'Life happens for you, not to you': Waterloo entreprenuer launches online clothing store after pandemic layoff
Kelsey Hellyer from Waterloo Region started an online business after being laid off from her retail job due to the pandemic.
“It’s crazy. At the time I was like, 'this is the worst thing that could ever happen,'” said Kelsey Hellyer, founder of Closet from Hell.
Looking back, she now believes getting laid off was one of the best things that could have happened as it motivated her to take her passion for fashion to the next level.
“Life happens for you, not to you. So just switch your thinking,” Hellyer said.
At first, she used her online platform to sell clothes out of her own closet but she has since expanded the business and now outsources from vintage warehouses.
“I’ll bleach dye or tie-dye pieces especially if there’s holes or marks on it,” said Hellyer.
She started her business in January of this year and it is already doing well.
“I’m projected to do about $150,000 by the end of the year,” the 30-year-old entrepreneur said.
Her warehouse is her basement and she works by herself, hand packaging every item with a personalized note to the customer.
“She was able to personally deliver the items to my house and during COVID, it was porch drop-offs,” said regular customer Ana Freitas.
Hellyer said she enjoys meeting her customers at local pop-ups.
“Supporting local is a big deal to me and also supporting girl bosses that are creating their own brand,” said Freitas.
Before Closet from Hell, Hellyer worked in fashion retail for almost a decade.
“I learned what sells and what doesn’t, even down to what colours people buy more,” said Hellyer.
Closet from Hell uses the site Shopify.
In an emailed statement to CTV News, Shopify officials said new store creations on the platform increased by 96 per cent in 2020 compared to pre-pandemic.
"One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was the seismic shift towards entrepreneurship. This happened globally, but was especially pronounced in Canada. We saw thousands of Canadians looking to achieve financial independence by starting and successfully running their own business during the pandemic," said Ian Black, Managing Director of Canada at Shopify.
Hellyer said her goal is to open a brick-and-mortar store in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned across Ontario.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.