Fernanda Cantuarias
Founder of Lynenickart
When Fernanda joined YCEO in the Winter of 2023 her business, Lynenick Art, already had a few wins. She’d established her brand as a whimsical artist exploring the mysterious and joyful aspects of nature. But while she’d solidified her style illustrating humorous animals and magical botanical motives – she wanted a plan to move from artist to art business.
Fernanda had already sold small batches of art online, at markets and through graphic design gigs for local businesses – but sales weren’t consistent. What’s more, Fernanda had recently immigrated from Peru and was still settling into Canada. She’d taken a few years to adjust as a new immigrant and was now learning how to navigate self-employment in Canada. But feeling unsure how to bring her business to the next level, she applied to YCEO and we got to work giving her the support she needed.
In YCEO we helped Fernanda gain clarity about her product while shaking off any confusion about the true value of her business. She used class time to test her ideas, get feedback from others and slowly refine her vision in an environment where she felt safe to take risks towards her goals. By the end of the program, she’d developed an actionable business plan to secure more consistent sales and was ready to test her new ideas in the streets.
Since graduating, Fernanda’s business has blossomed. Although not fully self-employed (yet!) her art business has allowed her to live life more comfortably while caring for her needs and even helping fund her immigration process. And by staying connected to BITS we were even able to refer Fernanda to a partner who helped file her small business taxes for free while teaching her more about navigating the process as a self-employed artist.
Fernanda’s time in YCEO offered the clarity needed to lay a foundation for her business and we’re proud that even after graduating we’ve been able to show up and offer support wherever it helps.
“Overall, BITS is a space for DOING, with a loving team that really wants you to succeed. If you invest in them now, you’ll be reaping the rewards of all they have to offer you for long after you finish your program.”
— Fernanda Canturias, 2024