Okay, we know we say every #mplocal is an exciting one - but this was so fun to read! We've actually never met the women behind A Girl Named Trenholme but we obsess over their PJ line quite frequently. Their pieces are made in Canada, they support local charities and they've created a brand that speaks to all types of women to help them feel comfy and sexy! *adds to Christmas list*.
Seeing the brand grow online speaks for itself and the quality behind each set, but after getting to know them and who they are, we are so excited to share it with you! Definitely in the market for 3 new besties, because so much of what they said resonates so true to us.
Without further ado, meet Megan, Maddi and Emma from A Girl Named Trenholme.
Name: Megan, Maddi, and Emma
Your title: Big day dreamers!
Your elevator pitch:
We are three sisters that just want what every other woman wants from their wardrobe – to look good and feel good! Our sleepwear line is designed to do just that; give women the comfort to feel confident and sexy at the same time. Each piece is made in Canada using buttery soft and sustainable bamboo. Our designs are flattering on all body types and effortlessly transition from wearing around the house to running into town.
We want A Girl Named Trenholme to be what you slip into when you want to feel comfortable and content. We also support local children’s charities including Strong Start to Reading and Clarky’s Kids – because doing good is just one other way that your AGNT sleepwear helps you to feel good too!
One word to describe yourself:
Ummm!
Why did you choose that word?
It’s hard to choose just one word – the ‘ummm’ actually works perfectly because people have difficulty pronouncing our name! Trenholme is our mom’s middle name and it’s correctly pronounced ‘Tren-home,’ but we’ve always said it quickly and it began sounding like ‘Tren-ummm.’
It’s also a fitting word because we make a million little decisions everyday and that ‘ummm’ is the perfect pause to think about our current plans and future goals.
If we were to describe our brand, it would be positive, cheeky and honest!
We each bring a piece of this to the table – Megan is the positive one; she is overflowing with ideas and passion at every team meeting and takes setbacks in stride. Maddi is the witty one who always puts a clever spin on words; she’s our caption master (if it’s not funny, Maddi didn’t write it!). Emma is the honest one, there’s no beating around the bush with her! She tells us what’s working well and when to cut ideas. She’s also got an incredible eye for styling our photos and designing our social media content.
Why did you start the business that you did and what was the inspiration or reasoning of how it came it life?
We love pajamas!!! There is nothing more relaxing at the end of a long day than having a hot shower, slipping on your pajamas and sinking into the couch!
Megan: I also love that you don’t have to be fashion-forward to wear them. I always think back to Grade 7 when I was ‘sweater-twins’ with the school secretary; it was my first Northern Getaway purchase, and I felt so good in that sweater… until I was called out for my matching fashion. Clothes don’t make the woman, but I believe you’re the best version of yourself when you’re comfortable! Our pajamas give that to women – the comfort to feel confident and sexy at the same time!
We also love being creative and working hard! When you manufacture in Canada, you are the general contractor: you oversee every detail right down to deciding the wrist cuff measurements! We also source the notions, create the labels, coordinate production and develop and execute marketing campaigns.
It’s taken a few years to bring these pajamas from dreams to dresser drawers, but it’s been incredible to have a wild idea and see it come to life.
First thought when you officially became your own boss:
Megan: I LOVE organizing, so being able to be in charge of coordinating all the little details of building our brand was exciting!
Maddi: I’m excited to break out of a 9-5 job…but nervous to set my own schedule!
Emma: I’m the baby of the family. I kind of always knew I’d end up being my own boss ;)
When you’re not hustling, what do you do in your free time?
Megan: Running, getting caught with my hand in the Chipits bag (chocolate is a food group), and house-hunting
Maddi: Learning to golf, trying out new pasta recipes, and discovering new songs and artists (highly recommend checking out Bishop Briggs and Cyn!)
Emma: Watching YouTube beauty tutorials, ordering a flat white, and asking to pet your dog
Describe a day in your life:
This is still a passion project for us; we all have day jobs to support this dream!
Megan: I am a nurse; I work 12-hr shifts, which are always super busy! Yet on a day off, I have a hard time sitting still!! So, I like to start my mornings with a run outside, and then tackle emails (which always take way longer than I ever plan for!), check off some to-do list items for AGNT and squeeze in some errands and catching up with family and friends.
