
Strength in Community
GlamPod launches in less than a week! Can you believe it? With the release date creeping up on us, I have found myself reflecting on the community of people that got me here. The past year has felt like quite the whirlwind; I’ve had to develop multiple iterations of GlamPod, while completing my first year of law school, and working hard to earn a bit of an income. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have gotten through this intense year without the hard-working and supportive people I have in Edmonton and abroad.
I remember when the idea to develop GlamPod first came to me: I was done getting ready for a night out and I didn’t know where to put my beauty blender after I was done using it — an annoyance I experienced many times before this particular night. It dawned on me that there must be a case for makeup sponges out there somewhere, so I decided to do a Google search — I would have purchased a case right then and there if I had found one, but I didn’t. Surprised at the lack of options, I set out to sketch a sleek, simple and most importantly, portable, beauty sponge case.
After I conceptualized the idea for GlamPod, I decided to turn my sketch into a real product. I Googled “freelance 3D artist” in the hopes of finding someone who could produce my case. Through this simple search I found “Upwork,” an amazing global freelance platform that allowed me to publish a job posting for freelance 3D artists. I received a few applications, but I ended up picking a candidate named Antonijo — a man living all the way in Macedonia with five-star reviews. Even though he lives thousands of kilometres away, Antonijo has since become an integral part of the GlamPod process, and I can confidently say he is like family to me.
But hiring Antonijo wasn’t enough; I needed an engineer who could turn my sketches into designs that could be read by a 3D printer, and I wanted to develop prototypes. This time, I decided to hire local professionals, so I posted ads on Kijiji. Through the ads, I managed to find an engineer who had spare time to do some freelance work. I also used the website “3D Hubs” to find three Edmonton-based 3D printers. I’m still amazed that we have an entire community of 3D-printing enthusiasts in the heart of Edmonton!
Even after I had a decent prototype in my hands, I decided to postpone GlamPod’s launch. I’d never want to sell a product I wouldn’t use, so I spent a few months testing the case myself. Luckily, I was also working as a Cosmetics Consultant at the time, so I shared GlamPod with my clients and co-workers in order to get feedback — feedback that ultimately led to a better product. I’m proud to say that after many tweaks and a total of 15 prototypes, the case has surpassed my expectations. GlamPod makes travelling with my beauty sponge effortless, while keeping the sponge cleaner than ever.
My biggest lesson in all of this is that the product turned out as well as it did because a handful of people with diverse skill sets worked together. I didn’t invent GlamPod on my own, an entire team did.
And the community of people that made GlamPod possible doesn’t end here. I also found an amazing UK-based Shopify expert who helped me create a customizable, user-friendly Shopify store; my old boss, now close friend, from a previous summer job came up with the name “GlamPod” when I couldn’t come up with a clever name; one of my best friends Anya has helped me with communications and branding strategies; my boyfriend Moe has driven me around the province (no joke) in order to help me pick up boxes and boxes filled with GlamPods; people I hardly know have helped me with my social media content; complete strangers have reached out in support; and many other close friends here in Edmonton continue to encourage me, even when I feel like giving up.
A second lesson I have learned is that we are all connected. For anything to be successful, you have to ask for help, trust in the goodwill and talent of strangers, and you have to thank the people around you for supporting your dreams.
As GlamPod approaches its launch date, I want to thank every single person who has helped me along the way. GlamPod is the culmination of so many different talents and passions, and I couldn’t have created this product if it weren’t for everyone’s selflessness and generosity.
XO
Ola
