but I think it’s always worth dipping your toes into the water because you never know what could come of it.”
HC: What shipping options are available for those who are interested in buying your products?
Emma: “I ship to all Canadian provinces and territories; it’s a $12 flat rate for shipping and $2 extra per item no matter where you are in the province. [If] you live in Guelph or Woodstock, I can do local pickup for free. I’m hoping by the new year that I’ll be shipping to the U.S. as well, and eventually I want to expand to Australia and Europe.” Check out Monarch Lingerie’s website – monarchlingerie.com – to shop Emma’s designs. We promise – her clothes will give you butterflies!
Know someone who would be perfect for this feature series? Send us your suggestions in an email at hc.uottawa@hercampus.com with the subject “Who Runs the World?”