Careers in Motion Takes a Peek Inside Emma May’s Closet a.k.a. SophieGrace

It’s not a new dance. The steps go like this: (1) a woman gets a law degree; (2) the hours are gruelling; (3) she has a child or two; (4) she can’t be the mom she wants to be, or the lawyer; (5) she quits.

In a nutshell, that’s the arc Emma May’s first career followed — except for one drastic detour at the end. During the decade May, BA’95, LLB’99, practised law, she fell in love with business. Although she stepped away from law as a career, this newfound passion spun her off on another trajectory that included launching the real estate brokerage firm, Charles Real Estate; several high-profile activism projects that ultimately netted her a job with then-Premier Jim Prentice as executive director for the Office of the Premier for Southern Alberta; and, most recently, founder of the apparel company, SophieGrace.

Why the name — SophieGrace?

I named the company after my daughter. That means I really can’t screw it up! But, in all seriousness, they are classic names and that is what we do — we create classics.

I wanted to create a brand that made finding simple, elegant, work-ready basics easy to find, which is why our entire collection is designed to mix-and-match so you can simplify your wardrobe. We make clothes that are incredibly comfortable, with beautiful fabrics that are dyed to always mix-and-match. Four of our pieces can create multiple different outfits that you can wear from the boardroom to the sidelines of the soccer pitch and then out for dinner.

Now that people are returning to office environments, will working from home in our yoga pants have a lasting impact on work fashion?

I think people are looking for pieces that are easy to wear and style. They want things that will take them from a home office to in-person meetings. People won’t tolerate discomfort anymore, but I think that they will embrace the idea of getting dressed up here and there. But only if these pieces define comfort for them.

With two showrooms (in Calgary and Vancouver), who are your clients?

Canadians make up about 75 per cent of our clients, and Americans are the rest. Most of our sales occur online. Our customers are professional women who don’t want to sort through a sea of crop tops to find something they can wear to work or out to dinner.

With such a nonlinear career path — is there one job you loved the most?

My career just evolved the way it did because I found I needed to continue to pivot in order to be the mom I wanted to be and remain intellectually challenged. I don’t like not working or having an independent income. But, I’ll be honest — walking away from law wasn’t easy and some of my family were horrified. But, for me, business was a better fit. It combined my love of marketing, community and negotiations. I am proud to say that Charles Real Estate is becoming a wonderful enterprise here in Calgary and has grown exponentially for a few years.

I also loved working for Premier Prentice because it gave me incredible insight into all the machinations that make our community function. I got to be in a position where I met unbelievable people in business, the non-profit sector and government. It wasn’t without its stresses but, overall, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I think having the opportunity to work across sectors is incredible and the more people who can flow between government, business and non-profit over the course of their careers, the better.

Is law a good foundational degree or do now you wish you had taken business?

I love the way law made me think: issue, rule, application, conclusion. It’s always applicable, it’s always helpful.

How does one know if they’re an entrepreneur?

It just happens. You can’t help it. You come up with an idea and you just have to make it happen. I think it’s a compulsion, actually.

What books or magazines are on your nightstand?

None. I get all my stuff via Twitter these days. I tend to follow journalists I love and then link to whatever publication they happen to be featured in.

Although I did an undergrad in English lit. I haven’t read a novel in years. It's only non-fiction for me now. Mostly business books. I loved An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination (by Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang) and The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion (by Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell). And, of course, (Nike founder) Phil Knights’ book, Shoe Dog, because my life right now feels like what he went through in his early days: a constant juggle of cash flow and getting money in the door in order to place orders to meet growing demand.

What are you currently watching on Netflix?

I admit I am obsessed with Succession, Righteous Gemstones and Sex Education. Hacks was also awesome, loved Mrs. America and an all-time favourite is Silicon Valley.

What will I always find in your fridge?

Chocolate.

Do you have any advice for new grads?

Roll with it. Set goals, but be ready to pivot. Accept that you won’t ever be totally ready for the next challenge. When you are younger, it is harder to understand that the process is the gift. You can be super-focused on the end goals and hitting those goals is important, but everything you go through along the way ends up being what’s most valuable.

What is your long-term vision for the company?

I want to grow SophieGrace into a brand that becomes the go-to place for women to start their search for elegant basics that can take them though their busy days. I would love to have showrooms in prime locations across North America. Right now, we are working on some propriety fabrics as well, and I think we can find a lot of ways to continuously improve the sustainability of the industry, overall.