In this part of our series “Founder’s Story,” we caught up with Moa Danielson, owner of the fashion boutique QC Corner, one of our beloved STINAA.J retailers. She shares her journey of turning passion into a career, how difficult experiences sometimes become the foundation for great ideas, and how important it is to get through both the highs and lows of entrepreneurship with the right people around you.
Discover Moa’s story below and shop our shoes at QC Corner in Gothenburg.
So tell us, Moa, what is your story?
My story begins, and honestly also ends, with a genuine passion for fashion and clothing. I have always loved fashion, even if I have not always been particularly good at it, if you know what I mean.
At the same time, I have always loved listening, learning, and constantly developing. That is something I have done throughout my entire life, and it is also what eventually led me to become the proud co-owner of QC Corner, the boutique I run today in Gothenburg.
In January 2018, I seriously began pursuing my dream of one day owning my own store, and by August that same year, I had the opportunity to purchase 50% of QC Corner, which also gave me full creative control.
Even though everything I have accomplished comes down to hard work, I also believe that timing matters. Sometimes you need to be in the right place at the right time and have a little bit of luck on your side.
Would it be fair to say that you turned your passion into a career?
Like I said above: absolutely. I truly love what I do and feel passionate about my work every single day.
Was it an easy decision to start your company?
The short answer is no, it definitely was not easy.
At the same time, I have wanted to start my own business for as long as I can remember. When I was 18, my father started a company together with four other people, and I had the opportunity to work there for a period of time.
That experience gave me real insight into what it actually means to run your own business, and even though I understood how demanding it could be, it only made me want it even more.
What were your greatest fears?
My greatest fear has always been that the company would not survive. If that were to happen, though, I know I would still be able to say that I gave it everything I had, and sometimes things simply do not work out.
But honestly, I think that is probably one of the biggest fears for most entrepreneurs, especially during uncertain times.
What was the factor that made it go from a dream to a real company?
I have had many negative experiences working within different retail companies, both in physical stores and within e-commerce. Strangely, those experiences became incredibly valuable because seeing what did not work helped me understand what was actually possible when it came to creating a great retail experience.
The final push came after a particularly terrible week at my previous job, combined with three different people in my life reminding me that you only live once.
At that point, I knew what my dream was, I had gained the experience I needed, and I simply thought: “Why not?” That was the moment I decided to leap.
What is the best part of your job?
Making people happy.
What is your best advice for others thinking about starting their own business?
I think that to succeed, you need to have one really strong idea. It is not always about inventing something completely new that nobody has ever seen before. Sometimes it is about taking an existing idea and finding a way to make it better.
It is also incredibly important to have a stable support system around you, whether that is a supportive partner, close friends, or family. You will need those people during both the good times and the difficult ones.
This interview series was created to highlight and empower female entrepreneurs by allowing them to tell their stories in their own words. If you would like to see more of Moa, follow her on instagram where she shares daily outfit inspiration and glimpses from life at QC Corner.
If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share, feel free to contact us at info@stinaaj.com.
