Zero Waste Shop & Artisan Market - Fillosophy Refill Bar
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Linsay Ogden, founder of Fillosophy Refill Bar, located in Oliver, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Fillosophy opened its doors on Earth Day 2021 and is Oliver's first and only refillery! We are a zero-waste market focused on sustainable practices and providing an ecosystem of local makers, ethically sourced foods, organic refillable home and beauty products and plastic-free alternatives to the South Okanagan.
Our customers are already conscious consumers who care about the environment and their health but perhaps didn't have the option or convenience to make the sustainable swaps before; now they do!
Tell us about yourself
My grandparents were staunch activists and always taught us the responsibility we hold to our communities, each other, and our planet from a young age.
I guess you could say it's in my blood. I am constantly motivated by our community's green movement since opening the shop. The positive space and community we've created at Fillosophy fills me with immense joy and the motivation to keep doing what I'm doing.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our biggest accomplishment is diverting over 7,000 containers from the landfill in our first six months of being open just by people being able to reuse and refill their containers from home. Being able to say where all of our products come from and tell the stories behind each maker. Knowing we support other Canadian families locally and across (almost) every province is a fantastic feeling!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I can't pinpoint or say that one thing is the hardest. There are challenges every week, sometimes more than once a day, but the feeling of freedom, the creativity to be and owning your own time is worth all of it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make a plan and follow through.
- Keep a daily journal of the business and learn from your triumphs & mistakes.
- Always trust your cape and lean into all of it!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Don't be afraid to ask others in your community or line of work for advice. You will be pleasantly surprised at how many perfectly good strangers want you to succeed!
Take advantage of programs in your area. I wouldn't have gotten to where I am without the help from Community Futures and the other incredible women-led businesses & Refilleries who took the time to mentor me through my journey.
https://cfokanagan.com/
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.fillosophyrefillbar.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fillosophyrefillbar/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fillosophyrefillbar/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.