Maddi: I currently work in insurance. My day job is mostly composed of writing emails and answering phone calls. Most of my AGNT work is done in the evenings or on the weekends.
Emma: You can find me serving up shots! I work as a barista at Starbucks pulling espresso shots, and am growing my photography business – The August Photo Company – shooting couples in love!
What is your biggest accomplishment?
Megan: For me, it’s not one thing. It’s having developed a strong work ethic that gives me the confidence to try new things – to fail and be okay with that, and to use each success to challenge myself again!
Maddi: I’m with Meg, I can’t pinpoint one thing! I am pretty proud of finding enough courage to reach out to Peter (we used to work together)... we just celebrated 5 years together and this makes me so happy!
Emma: I’m only 23! Ask me again in 5 years. But, I have been published in a journal, which was very rewarding.
What are your top 3 bucket list items?
Megan: I’m a homebody, but I’m excited for finding that someone to travel with! First up would be Hawaii in a Jeep! I also want to renovate a house, and write a children’s book.
Maddi: Become an award-winning newborn photographer, road trip through Ireland in a vintage convertible and build a cottage from the ground up.
Emma: Get a puppy named Basmati (Baz for short), have my photography published in wedding journals, and see the Milky Way from Maui!
What or who inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing?
Each other! We spend almost all of our free moments putting life into this company. The enormity of building a brand can be overwhelming. It is SO important that we have each other to lean on…and to push us to produce our best work. We know what each other are capable of!
Emma: This past year we had a surplus of fabric, and Megan came to Maddi and I with an idea to use it for one of our local charities. We are exclusively women’s pajamas (right now!), but we wanted to create something unisex, and that could be worn by all ages. In just one month, we designed, sourced and created beanies. Our campaign raised over $500 to support The Kitchener Rangers Clarky’s Kids Charity, which provides financial support to children with cancer and their families. It all happened really fast – we are so grateful for everyone who bought a beanie and made it a success!! It took all three of us to put in l o n g hours to make it happen, but we can’t wait to do it again this year!
What animal do you relate with and why?
Definitely a dog! So many reasons…
1.) The best pet
2.) Loyal
3.) Warm and friendly
4.) Protective of the people they love most
What is your daily mantra?
Megan: If you want to know what grateful feels like, take a breath.
Maddi: Don’t listen to your fears; they don’t know your strengths.
Emma: Hard work beats talent, if talent doesn’t work hard. Thank you to Mrs. Macey, my high school field hockey coach, for instilling this in me. ;)
What are some tips and tricks you use to stay motivated?
We started doing weekly meetings! Since we all work other day jobs, we’ve found that we are so much more productive over 2 hours, than when we miss a meeting and just talk about what needs to get done in passing. But by far, our favourite part and motivation is hands down photoshoot day! Seeing the pajamas come to life is amazing! We have also been SO lucky to have strong, confident, kind and driven women model A Girl Named Trenholme.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
There are so many lessons we are learning! Top 3 would be:
1. There will be obstacles. And, they will never come at a good time! We’ve learned though that they are never insurmountable and they often force you to look at things in a new way.
2. Not everyone will be excited for you, but what you put out into the world, will come back to you. So, stay true to your brand and be proud of what you are doing!
3. Practice balance and make sure to take breaks. When you get out of your head and do something completely unrelated, you come back much more creative and energized.
What’s next for you?
We’d love to continue to grow – and for our brand to become a household name! One of our short-term goals is to be carried in local shops (we are currently exclusively online)!
How can our readers find you?
Online: www.agirlnamedtrenholme.com
Instagram: @agirlnamedtrenholme
In person: popping up at local shops in the community this Fall AND at The Modern Mom Show on November 22 and 23 at the Western Fair District in London!
So... did you also just go to the website and *add to cart*? These 3 ladies have worked so hard juggling full-time jobs and their passion project and built a brand from the ground up, overseeing every step of the process. We can't wait to see what next year brings for them and hopefully see their pajama sets in a few local stores!
We are constantly looking to promote local businesses and freelancers in the community, so if you are interested in sharing a bit about your life and your journey, send us a DM or email us at hello@mintandpoppy.com.
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