In honour of International Women’s Day, we wanted to celebrate the remarkable achievements of local female entrepreneurs. Here is our interview with Erin Kleinberg, founder of SIDIA, a Toronto-born and based body care and fine fragrance brand inspired by the timeless feeling of comfort at home, the beauty that surrounds us every day, and the multi-generational legacy of the family matriarch.
1. How did you come up with the idea for your brand?
After building brands with many founders and helping legacy and luxury brands with new launches and moments at my agency Métier, I felt inspired to create a brand of my own, in my grandmother’s name and honour. She passed away too young, and when that happened, I felt like I needed to share the self-care and priority on personal rituals she always instilled in me. Our tagline, ‘come home to yourself,’ reflects this essence. I’ve studied luxury brands for so many years, and, that felt like the right moment to take a leap of my own. Through my time running Coveteur I also spent so much intimate time with tastemakers in their spaces and learned how people create comfort, hygge and ambience through gorgeous bougies and hand and body care and always dreamed of creating these products in my own special way.
2. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? (What were your motivations or aspirations at the beginning?)
At a young age, I knew my path would be unconventional. My parents always knew my brother would be a doctor (veterinarian), and they always looked at me with a bit of a sweet and loving question mark lol. I never did that well in school, always schmoozing for grades and excelling with my social life. When I was a kid, I crafted bead jewellery and sold it to friends and family. And then in university, I started making tops from scarves that gained popularity. That was when I realized I could create and share products with the world. As a serial entrepreneur, starting at the age of 21, I successfully launched a clothing line sold in Barneys, Nordstrom, Lane Crawford, and 80 stores worldwide within a few years. This early success paved the way for co-founding The Coveteur.
Since selling garments out of my dorm room, it has felt natural to build and share—it’s truly my passion! Graduating from university in Toronto’s limited fashion job market compelled me to forge my own path. During university, directing a large charity fashion show taught me valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, from fundraising to showcasing designs. Managing everything with my oversized navy BlackBerry phone, that experience shaped my entrepreneurial journey and fueled my ambitions.
3. What impact would you like to have on people, other women, society in general?
I want to inspire people—especially women—to embrace what makes them unique rather than chasing a mold that was never meant to fit everyone. There’s this illusion of progress in beauty standards, but so often, it’s just the same unattainable ideal repackaged. The pressure to conform, to smooth out every imperfection until we all look like variations of the same face, is exhausting. True beauty lies in individuality, in the quirks and differences that make us human.
I hope we’re moving toward a future where trends don’t dictate self-worth, where creativity and authenticity take the lead again. The world doesn’t need another copy-paste version of what’s “in” right now—it needs people who are unapologetically themselves.
4. How do you manage work-life balance as an entrepreneur? (Do you have strategies for managing stress and preventing burnout?)
Sustainability practices are part of how we scale our team and organization. There’s no use in advocating for a healthy, harmonious community if we don’t practice what we preach. In an effort to create work-life harmony, we forgo meetings on Fridays, support Summer Fridays and extra long weekends when possible, and make pains to keep working hours only 9-5. It means a lot to me to nurture a team that feels balanced and creates a culture of openness, passion, and collaboration.
5. Are there any women who have inspired you in your professional or personal life, and if so, why?
My grandmother acts as our blueprint. Deeply ingrained in our ethos is a penchant to interweave and connect tradition and modernity. So many women can resonate with this feeling of celebrating their matriarchs. We hope, as you enjoy the brand, you feel a sense of ease, comfort, hygiene, and home.
6. As a woman entrepreneur, have you encountered any unique challenges?
There’s the way success is framed. Men are seen as visionaries, while women are often called “lucky” or assumed to have had help. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, it fuels me. Because every time a woman carves out space for herself, without apologizing for it, it chips away at those outdated mindsets. The goal isn’t just to succeed within the system but to reshape it entirely.
7. What advice would you give to young women who want to start their own business but are hesitant due to fear of failure or perceived barriers?
Embrace your failures as opportunities. Each time I fail, I internalize it – I’m only human. Take the time to absorb, and wake up the next morning and turn your mistakes into lessons; if we don’t win, we learn. You will be hit with failures and crises along the way, be it internal or external, but it’s how you come back from them that makes or breaks a business.
8. How do you define success?
Feeling like I’m continually learning, having growth, and being content with the everyday. Feeling grateful and excited about the future.
9. Can you share a defining moment or success that you’re particularly proud of in your entrepreneurial journey?
My biggest win is my team. That goes without saying. There’s almost 20 individuals who work across both my companies and a lot of them have been here for a long time. I think that’s a true testament to what we’re building and how we’re constantly growing together. It takes a village. If I don’t have the team, then I don’t have anything. I can’t do anything by myself. People always say this, but hire people who are smarter than you. Make sure they have different strengths than you. My M.O. is like, communication is collaboration, it’s community, and it’s really just trying to get to higher heights together.
10. If you could give one golden rule to an aspiring female entrepreneur, what would it be?
Just go for it and don’t be afraid what people might think. It’s easier said than done but get comfortable with being uncomfortable and constant change. Seek advice from others, but ultimately make decisions based on your own judgment. Listen to your gut—intuition and instinct rule everything. Expect setbacks; its all about resilience, grit, collaboration, and resourcefulness. Remember your purpose of why you’re doing what you’re doing and what sets you apart. Once you are ready get people around you that are smarter than you and show them your vision daily. It takes a village! Launch now, perfect later!
