From the kitchen table to Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned hair accessory brand.
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Mya Beaudry started Kokom Scrunchies in 2019 as a way to give back to youth in her community during the Kitigan Zibi Traditional Pow Wow. She was just nine years old at the time.
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“It originally started as a fundraiser, and I would make scrunchies throughout the week and release them every Sunday on Instagram,” Beaudry recalls.
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Named after the Algonquin word for grandmother, Kokum, the small startup offered hair accessories made primarily from the floral scarves Beaudry was accustomed to seeing her elders wear while working outside.
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The response to the small product drops on social media and sales via vendor booths at local markets was staggering.
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West Coast Table
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“I reached my fundraising goal in just five months,” she says. “What started at my kitchen table quickly grew into something much bigger than I ever imagined.”
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With the help of Beaudry’s mom and Kokum Scrunchies president, Marcie Portelance, the project became a full-fledged business, including the launch of its own online store in 2020.
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“At first, it was just Mya making scrunchies, but before long, the business started taking over our whole house. We were moving furniture around, turning rooms into storage, and creating space for an office and workshop just to keep up with demand,” Portelance recalls. “After a 20-year federal government career, I made the decision to retire and step in as president to streamline and scale the business.
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“My role has been to support operations, partnerships, wholesale growth, and building the systems needed to help Kokom Scrunchies grow nationally while making sure Mya can continue focusing on the creative heart and mission of the brand.”
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Today, the Ottawa-based Kokum Scrunchies is considered to be Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned hair accessory brands, with retail partnerships in more than 150 stores across the country, including various locations around Vancouver and in B.C., as well as the country’s first scrunchie vending machines in Ontario.
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The young entrepreneur has also partnered with major brands such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nike on collaborations. Kokum Scrunchies were also featured during New York Fashion Week and in the most recent Oscars pre-gifting suite.
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As for the packing and shipping, that’s now done out of a warehouse rather than the family’s home.
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“Kokom Scrunchies has grown in ways I never could have imagined,” Beaudry says of the business that began with an idea and a $15 investment.
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The hair accessories are typically priced from $12 to $18, depending on the collection and materials used. The product offering has also expanded to include additional accessories such as scarves and lanyards.
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“Many of the floral scarf patterns that inspire our collections reflect traditions shared across cultures around the world, including styles seen in European floral scarves,” explains Portelance of the creations. “And each scrunchie in our core collection is named after an incredible Indigenous woman in Mya’s life, making every piece personal and meaningful.”
