Jaclyn Genovese is a successful female entrepreneur who got her start in the fashion industry and now runs Spaces by Jacflash, a luxury design and decor firm based in Toronto, Canada. In addition to interior design, Jaclyn created Fitness by Jacflash, a women’s fitness, wellness, and nutrition platform that organizes various workshops focused on everything from yoga to entrepreneurship. Jaclyn describes Fitness by Jacflash as “a sisterhood where you don’t just get physically strong, you get mentally strong, where women of all ages, health and fitness levels come together to feel welcome.” As a huge fan of Bend Beauty (the coconut collagen is her favourite!), Jaclyn chatted with us about how she is empowering women everywhere to become powerhouse entrepreneurs and to find their life’s purpose.
Tell us about your platform, Jacflash, and what inspired you to become an entrepreneur.
Jacflash is a lifestyle brand that specializes in interior design (@spacesbyjacflash), fitness (#fitnessbyjacflash) and events. I was inspired to become an entrepreneur growing up in a household where I was always encouraged to pursue my dreams. My father was an entrepreneur, and his mother, my grandmother, was also an entrepreneur. My grandmother was a single mother who owned an antique shop, a flower shop and was even featured in Chatelaine magazine! Talk about an original Boss Lady 🙂
You’re constantly innovating, creating and inspiring others. What advice do you have for women who are looking to find their life’s passion and pursue an entrepreneurial lifestyle? How do you overcome the many challenges along the way?
Don’t ever feel the need to continue the job or the company you started if you no longer love it, especially out of fear for what people will think. At 45 or 50 years old, you shouldn’t have to be doing what you started when you were 25; we are constantly evolving, and our careers will follow suit. Just follow your heart and do what you love and everything will organically fall into place. If you are looking to find your life’s passion and pursue an entrepreneurial lifestyle, I suggest pursuing what you love to do in your spare time. If you don’t know what that is, then take some courses in the evenings or weekends! Whether it is a one-day photography course, a flower tabletop arranging seminar or a marketing class at your local college or university. You can also ask to job shadow or volunteer your time at a small business that interests you, to see what the day-to-day is like. Explore a bunch of careers and take note of what excited you the most, then pursue that. And don’t take no for an answer or make excuses for yourself – where there’s a will there’s a way!
Tell us what celebrating International Women’s Day means to you this year, and how you’ll be marking the occasion.
International Women’s Day to me means celebrating and surrounding myself with strong, loving women! I will be marking the occasion with two workshops. One is a sold-out Fitness by Jacflash Women’s Yoga Workshop on March 5th at our Lululemon partner studio, the attic. Anne Matthews will be speaking to us about reproductive and period health and Kay Ghajar will be leading us in a power yoga session. I am also hosting a sold-out Women’s Entrepreneurial Workshop on March 13th. The 65 women in attendance are either stuck in a job they dislike, out of work or have a burning desire to start their own business or take their existing business to the next level. I will share my success story to date, explain why some businesses worked and others didn’t and hopefully inspire women to pursue their own dream career! I will also give out my top tips and tricks on building a successful business and provide everyone with important contacts they’ll require to start or grow their business.
At Bend Beauty, our brand platform rests on creating and celebrating a beautiful life. What does creating a beautiful life mean to you?
Creating a beautiful life to me means waking up every morning feeling like you are fulfilling your dreams and your purpose. It is jumping out of bed with a smile, eager to take on your day!
What’s your favourite Bend Beauty product and why?
The coconut marine collagen… who doesn’t love the benefits of collagen? I add it to my matcha latte every morning. I throw some milk, a spoonful of matcha and a spoonful of the coconut collagen into my Nespresso frother! It’s super quick and easy. I love the flavour and since adding this, I haven’t had to add a sweetener because I find the coconut flavour is naturally sweet enough for me.
You can find Jaclyn on Instagram @jaclyngenovese.
