Following the theme of entrepreneurship and corporate culture; I thought I would use today’s post to discuss the remarkable success of Vancouver designer Nicole Bridger. After a childhood spent dreaming of design, Ms. Bridger knew that it was something she wanted to pursue as a career and proceeded to attend Ryerson University to obtain her degree. She then went on to work at famed athletic wear company Lululemon, and it was there that she both honed her skills and became inspired to strike out on her own. As our alumni last week told our class, starting your own company can be vastly challenging but also supremely rewarding. It allows one to instill their own values and beliefs in an organization, and to surround oneself with others who share them. This is precisely what Bridger did following her departure from Lululemon. Her clothing brand, Nicole Bridger Designs, reflects the things that its creator deems important; namely being ethically sound and environmentally sustainable. Bridger owns her own factory, which allows her to oversee and control a large majority of production and ensure that her workers are treated fairly and production follows the standards outlined in her company’s value proposition. As far as funding went, she managed to facilitate much of it through bank loans and lines of credit; as well as business support groups. She will also be featured on CBC’s Dragon’s Den in the show’s upcoming season.