What is your business called and what does it do?

Our business is called Hone and we simplify DIY home projects from start to finish. Through our project kits, digital guides, and in-person workshops, we help people hone new skills while bringing their home decor visions to life.

What made you want to do this work?

I’ve always wanted to do DIY projects around the house but the thought of getting started seemed too intimidating. Even putting up a picture frame, I thought I needed to wait for my dad, brother, or husband to help. For some reason – likely, not growing up with the skills, society telling me this is a “man’s” job, etc. – I thought it would be too hard to do myself.

Until I did! After Jen and I started Hone, we decided to tackle an accent wall together. We used a power tool (a mitre saw) for the first time, and though it was intimidating, it was not as hard as it seemed. And that’s what we learned from completing the project – DIY is not as hard as it seems, and the satisfaction we felt figuring it out on our own was the best part.

With Hone, we want to help people cross that initial bridge to get started. We want to give them the tools and instructions needed to make the process less intimidating and make all their DIY dreams come to life!

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

Home improvement is an outdated, traditionally male-dominated industry. Millennials and Gen Z, especially women, missed out on the hands-on skills Boomers gained over time. With more on the go, the younger generation has limited time to acquire home improvement skills from scratch.

Today, social media makes DIY home projects look fun and easy in 60-second reels, but instructions to complete a project are fragmented across multiple online and offline channels. We are streamlining the process with our products and content. For example, our DIY Project Kits include the tools, materials, and easiest instructions you’ll ever read in a box sent straight to your door. You’ll be able to complete a project without watching multiple YouTube how-to videos or ever stepping into a hardware store.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our target demographic is women between the ages of 23-45. They’re renting because they can’t afford to buy a home in today’s market, so they’re committing to making their home their own through thoughtful decor. Or, they’re new homeowners who put all their savings into a down payment, can’t afford expensive renovations, but still want to customize their home.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell DIY Project Kits, Digital Guides, and host in-person Workshops in Toronto and Waterloo.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Hone is based in Toronto and customers can order our products online. Our project kits ship across North America, our digital guides can be purchased and downloaded from anywhere in the world, and our in-person workshops are usually held in Toronto or Waterloo.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

How much does it cost to buy one of your project kits and do a project myself vs. hiring a professional?

We get this question a lot, and though DIY is almost always less expensive than hiring a professional, the real benefit of our project kits is getting to keep all the tools and learning skills you can take with you to your next project and beyond.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part of what we do is the feedback we receive from customers after they try out one of our products or attend an event. Whenever we describe our vision to a target customer, their eyes light up and they totally get it!

The worst part is living the startup life, in general. There’s never enough time or resources to do everything we want to do.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

We love the memes about people who get addicted to DIY home projects and suddenly live in a house missing a wall and everything is under construction.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok | Website

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Can’t just pick one so here are a few that we love!

@oohpaints, @bidmii, @sundayloveflowers, @letterboxdoughnuts

The post Homegrown Business: Jacqueline and Jennifer of Hone appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Created by Palak Loizides, Embiria has been quietly offering events for men and women alike. “Embiria means ‘experience’ in Greek,” Loizides explains. “We offer unique and curated experiences/activities that allow you to disconnect to reconnect with yourself or others.”

We joined in one of the experiences that took place in the King St. West design district. Inside a peaceful design showroom, and to the trickling sounds of waterfalls, there were no more than ten people taking part in a restorative yoga session. We ended with time to chat over a delicious  plant-based meal created by from local artisans. Most attendees came solo.  Several had just moved to the city over the past year. There were even visitors on vacation who joined with an interest in a more local experience.

We had a chance to find out more of these experience gems with Loizides.

How and why did you start offering these experiences?

I worked in business/marketing corporate jobs for over 10 years in multiple industries before this and didn’t know I would end up with my own business one day!

I would spend a lot of planning fun things to do in city during evenings, weekends, etc. for myself or providing recommendations to friends. I found plans were getting repetitive – it was always brunch, drinks or coffee, and many times, people would make plans to hang out and end up just sitting together while spending a lot of time on their phones, yet they longed for connection. I thought why not create unique experiences that people could attend without having to plan it themselves. I wanted to build a sense of community – where they could come on their own to meet new people, or gather their friends/family to join – it’s a way to get out and either reconnect with yourself, or connect with others. After all, it seems that many are in agreement (and research shows) that spending money on experiences vs. material things provides more happiness.

