For Chloe Beaudoin and Jessica Miao, entrepreneurship didn’t begin in a boardroom–it began in the lingerie aisle. What started as a shared frustration with teen bra shopping sparked a bold mission to reinvent an overlooked category and ultimately led to the creation of Apricotton.

As university students, the two friends bonded over a shared frustration that spanned generations: buying a bra as a teenage girl, an experience that’s all too often uncomfortable, confusing, and even demoralizing. Chloe experienced this firsthand while taking her younger sister bra shopping, only to find that the available options were either flimsy training bras or overly mature designs from lingerie stores that made her sister feel deeply out of place. “We realized that every single girl across the world goes through this,” Chloe explains. “It’s a universal rite of passage—and it shouldn’t be so difficult.”

Driven by a desire to create change, the pair launched Apricotton, the first dedicated teen bra brand that grows as girls grow. Their mission was simple: to offer products that actually fit, feel good, and help girls feel confident in their changing bodies. But the journey to building a globally recognized brand was anything but simple.

Redesigning a Broken System

In a market saturated with adult-focused products, Apricotton’s Founders saw a glaring oversight: no one was designing bras with teens and tweens in mind. Despite an overwhelming demand for comfortable, age-appropriate options, legacy bra companies had largely ignored this demographic. “90% of girls feel embarrassed to wear a bra,” Chloe says. “That’s not just about fashion—it’s about self-esteem, health, and comfort. And we wanted to solve that.”

With no formal background in fashion or manufacturing, Jessica took on the enormous task of designing their first line of bras. The early days were filled with trial and error, from sourcing manufacturers to testing fit with teen wearers. At one point, they were packing orders themselves. But each step forward came with validation from their growing customer base—and soon, orders started arriving from places they’d never even visited.

Breaking Through Without a Playbook

While the brand’s momentum was growing, Chloe and Jessica were also facing the immense challenges that come with being young women entrepreneurs disrupting a traditional industry. Like many early-stage founders, they were resource-strapped, time-strapped, and figuring things out on the fly.

As first-time entrepreneurs, they lacked access to the kind of mentorship and funding networks that can make or break a startup. They had built a strong direct-to-consumer presence, but they knew they needed support to grow—and that’s when they discovered The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch. “We knew this program had launched so many incredible companies, and we really wanted to be part of that community. When we were accepted, it was a huge milestone,” explains Chloe.

Stepping into the Spotlight

Designed for self-identified women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs, the program supports founders who are actively fundraising within the next 12 months. Whether it's their first raise or the fifth, The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch program provides access to community, mentorship, exposure, and strategic guidance.

As they moved through the program, Chloe took the lead on refining Apricotton’s pitch. Though she had pitched many times before—to investors, judges, and on stage—this experience was different. “It was the most I’ve ever practiced a pitch,” she laughs. “I think I did it 15 times.” What stood out was the level of intentionality: the sessions weren’t about crafting a one-size-fits-all presentation. They were about tailoring the story to different audiences—investors, partners, customers—and learning how to adapt your message to meet your goals. “Storytelling became a strategic tool,” she says. “That’s something we still use today.”

The mentorship and community was equally transformative. Unlike generic startup advice, the support Chloe and Jessica received was customized to the vision they had for their business and their goals for scaling. Meeting fellow women founders was particularly meaningful and reinstated that they weren’t alone in their journey. “Meeting other women founders who just got it—who were also building product-based brands, who understood the same challenges—it was huge,” says Jessica. “Without The Forum, we wouldn’t have met them.”

How The Forum Sparked Apricotton's Next Growth Phase

The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch isn’t just about standing on a stage—it’s about building a company with staying power. The impact of the program was felt across Apricotton’s entire business.

Through mentorship and pitch refinement, Chloe and Jessica gained the tools to tell their story powerfully and succinctly, while gaining confidence as leaders.
The Forum plugged them into a national network of investors, peers, and strategic advisors—people they continue to stay in touch with, lean on, and collaborate with.
With increased visibility and credibility, Apricotton was able to build trust with new audiences, form key partnerships, and continue expanding their impact. As Jessica shares, “The Forum opened doors we didn’t even know were there.”

Since participating in The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch, Apricotton has:

Grown their customer base significantly.
Expanded brand visibility nationally and internationally.
Secured investment and support from two leading Canadian investors.
Launched four new products, including three new bras and their first nipple cover.
Reached over 100 million video views and built a community of 180,000 social media followers.

They are now working on expanding into the U.S. and growing their team, with several new initiatives in development. But the real win? Staying true to their mission of building bras that fit girls—not the other way around.

From Pitch to Primetime

The momentum didn’t stop after the program. Shortly after The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale, Chloe and Jessica flew to Toronto to film their segment on CBC’s Dragons’ Den—an opportunity they’d applied for three times before. “We found out we got on right before the event,” Chloe says. “So, we went from one huge pitch to another.” Despite having only 48 hours to rehearse together in person, the Founders delivered a polished pitch—and walked away with a deal from two of Canada’s most recognized entrepreneurs: Arlene Dickinson and Wes Hall.

Their segment aired nationally, introducing Apricotton to a massive new audience—and validating the strength of their business model. That same month, Jessica was invited to Paris on a brand trip with L’Oréal. Between The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale, the Dragons’ Den taping, and a global brand partnership, it was a whirlwind few weeks—but it represented just how far Apricotton had come. “Looking back at ourselves in 2020 when we started this, we never could have imagined all this,” Chloe says. “We were so focused on solving this problem for teen girls—we didn’t expect to be launching new products, pitching on national TV, or working with global brands.”

Insights for Emerging Entrepreneurs

For Chloe and Jessica, The Forum wasn’t just a pitch program—it was a pivotal chapter in their journey. “It’s hard work, but it’s the work you need to be doing,” Chloe says. “This program pushes you to do the strategic work that can easily fall through the cracks when you’re building a company. But it’s so worth it.”

Their advice to other founders? “Apply. Even if you don’t get in the first time—keep trying. It could change everything.

The Power of Shared Experience

At every stage of their journey—from struggling to pack orders to pitching on national television—Chloe and Jessica have had each other. But The Forum gave them something more: a village of women entrepreneurs who understand the stakes, the stress, and the magic of building something from scratch. “For the first time, we didn’t feel like we were doing this alone,” Jessica says.

“Thanks to The Forum, we were able to connect with a community of supportive women entrepreneurs, gain strategic mentorship, and continue growing a business that’s changing the way girls feel about their bodies—one bra at a time.”