After a successful launch of ornaments with Christmas and New Year’s greetings printed on brushed-silver sheeting, Toupin is now planning a year-round line.
Earlier this year, Toupin introduced another consumer product line using the same material. She exhibited a series of colourful garden stakes at the National Home Show & Canada Blooms in Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre. Although the event was primarily consumer-oriented, it was also a chance to meet prospective B2B clients and fellow exhibitors.
“My booth was divided into two sides, one for private clients and the other commercial,” she explains. “I had about 100 people interested in signs for their businesses, including landscapers and architects. I also met Paul Lafrance, who hosts Decked Out on Home & Garden Television (HGTV), and now we’re working together on a new outdoor project.”
A bigger business
Toupin runs her business from home, which has allowed her to balance her work hours with her family life, but she is looking to expand beyond what she can handle alone. She recently brought on a St. Lawrence College student as a short-term intern and says it was a win-win experience.
“I love what I do because I’m always doing something different, but I have so many potential clients and no time left to pursue them, so I need to hire a salesperson,” she says. “As the business gets bigger, I would also like to hire an accountant. The three main areas of this business are the product, the marketing and the financial side. While I can handle all three, the first one is my real strength, where I have my own style and can do something special and unique.”
Indeed, Toupin says she is driven by the potentially endless creative options for using the materials and equipment of the sign industry to reach new markets.
“I chose to incorporate under my own name rather than limit my company to signs, because I want the freedom to choose interesting projects whether they are for businesses or consumers,” she explains. “I love the freedom of self-employment. I am in charge of challenging myself with different projects.”
