Saskatoon entrepreneur Chanelle Chalazan has launched her second business at just 16 years old, expanding beyond jewellery retail with a new print magazine featuring Canadian entrepreneurs and independent businesses. The first 32-page edition of Chic & Charmed Magazine launched November 1, with approximately 20 businesses participating as advertisers and sponsors.
The venture builds on Chic & Charmed Boutique, the jewellery business Chalazan started at age 13 and has since taken to consumer exhibitions across Canada. She is using relationships developed through the boutique to support the magazine’s advertising and distribution, while preparing a third venture involving an entrepreneurial conference planned for March 2027.
In an interview with Retail Insider alongside her father, Wayne Chalazan, the young entrepreneur discussed the magazine’s development, its business model and her plans to expand into publishing and events.
Building a Magazine for Canadian Small Businesses
The idea emerged after Chalazan was featured in another publication. Discussions about a possible cover appearance and brand ambassador arrangement did not proceed, prompting her to consider producing a magazine featuring her own business alongside other Canadian entrepreneurs.
“I thought, why should I feature somebody else when I could create my own magazine, feature my business and introduce readers to other Canadian businesses I want people to know about?” Chalazan recalled.
She assembled the inaugural edition in approximately four to six weeks, gathering photographs, preparing written material and recruiting participating businesses. An outside company handled the design and layout, while Chalazan coordinated the content and advertising.
The first issue features approximately 20 Canadian businesses, including entrepreneurs she encountered through consumer exhibitions. Participating advertisers come from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario, reflecting the relationships she has developed while travelling with her jewellery business.
Chalazan estimates she contacted approximately 500 businesses while preparing the magazine. She said interest increased as word spread about the publication, and she now reports a waiting list of approximately 400 businesses for the March 2027 edition. That figure represents interest reported by Chalazan, rather than confirmed advertising bookings.
Affordability has been central to the magazine’s development. After researching advertising rates at other publications, Chalazan decided to offer half-page and full-page placements at prices intended to be accessible to independent businesses with limited marketing budgets.
“I wanted to feature small, local businesses so we could all relate to one another as business owners and entrepreneurs,” she said.
Chalazan discussed introductory advertising prices in the range of a few hundred dollars, compared with approximately $1,500 for a full-page advertisement at some other publications she had researched. The inaugural issue contains roughly equal numbers of half-page and full-page advertisers, while Wayne said rates could increase as circulation and distribution expand.
Advertising revenue is intended to help cover production and distribution costs, although the business has not disclosed its publishing expenses, total advertising revenue or profitability. Wayne said the first edition was designed to establish the concept and assess demand before committing to substantially larger print runs.
The magazine is planned for three editions annually, in November, March and July. The family believes this schedule will give advertisers several months of exposure while allowing sufficient time to recruit participants and prepare each edition.
Using Retail Relationships to Expand Distribution
Chalazan deliberately chose a physical magazine despite the availability of digital publishing options. She believes print creates opportunities for personal conversations with readers, particularly when copies are handed out at consumer shows and other events.
“I wanted people to have something they could hold,” she told Retail Insider. “When you give someone a magazine, you can talk about it, share your journey and create a more personal connection.”
The initial circulation plan has grown considerably since Chalazan first considered producing approximately 100 copies. At the time of the interview, she said roughly 250 copies had been distributed, another 500 were on order, and the first edition was expected to reach approximately 1,000 copies.
She is considering increasing the March edition to as many as 5,000 copies, depending on advertising demand and distribution opportunities. The proposed expansion would require a significantly larger production and circulation effort, although the family has not disclosed the associated costs.
Copies are being distributed through the boutique’s existing activities, including consumer exhibitions, participating businesses and shipments accompanying jewellery orders. Chalazan said the magazine has reached readers during trips to Lethbridge and Vancouver, with additional distribution planned as the jewellery business travels to other markets.
During an October visit to Vancouver, Chanelle and Wayne also approached hotels about displaying copies. Wayne described introducing the magazine to staff at the Fairmont Waterfront and Pan Pacific hotels, where he said copies were placed for visitors. These arrangements have not been independently confirmed as formal distribution partnerships.
The publication is available free of charge, with postage applying when readers request individual printed copies by mail. A free digital edition is also available through the Chic & Charmed website, extending its potential readership beyond locations where physical copies are distributed.
The magazine benefits from an established retail operation that already connects Chalazan with customers, vendors and independent business owners. Those relationships provide potential advertisers and distribution opportunities without requiring the family to establish an entirely separate network from the outset.
As Retail Insider reported in March, Chic & Charmed Boutique operates primarily online and through consumer exhibitions, avoiding the overhead associated with permanent storefronts. The company focuses on affordable jewellery and direct customer relationships, with trade shows providing opportunities to introduce its products to new markets.
Chalazan said the boutique has now participated in exhibitions across approximately 11 cities, with plans to reach around 20 during the coming year. Alberta and British Columbia are among the markets receiving additional attention as the business expands its exhibition schedule.
The magazine also provides another promotional channel for the boutique. Chalazan said some customers have requested copies alongside jewellery purchases, while participating advertisers have reported receiving inquiries or sales after appearing in the publication. Those accounts are anecdotal, and independently measured advertising results have not been provided.
Chalazan has also been investing in billboard advertising to increase recognition of her businesses. She said a billboard promoting the magazine appeared near Warman Road and Primrose Drive in Saskatoon, alongside outdoor advertising for the jewellery company.
While she does not necessarily expect billboard campaigns to generate immediate sales, Chalazan said people increasingly recognize her from the advertisements. Additional placements are planned for Regina and Calgary as she works to establish greater awareness in markets where the boutique already participates in consumer exhibitions.
A Third Business Takes Shape
Chalazan is preparing another venture, with an entrepreneurial conference planned for March 20, 2027, in Saskatoon. The proposed event would bring together business owners and speakers to discuss entrepreneurship, business development and their experiences establishing companies.
Wayne said the inaugural conference is being planned around a venue accommodating approximately 175 people. Starting with a smaller event would allow the family to test the concept before considering larger gatherings, although the venue, speaker lineup and ticketing arrangements have not been independently confirmed.
Chalazan hopes the conference could eventually expand to other Canadian cities, including Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver. Those plans remain preliminary and will depend in part on the response to the first event.
The initiative draws on her experience attending consumer exhibitions and developing relationships with entrepreneurs across Canada. Chalazan has also been speaking at schools and public events, including the Vancouver Women’s Show, where she has discussed her experiences building a business at a young age.
Expanding into publishing has presented new challenges. Chalazan acknowledged that she underestimated the work involved in coordinating photographs, written content, design revisions and distribution while continuing to operate her jewellery business.
“I didn’t realize how much work goes on behind the scenes,” she said. “There’s editing, photography, working with the magazine company and figuring out distribution. But once you get started, you learn how everything works and how to expand.”
Those lessons are shaping her approach to further growth. The magazine provides exposure for the boutique and participating advertisers, while the proposed conference could create another opportunity to develop relationships with entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
Chalazan continues to balance her entrepreneurial activities with high school and has expressed an interest in pursuing medicine. She has also discussed the possibility of studying business in Calgary, where she hopes to expand the jewellery company’s presence in Alberta.
Her longer-term ambitions include additional magazine editions, conferences in other cities, potentially organizing a trade show and writing a book about her experiences. For now, her immediate priorities are developing the magazine, expanding the boutique’s exhibition schedule and preparing for the proposed March conference.
“My goal is to keep building businesses beyond these first three,” Chalazan said. “I could see myself having 20 businesses one day.”
