Written By: Evelyn Mytka, Contributing Writer
When we first featured Sade Babatunde of Knit Me Up Style, she was already making waves as a personal stylist helping people rediscover confidence through thoughtful, intentional fashion. Since then, her business has continued to evolve and so has her approach to entrepreneurship. This fall, she even joined us on stage as a panelist at our 2025 Calgary Small Business Week event, sharing her insights and experiences with other Alberta entrepreneurs.
Since our last feature, she has become more intentional about money, community and long-term strategy. In this interview, she talks about the lessons that shaped her, the meaning of balance as a founder, and the big opportunities she’s aiming for next.
“Profit will come as long as you stay hungry for growth, keep pivoting and solving problems.”
Evelyn: What’s something you believed about entrepreneurship in the beginning that you’ve since changed your mind about?
Sade: I used to think entrepreneurship was about profit only. Don’t get me wrong, being profitable as a business owner is the only way to survive and grow, but I now realize how important it is to learn, grow and embrace change in the beginning. I now understand, and am still learning, that profit will come as long as you stay hungry for growth, keep pivoting and solving problems, and learning from the challenges you walk through.
It’s a delicate balance between learning and chasing profit, but it’s important not to tilt too much in one direction or the journey can become bitter. If you’re overly fixated on learning, pivoting, overcoming challenges but not applying your learnings to making your business profitable, you will not survive. And on the other hand, if you’re overly fixated on money, you might attract the wrong kind of community and limit the company’s growth by missing opportunities because they don’t seem immediately profitable.
“Success is thinking outside of the box and into the future — how is the world evolving and how will fashion fit into it?”
Evelyn: What does success look like to you right now and how has that definition evolved?
Sade: Originally, success looked like more sales, revenue and profit at any cost. Now success is more calculated and nuanced, but the end goal remains the same: build a profitable company that can scale.
Success now means building a network of meaningful relationships that can be leveraged into a strong community. It’s creating services that bring value to my clients but are also operationally smart. It’s thinking outside of the box and into the future — how is the world evolving and how will fashion fit into it? Finally, success is creating a business that is profitable, scalable, and sellable.
“There is no perfect balance as a business owner. There are no clean working hours.”
Evelyn: You’ve talked about pacing yourself. What does balance actually look like for you as a business owner?
Sade: There is no perfect balance as a business owner. There are no clean working hours of 9 to 5. I’m constantly working, even when I’m not. I’m always strategizing, thinking through problems while I brush my teeth and trying to come up with a solution during my workouts.
Balance to me is enjoying and soaking in my free time when I have it. I do my best not to work past a certain time, and I aim to have at least one day per week where I don’t work, strategize or try to solve business problems. I find that having that one day to ‘turn off’ my brain actually lets me come back into work mode in full throttle.
“Think about where you want the business to be three, five and ten years from now, and work backwards from there to determine your money goals.”
Evelyn: If you could give one piece of advice about money to a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
Sade: Read the book Profit First by Mike Michalowicz and become one with your finances. Everything you’re doing should be traced to the bottom line. How is X effort driving your profit or helping you build intangible value that also grows your business?
I once read an article about a business owner who advised every entrepreneur to become the CFO of their company. You need to know how your business is doing, money-wise, even if money is flowing. You also need to think long-term about your money. It’s not safe to live day to day and not think about retirement or your exit plan. Think about where you want the business to be three, five and ten years from now, and work backwards from there to determine your money goals.
“Creativity is the source and starting point of my business strategy, fashion styling, marketing and networking strategy.”
Evelyn: You work in fashion. How do creativity and business strategy intersect for you?
Sade: My business strategy is a combination of strategy and creativity. As much as I need to be strategic and have a growth, marketing or practical business plan, I also need to inject creativity into each of those avenues to stand out in the crowd.
The best businesses are the ones that have identified, understood and perfected their unique selling proposition. And in order to be unique, you need a healthy dose of creativity. Creativity is the source and starting point of my business strategy, fashion styling, marketing, and networking strategy. It fuels and directs me.
“Your network and brand are more powerful than you might imagine.”
Evelyn: Do you think personal branding plays a role in business growth?
Sade: It absolutely does. For small business owners and early-stage entrepreneurs, your personal brand plays an even bigger role in how far your business grows. It’s not just who you know, but what they’re saying about you and who they’re recommending you to when you’re not in the room. That’s how personal branding plays a role in your business growth.
Sometimes it’s the second-degree connection of a client that leads to exponential growth that you could not have otherwise reached through traditional marketing or sales methods. Personal branding is extremely important, so don’t burn or forget bridges. Your network and brand are more powerful than you might imagine.
“I’m really excited to work with hospitality companies and brands and lead the creative design of their uniform programs.”
Evelyn: What’s a big dream or project that still excites you for Knit Me Up Style?
Sade: I’m really excited to work with hospitality companies and brands and lead the creative design of their uniform programs. Everything from designing and styling their uniforms to building style systems and uniform guidelines for various departments that reflect the company’s brand. This is something I am actively pursuing and would be a dream project for Knit Me Up Style.
Sade’s journey shows that entrepreneurship is never static. It takes resilience, creativity, and a willingness to revise your definition of success as you grow. Through every chapter, she has continued to show what it looks like to build a business rooted in passion and strategy and to do it with confidence.
Watch Her Client Story Video Below:
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