Replic: the blog

The original interview was written in French, you can find the original text here.

In this interview, Annie Lamarche, a serial entrepreneur, reflects on her journey and the motivations that led to Angry Ballerina, a store specializing in jersey and printed fabrics. She explains how she transformed her personal frustrations and experiences to find her niche and discusses her plans to optimize her shop.

What prompted you to start a business?

In fact, Angry Ballerina is my third business. I started one in my early twenties to “learn the ropes,” where I learned how things worked, especially everything related to importing. It became more concrete during my first maternity leave, when I launched a clothing manufacturing company. I couldn’t find what I wanted and had to visit several stores to get the materials I needed. I realized it was inconceivable to go to 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 stores just to complete a project. So, I decided to create a one-stop shop.

I did that during my second maternity leave. During the first leave, I was frustrated with the clothing I was making. Then I created the solution to those frustrations and opened my shop. We are now in our ninth year. With Angry Ballerina, my goal was to specialize in jersey, really cotton Spandex knit, and to have as many colours as possible. I wanted to be the one-stop shop for jerseys.

Then I experimented, adding or removing sections according to my wishes. Since I am the boss, I could test whatever I wanted. By the second year, we already had a shop. I love moving: we moved eight times before finding the perfect formula. Every move or addition/removal of a section was to satisfy me. It was the start of rapid evolution: I created a solution that worked for me, and the good news is that others were looking for the same thing.

Where does the name Angry Ballerina come from?

The name wasn’t planned. With my manufacturing company, I attended many events and trade shows, including Comic-Con and maternity fairs. At one point, I was at an event surrounded by other artisans. Across from me, there was an artist creating drawings. Unknowingly, one of her portraits was called The Angry Ballerina. It struck me. I’m not a dancer, but this portrait had a different emotion that caught my attention. Usually, when you think of ballerinas, the first emotion is perfection. Not anger. When I had to find a name for my business, I liked the contrast created by this painting.

From a marketing perspective, it was convenient that it started with “A” for alphabetical order. I tried French versions, but they were less interesting. So we kept a bilingual name, allowing us to reach all of Canada and all types of clients.

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of running a business?

Many people think first about freedom: “I’ll do what I want, work the hours I want…” The false image of someone running in the fields with the wind in their hair. We all make this mistake and leave a 9–5 job for a 24/7 job.

What I dislike most is the time and energy that communication demands. I’ve noticed that the success of my business is directly linked to the time spent communicating. We live in an era of instant response: emails, Facebook, Instagram… Clients expect quick answers, which can become unhealthy, especially if you don’t delegate. I remember a client who got upset for not getting a Facebook reply in 11 minutes! And constant connectivity can negatively affect social life and family.

What I like is having full control over the business. I can add or remove sections as I wish, like deciding to print leggings, and if I no longer want it, I can stop. In a large company, I wouldn’t have that control.

Favourite patterns or designers?

I have two children, so I sew a lot for kids. My favourite pattern company is Apple Tree. Their patterns are well-made, well-explained, come in many sizes, and are easy to modify. I’ve tested many, but Apple Tree has been my favourite for children.

Other stores you admire?

“Admire” is a strong word. I like certain companies for their marketing and direction, such as Noir Blanc, and Non non oui. I respect their niche and signature. In Quebec, a few companies have found their place and coexist without stepping on each other’s toes.

What advice would you give to someone considering starting a fabric store?

Many people started during COVID, thinking it would be easy money. Sewing machines were in the top 10 Google searches. But now, it’s not easy.

Previously, people sewed to save money. Today, it’s a costly hobby. People do it to get results tailored to their bodies. It’s a luxury, not a necessity.

To succeed nowadays, you must adapt. Shops cannot continue using the same old formula. You need to know your client, adapt your offer, constantly revise, and accept change. You can’t just think you’ll make money. There must be passion and a client to guide your decisions. That’s what keeps you on track.

What are you most looking forward to right now?

Before running Angry Ballerina, I worked in sales analysis and optimization. Now, I’m getting back to the basics. I focus on three main areas: accessories, in-store printing, and jerseys. My goal is to optimize and develop these areas and promote them through marketing.

I bought a DTS machine almost two years ago. We make appliqués for sweatshirts. That’s one-third of my business. Jerseys are another third. In-store printing is the final third. That’s where I’ll focus my efforts.

I’ve also developed apps to manage our image library and make it easier to share with clients. My current challenge is to make these images accessible without overloading the site. I love buying images from various artists, which I have accumulated over the years. Now we have thousands of images we can print. I couldn’t find a system to make them accessible, and I didn’t want to create a product sheet for every combination of fabric and image. I already have 7,000 product sheets. Multiplying that by the 4,500 images I have would be a nightmare. And none of the Shopify apps I tried worked. This is my next challenge.