Many have the dream of waking up in the morning and wanting to be their own boss. Nothing feels freer than working for yourself and running your own business, but it's a dream that is achievable with a path that requires risks, patience, and at times, sacrifice.

“It wasn't something that I planned for,” said Dinu Iddawela, a business owner and student in Fanshawe's Digital Communications Program. “It happened by accident. It happened as an extremely frustrated consumer and I wanted to find a better solution.”

Iddawela hails from the country of Sri Lanka, just off the southeast coast of India, where he ships out his products. His company, Clubhouse Vivaldi, specializes in making comfortable and flexible undergarments for men and women.

After having issues finding a better pair in his native country, he conceptualized his first product that wasn't just the perfect fit but also the most comfortable.

“I was having so many uncomfortable days. It was so hot, I would feel extreme chafing. I thought, ‘I couldn't be the only person going through all of this,’ so a problem shared is a problem halved.”

Iddawela took his concerns to a friend who shared his struggle of finding the right underwear.

“And, so we prototyped an underwear and it was better than what we found in the market and the rest is history,” laughed Iddawela.

Before starting Clubhouse Vivaldi, Iddawela had a repertoire of extensive knowledge. He got an undergrad in finance and accounting while also working as a graphic designer and later in real estate. With such a skill set at hand, his parents questioned why he kept changing his career focus. In turn, he used this as motivation to continue his dream.

“My parents were like, ‘What are you doing, man? We just sent you to college, and you studied a finance degree, and now you want to be a graphic designer?’ I just couldn't make sense of them, but I knew I wanted to pursue it,” said Iddawela.

He credited his past knowledge from previous jobs and education that he used as cornerstones to help guide him in building his company.

As businesses started to take off, Iddawela was to come to face the next phase of the entrepreneurial journey: managing a team and dealing with hardships.

“I guess managing expectations is a big thing because you're working with a team and then everyone looks at you for direction and sometimes you feel lost,” said Iddawela. “I felt lost countless numbers of times, simply because it's not a journey that you've ever been on. For example, if you hit a sale at the end of the month you can pay your people, but if you if you're not hitting sales you can't pay your people and then retention is going to be hard too.”

When facing hard times, Iddawela said he takes a step back to think and recoup so that he can become well-grounded before making important decisions. He also stressed that keeping track of his mental and physical health plays a massive role as well.

“No matter what we do in this world, none of us are going to get out alive. Our time is finite,” said Iddawela. “I'm not getting younger any day so I can do all of this while my body is strong and healthy, so I make it a point to spend time with friends, and go to the gym two to three times a week because this is my temple. I am doing all of this because my body allows me to do it.”

To promote his brand, Iddawela has travelled to many fashion conventions across the world like Germany and Belgium. He also has said his travels have not only inspired him personally but also taken inspiration from various countries and infused that into his clothing designs.

“In Greek architecture, you have these patterns going around the walls and the columns and that was my inspiration for the waistband of my underwear, so we had very many different shapes, geometry designs and stuff like that, so you find inspiration wherever you go,” said Iddawela.

It has been nine years since the launch of Clubhouse Vivaldi, with the company hitting many milestones along the way. Iddawela credits his tight-knit support system as the support that has kept him going since day one.

“I think you need to have a good support system, through the form of a partner or a close group of friends, you need to have that safe space where you can where people will lift you,” said Iddawela.