In conversation with Mississauga’s Christine Bellerby, owner and founder of Bellerby Design.

1.  What does your company provide/do?

Our company provides architectural design services for small scale construction projects, with guidance and support through the design, permit and build process, to put clients at ease, bring their dream spaces / structures to life and build a better future. We offer services from Initial Design Consultations to Permit/Build Approvals for interior alterations, renovations, additions and new builds. For example, we can carve out a mudroom, take down a wall and move the kitchen, add a full second storey or build a new dwelling. We’re here to help with whatever changes you need.

2.  What inspired you to start your company?

No distinct “ah-HA!” moment. It’s been an evolution. A process. A journey. After stepping back from my career as an intern architect to raise my incredible family, I recently found myself again. I was listening to Joanne Lipman’s, “Next! The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work”, conceptualizing tiny cabins and studying for exams. One day it occurred to me: I have a job to do. I need to get back out there! Drawing on experience with my own family home, learning first-hand how to adapt spaces and lifestyles to work together, I designed our house to be flexible and allow us to live with less, or live with what we have! This sparked the idea to advocate for adaptive design for changing needs. By adaptive, I mean an intentional design that not only adapts throughout the day, but also adapts over time as the family needs change. This includes tiny backyard dwellings as a viable solution, especially for multi-generational living. These dwellings are coming to Mississauga, following other municipalities and provinces. Connecting with my mentor, Deborah Mesher of Drole House and participating in the Starter Company Plus Program with IDEA Mississauga, gave me the inspiration and the boost, respectively, that I needed to pursue this passion and launch my own business.

3.  What's been the most impactful lesson you've learned being an entrepreneur?

Collaboration and conversations are key. There are various support resources, including fellow entrepreneurs, training, mentoring, coaching, advisors, grants and networks to tap into. You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward, but you do have to be committed and able to ask for help. There’s a lot to learn about entrepreneurship, starting and running a business. You have to keep taking new steps, learning, reflecting on all your accomplishments and celebrating your successes.

4.  How do you unwind?

I don’t! I’m always on with five AH-mazing children. I would love to say I pick up a good book, or the family guitar, but I’m an outdoor fitness enthusiast. When I take time for myself, I connect with nature, paddling or x-country skiing somewhere on Ontario’s waterways or trails. When I truly unplug, it is usually with my family, on Georgian Bay in the summer or snuggled up beside a wood-burning fire in the winter. I can be bribed to take a minute with a latte and a savoury croissant!

5.  What succinct advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

If I can do this, you can do this. Don’t overthink it. Listen to your heart, follow your instincts and “Just Do It” (Nike slogan fan)!

6.  What are your goals for 2024?

To form strategic partnerships with clients and their families, contractors, engineering consultants and realtors. To have fun, generate income to support my family and become known for something along the way!

Connect with Christine here