Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Goodfellow

Hi Jodi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

Some say it’s impossible to be a woman that ‘does it all’ but I am proof it is possible, at least to my standards. I have always been someone who has balanced multiple jobs / roles of responsibility. When I was in University I always held anywhere from 3 – 5 part-time jobs – not because I had to financially, but because I enjoyed it and yet I never missed a pub night!

In 2000 I began my career as a High School Teacher in Toronto. I loved it but after a few months I decided to get a part-time job to fill in some of my free time. In the first decade of teaching I always worked somewhere else whether it was in retail or teaching night / summer school. I also decided to get additional teaching certifications to qualify in New York state and eventually started working with a company that allowed me to teach while traveling with students over Spring / Summer breaks.

Despite these experiences I always had a desire to dabble into entrepreneurship but didn’t know where to start. In 2010 I had an idea for a business that turned into an obsession, which I learned later is kind of the norm for entrepreneurs – it’s what sets you apart from those who just aren’t cut out for the roller coaster ride of starting a business. I launched Fashion Forward, a fashion marketplace website for resale items while still teaching full-time. I became part of an accelerator program one summer and hustled the heck out of all opportunities presented to me. I even hustled opportunities that weren’t presented to me. I just hustled hard. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough because I couldn’t find investors willing to go into the fashion sharing economy business venture, it was too soon. In comparison, Poshmark respectively launched the same year and is now worth more than seven billion.

In 2014 I decided to make use of the contacts and knowledge I had gained and decided to take another leap of faith in the world of business by launching Startup Fashion Week, the world’s only fashion week devoted to showcasing emerging talent. I launched this platform as a response to the lack of support I received but also to shake up the world of fashion, which in my opinion had become extremely monotonous and boring. I saw an opportunity to infuse technology and business with fashion and change the traditional fashion week calendar to make more sense. I have been running Startup Fashion Week

During the pandemic I decided to launch a boutique PR agency to service some of the startups I had built a relationship to offer services at an affordable rate to help them grow beyond their showcase. I also decided to take some time ff from teaching to travel but the universe really had other plans for me. I bought a beach house in 2021, which I actively run as an AirBnb property (and enjoy as often as I can) and then fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a Flight Attendant in 2022.

I returned to teaching in September of 2023, celebrated the 10 year anniversary of Startup Fashion Week in October 2023 and continue to also operate FASH PR, work as a flight attendant and manage a vacation rental property. Things have work out the way they should. When people ask how it’s possible to be and do all these amazing things I just simply say that I’m really good at time management, manifesting and taking smart risks.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

No, not at all particularly with being an entrepreneur. I have lost business partners who weren’t fully invested, I have been served cease and desist notices by other organizations, sent cease and desist notices, had people I trusted try to steal my business – if you can think of a worst case scenario I have likely experienced it but that is what entrepreneurship is all about – wearing multiple hats, constantly learning and taking risks with a lot of ups and downs. If you experience a smooth road as an entrepreneur, something is extremely wrong, to be honest I have never heard of anyone in business experiencing a smooth road.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?

Startup Fashion Week is the world’s only fashion week to showcase emerging talent. We have an interest in business and technology to create a dynamic week of events.

We are proud that we have out-survived all of the bigger fashion weeks in Canada.

We would love to hear from any fashion or fashion-tech founders who might bee interested in showcasing at our Toronto events every October. They can reach us at [email protected] or check our website www.startupfashionweek.com

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?

When one door closes, another one opens but only if you are motivated to open it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.startupfashionweek.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupfashionweek/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartupFashionWeek/
• Twitter: https://x.com/StartupFW
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHhiK3dJWc6Zk37M-QhGHdA

Image Credits
@panolegus , Horn & Mane