Member Story: blushco. Part 1: Starting your own business

Small businesses are at the heart of our Atlantic Canadian communities. When they thrive, we thrive too. Not surprisingly, there’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes before a business opens in your neighbourhood—and it’s not all glitz and glamour.

If you’ve ever thought about starting your own business or want to get a sneak peek at the action before a business launches, we’ve got you. In this three-part series, we’re diving into the nitty, the gritty, and the exciting aspects of how two entrepreneurs saw an opportunity and rose to the occasion—all with a bit of help from their local credit union.

Although launching a business during a worldwide pandemic seems more than intimidating for most, Atlantic Canadians Thanh and Priya knew it’s exactly what they wanted. Passionate makers themselves, co-founders Thanh and Priya wanted to support other makers and small businesses during a time of uncertainty.

Introducing blushco.!

blushco. is a curated lifestyle box that is released quarterly and filled with thoughtful curated goods from Atlantic Canadian makers, including home, beauty, wearables, and other special treats that will change each season. The aim? To inject energy, money, and support into the local economy and their community.

With this special vision in mind, blushco. knew they needed the right partner to collaborate with and when they thought small business support, they knew it would a credit union.

“Our expertise is business and marketing and we were intimidated when we had to talk money,” says Thanh. “But as soon as we met financial expert Dan of East Coast Credit Union, we knew we could trust him. Dan was honest, transparent, supportive, and helpful from start to finish.”

Priya adds “Credit unions have been warm and open since we first explored finding a financial partner. We’ve learned a lot about money—it’s not as linear as you think!—and now understand what is actually happening with our money and why things need to be done a certain way.”

Starting your own business is exciting and cause for celebration! But navigating the confusing new language and all that paperwork can be overwhelming. That’s why building a trusting relationship with a financial expert is so important—because they’re in business for you.

Watch the beginning of Thanh and Priya’s story above.

If you’re thinking about starting your own business, check out our Business Planning Guide to get started.

Want to talk business about your business? We can help.

Local businesses of all shapes and sizes are the heart of our communities, which is why credit unions believe in supporting local businesses both big and small. Don’t take our word for it: Atlantic Business Magazine’s readers have named credit unions the Best Financial Institution in Atlantic Canada for small businesses. To learn about how we have helped our member businesses, check out their stories below.

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