It initially started as a yoga and healthy brunch club idea, and quickly expanded to be all sorts of Experiences – the opportunities and ideas are limitless which I love. Plus, I consider myself a creative individual (stems from my Marketing days), and I get to infuse so much creativity into each Experience as they are all unique. I had no idea I would become a “entrepreneur” one day….I just took some time to reflect on what my interests were in life, and I started paying attention to the areas that really resonated with me. Once I started, everything flowed so naturally and quickly that I only had a month to put together an entire brand, website, social channels etc. before I had picked and planned my first Experience!

Who do you mostly attract? 

Our demographic is mostly female between 24-40, but our age ranges depending on the Experience and we’ve had people of all ages attend. We’ve had men attend barre classes (which is not something you see often) – and all of the women were so welcoming and happy to see a man who normally only weight lifts trying barre! I love seeing multiple generations attending our Experiences together sometimes (grandmother, mom, daughter).

We’ve even had people celebrate birthdays with us or buy an Experience to take a friend as a gift, which is great because the idea is to spend time connecting with people, while doing something you enjoy.  We’re constantly evolving and expanding, so we’ve been looking at introducing some child/teen friendly Experiences and ones specifically for couples/dates in the future.

Tell us about how you choose the venues?

It depends on the Experience but I love finding local gems in the city. I look for unique spaces where it’s beneficial for both of us to host something there. I want to support other local business if possible so I often partner with galleries, studios, restaurants, etc. that I can introduce a new audience to.

Any tips for new comers to the city?

Get out there and explore – the best way to meet people is at events and meet-ups. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve attended events in the city not knowing anyone there, and left having made an awesome connection. And I’ve lived here my whole life! Condo boards often organize get togethers, and I think that’s a great way to meet your neighbours. Check out a local class, or sit in a cafe near your place and strike up conversation with the barista or person beside you. I also think having an open, positive attitude is important. Your energy will attract people.

So many exciting Experiences are in the works now.  In September watch for Embiria’s Experiences led by experts including a Calligraphy Workshop, Yoga + Brunch, and Summer Flow x Healthy Eats event. October we’ll have a Mindfulness Workshop, Creative Writing as well as Zumba. November we’re looking forward to hosting “Let that Sh*t Go” experience and more.

Visit their website for details and how to register.

The post How Embiria events help Torontonians disconnect to reconnect appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Owner Chris Kay Fraser tells us that it all started around a campfire a few years ago on a remote island during a documentary film retreat she had attended. People gathered and started talking without inhibition and without being judged about life experiences. “It was this incredible moment of sharing, healing and openness that was not facilitated at all,” said Fraser.  ” But I realized that when people get together to create art in an environment that was really kind and wasn’t based on hierarchy or competition, that open-hearted exploratory and beautiful healing stuff naturally happened. I wanted to figure out how to make this campfire feeling last for the rest of my life. I wanted to be in an environment where people can freely express and share themselves, their stories and feelings. I wanted people to feel excited about that without competition or fear of being judged.”

Firefly’s concept is there is no right or wrong in the art of writing just like other art forms. “You can feel so vulnerable when you create but creating around people we don’t know opens us up to all of our fears.” said Fraser.

She explains that when we write, we often write from experiences and feel “naked” most of the time. So, it’s important for her studio to make people feel safe, nourished and accepted.

She began her creative writing workshops out of her home in 2005. It was through word-of-mouth and hand-made flyers posted on community boards that people would discover her writing groups. “I didn’t really expect a lot of people to call me, it was shot in the dark but the phone started to ring,” said Fraser. “Now we’ve grown into this store front space and we have six writing instructors.”

So, who’s been interested? Fraser explains that there’s a variety of people that join in from teens to seniors and moms. Bloggers too? Sure. She has writing groups that get together and meet here with common interests.  It’s for anyone who really want to get their creative juices flowing.

But what about critiquing? It’s not that kind of coaching here. I get the sense that they aren’t the types to get detailed about grammar and sentence structure. They are all about the creative process and developing characters. Training you how to “let it go” without the worry. But of course, they recognize the importance of grammar and such..but if you were to go to a publisher they have editors hired to do that. It’s all about unravelling and your voice, your thoughts, and your story here without fear.

