ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Constanza Safatle knows the true meaning of sacrifice.
After attending university for seven years and earning her law degree, she left her practice in Chile, where she worked with at-risk women, to immigrate to Newfoundland with her husband, who was pursuing his education. They left their home, family, and culture behind.
“That transition was exciting but at the same time it was a huge challenge and more so for me because I didn’t speak any English,” she says. “I started from scratch. I didn’t know anything about St. John’s and Newfoundland it was an adventure - but a big challenge.”
Safatle began working at a coffee shop in the capital city, where she picked up the English language. A few months after settling in St. John’s, she and her husband learned they were going to have a baby. During her maternity leave with her son, she taught herself to sew and began creating stylish clothing and accessories for children up to three years old. Safatle and her husband would joke they had a “newborn Newfoundlander” - which was shortened to “Newbornlander” - and that became the perfect name for her new small business.
“There are so many newcomers like me who have professional skills. In my case, I would need to study law again to become a lawyer (here). The city offers a lot of basic jobs but after a while, I felt I could do more," she says. "For me, being an entrepreneur was a good option. I also began teaching sewing to women (at the Creative Sewing Atelier).”
With Safatle as a coordinator, the program not only taught immigrant women entrepreneurial skills but also encouraged them to get outside their home, practice English, share their culture and history with others.
“Creative Atelier, unfortunately, closed a few months ago, but I just got the news that I have a new job at the YWCA, and I am so happy to be back in that area where I will be working with women. Being a lawyer has given me a lot of helpful tools when working with problems where you have to be innovative.”
She adds that working with women’s issues has been a passion of hers since her university days.
“When I was in university, I developed a program for women in social risk to improve their economic situation through the entrepreneurial field. That has given me so much inspiration – seeing those women work hard to improve their situation.”
Her grandmother, back in Chile, is another woman who profoundly impacted her life.
“I feel she epitomizes feminism today. Years ago, you felt alone when you fought for rights in that conservative culture. My grandmother divorced from my grandfather when she was young. She told me she took her sewing machine and her children and left home, and she began sewing (to support her family). Today, she has a good life, but she started with little.”
Expanding business
Safatle’s family added another “newbornlander” one year ago when they welcomed a daughter to the world. As her business continued to grow, she realized she needed to expand her professional team as well. She wanted a female entrepreneur like herself, and so her partnership with colleague Kerri Ivany began. Ivany, a textile artist, also worked with Creative Atelier.
“Instead of trying to hire someone, I decided to look for a partner, and I feel today we are a strong team," Safatle said. "It’s huge when you have a (fellow entrepreneur) and a Canadian who trusts in you. She closed her business to help me with mine and it was a big challenge for both. So, I told her this is like a marriage - we have confidence in each other and we jumped together.”
Today, she credits their thriving business to the fact that two driven women of different backgrounds were willing to give each other a chance and come together for a common goal.
They now have customers across the country and have some exciting plans to make their work available for purchase in other provinces this year.
Newbornlander products are currently available at the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation, Twisted Sister boutique, and the St. John’s Famer’s Market. You can also find Newbornlander offerings by visiting their Facebook page.
