b'GLOBAL BUSINESSPattern for SuccessHow an insurance executive and his partner turneda passion for knitting into a global businessBy Matthew BradfordF rom a home in the woods toscene, one inspired by their love for nature, the10,000+ Instagram followers and more than customers across the pond,craft, and the LGBTQ+ community. In 2016,250,000 views on our YouTube channel. This Christopher Walker and Jamiethey launched Cabin Boy Knits. gave us a great client base prior to distributing Godin have cast Cabin Boy Knits into theMy goal was to bring a different lens toour product to the public, Walker says. Very global spotlight. Like any hobby-turned- knitting, which was already a very queer spacequickly, we found that people around the business success story, the duowho areto begin with, especially among men, saysworld were interested in Canadian products partners in business and in lifebeganWalker. Eventually, we thought it would beand liked the idea of this dude living in a forest small. But after years of working in finance,fun to start selling naturally dyed yarn underdying wool. most recently as chief compliance officerthe persona of a queer Canadian lumberjackStart-up costs were relatively low. Main with Manulife Asset Management, Walkerliving in the woods and dying yarn, and weoverhead expenses were mitigated with the wanted to find out how far he could take hisfound a great reception to that idea among use of well water, rainwater and snow from dye-hard passion for knitting as a bona fidethe community. the businesss natural environment, as well side-business. as botanicals from the duos garden and I always had an interest in art and fashionGETTING STARTED surrounding forest. Our start-up costs were but made a decision early in life to pursue theWith a compelling business concept andbasically wool, used dye pots and some foreign corporate path. That was successfulandcozy headquarters, the first part of Cabinbotanicals, Walker explains. And because of still isbut I was aching to get involved inBoy Knits business plan was to educate itsthe relatively low cost to enter the market, we Canadian fashion, recalls Walker, who splitsfuture customers on the sustainability aspectsdid not require a start-up investment or loan.his time between growing Cabin Boy Knits andof natural dying as well as the benefits ofMarketing expenses were also kept at a his day job at Manulife. I had a place in theCanadian wool. For this, Walker and Godinminimum thanks to the partners social media country, I was knitting in my free time, and Ileveraged social media to build their expertise. Soon after launching, Walker began was starting to dye my own yarn, so I thought,customer base. filming tutorials and promotional videos for What can I do with this? In the beginning, I was using InstagramYouTube to give their eco-forward lumberjack For Walker and his partner Godin, theto generate interest and see what the marketbrand a boost. The amazing thing about answer was to bring a new voice to the knittingwas like. Within the first few years, we hadsocial media is that people will post things 14| QBiz CANADA | 2021'