There is a communal space for groups here as well as a quiet space for individuals. Writing workshops range from one-offs to weekly gatherings. Open studio time is also great here for people who would like no distractions.

Along the bookshelves you’ll also discover a section of works published by some the students as well as a shelf for blank journals left behind by students to may inspire others to start. The space also has subtle affirmations found in little nooks. We like this one…

Firefly Creative Writing Studio is located at 1898 Danforth Avenue. The closest TTC subway station is Woodbine. Visit their website for more info.

The post Finding your creative voice at the new Firefly Creative Writing Studio appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Often, the first thing people think of when it comes to a library is books. The sharing economy is changing all that and the Toronto Tool Library is a fantastic new addition to the expanding library network in our city. Fact is, sharing is not new. We are all used to sharing amongst those we now – recipes, food, clothes, housing etc. Now it is time to push your boundary of trust to those you don’t know YET. You may be surprised how great it feels!

The Toronto Tool Library, the first project of Toronto’s Institute for a Resource Based Economy (IRBE), wants to help you experience the beauty of sharing. Did you know that the average power drill costs upwards of $80 and is used an average of 6 to 13 minutes in its lifetime? As Lawrence Alvarez, President of the IRBE, points out, “You don’t usually need a drill. What you need is a hole in your wall.” With a Tool Library membership, you can get access to a whole variety of tools – from air compressors to wrenches. They come in all shapes and sizes, ideal for those who either dreamed of having their very own fully loaded tool shed or those who are looking to explore their inner handyman or build something.

The Tool Library creates a space that extends the life of a tool, minimizes cost and eliminates storage for the end user, and, ultimately, helps foster community through its membership and the variety of programs they offer to all ages. It is also tapping into the talent of the community, creating a space for people to share their ideas, knowledge, and craft.

Where are these spaces?

The Parkdale Tool Library is located in the Parkdale Activity and Recreation Centre. The TO Library team signed the lease January 2013, fundraised 5K to renovate, and were pleasantly surprised when 60 volunteers came out over the course of 60 days to help build the space. If you are on the west side check it out!

The publicity around the Parkdale location brought forth an offer from a landlord on Danforth East with a 1900 square foot space and the TO Tool Library team couldn’t say no. And they have done wonders with the space. They have the Tool Library, the Kitchen Library, 3D printers, a very well equipped workshop, a Lasersaur (open source laser cutter they built) and more.

We can look forward to seeing more libraries around the city down the road too. As Lawrence highlights, “We know from our membership and the scarcity of time to travel, people are not commuting far distances to access the library. There are people across the city who need us. We want to take this proven, open source model and build on it.”

The IRBE’s broader mandate to challenge and highlight how people access their resources. Their motto is access over ownership. “This [the collaborative economy] is what we see as a more realistic future, where people aren’t consuming the way they did before and they are sharing things in the community – the wealth of the community and the planet;” explains Ryan Dyment, Executive Director of the IRBE.

Just consider all the unused items you have lying around or in storage and the likelihood of someone else being able to use one or many of them.

It is staggering how much we hold onto things. What’s worse is that we are often paying to do so! In Canada, there are over 3,000 self storage facilities. According to the Self Storage Association (SSA), “The industry has been the fastest growing segment of the commercial real estate industry over the last 40 years.” In the US, the industry raked in $24 billion dollars last year and claims that 1 out of every 10 homes currently rents a storage unit. That’s a lot of stuff sitting idle!!!

Why not use items as you need them instead of spending more money and using more space to own them? As Lawrence highlights, “It is wasteful, inefficient, expensive and burdensome to own. Why not share?”

Want to join the ranks and support Toronto’s sharing economy?

– Check out the Toronto Tool Library ONLINE to learn more about their programs and locations

• Don’t see a tool you need? Add it to the wish list. The TO Tool Library wants to equip itself with the items you need.
• Get a Toronto Tool Library membership or find out about their opportunities to get access without pay by giving your time as a volunteer.

– Want to learn more about the sharing economy and what’s happening? Download the FREE Sharing Guide produced by Shareable

– Did you read the previous posts on the topic of Toronto as a Shareable City and Collaborative Consumption?

The Toronto Tool Library and the IRBE are redefining Toronto by creating new opportunities for people to share and utilize resources in a more economical and sustainable way.

The post ReDefiningTO: Toronto’s Expanding Library Network – TO Tool Library appeared first on Toronto Guardian.