Graduate Spotlight: Paula Sojo

At the age of 18, Paula Sojo was diagnosed with a severe case of Crohn’s disease, resulting in a permanent ostomy. She struggled with feelings of shame until a friend gave her a birthday gift of hand-sewn ostomy covers. That’s when she realized she had nothing to be ashamed of and that she had become a member of a larger community.

Determined to help others, she teamed up with her brother to found Ostome Fashion, a thriving business that provides fashionable and empowering options to all ostomy users.

A soon-to-be graduate of Durham College’s (DC) Video Production program, she has applied her college lessons in a variety of subjects to the promotion of her business. She has also taken advantage of the extensive entrepreneurial supports available at DC.

With help from family, friends and mentors, she has not only changed her life, but promoted representation and acceptance and empowered an entire community.

As she prepares to graduate, Paula spoke to us about her wellness journey, the supportive DC community and more.

Why did you decide to study Video Production?

I always had a passion for video making. As a six-year-old, I would take my parents’ cameras and document everyday life at home. It wasn’t until high school that I became aware of this program as a possibility through my computer and technology class. I instantly fell in love with the Adobe suite and knew that I should pursue this passion further.

What did you find valuable about your program?

My experience in the Video Production program at DC has been everything I ever dreamt of and more. I began the program in 2020 as a first-year student and although all of my classes were online, I still really enjoyed connecting with my professors and collaborating with my peers. Unfortunately, shortly after my start in Video Production, I fell ill and had to defer the program for three years until I was able to come back. I was hesitant to return at first since my abilities now were different and limited. Regardless of that, I took the leap and made an effort to finish the program and could not be happier with the experience I had. The school was extremely accommodating of my disabilities and my professors were incredibly understanding of my needs. I learned so much in this program about video production but also how to be in a creative field as a disabled person.

Have you found a mentor at DC?

The one mentor who comes to mind the most is Amanda Watson. I first met her in my Grade 10 year as she was my teacher in the dual credit photography program and was later surprised to have her as my professor in the second year of the Video Production program. She taught me so much about the video production industry as an entrepreneur but more importantly, how to stand out in any market as a business. Her teachings were incredibly valuable and really left a mark in my journey. It was also with her help that my business was recognized throughout the college.

When did you decide to start your business?

I was turning 19 in the hospital and I got a package of ostomy covers that a family friend had hand sewn for me. In that moment, everything changed. A light bulb went off in my mind and I thought, this doesn’t have to be just a medical device. This can be a fashion accessory. I began to teach myself how to make these covers and I started matching them to my outfits as well. I started posting about it on Tik Tok, and the response that I got was amazing. Slowly but surely, people started asking me where they could get these covers themselves. So, we found some people that knew what they were doing and we started making some covers. We launched in September of 2023.

How has your DC education helped your business?

I’ve been able to apply all of my DC learning to my business. From my first-year classes in photography to my second-year classes in entrepreneurship, I have used all of this valuable teaching in developing and promoting my business.

How did the DC community help you?

The community at DC is unlike anything that I’ve ever experienced. Every person that I’ve come across has been so kind, welcoming and ready to present new opportunities to me. One particular person who comes to mind is Sundar Manku, Manager of Entrepreneurship Services. As the word about my small business began to spread throughout the college, Sundar contacted me to express his interest in how he could support my business. It was with his help and dedication that I was able to take part in and win the Fast Start Pitch competition.

Describe your experience in the Fast Start competition.

It was such an incredible experience. Having never partaken in a pitch competition before, it was the perfect opportunity to do so in a welcoming and educational environment. The experience was extremely valuable and I made some incredible connections with peers and professors. After my business won first place, some investors and Sundar himself took the time to give us feedback and resources to help us in our future endeavours. I am so grateful for my experience at DC and the Fast Start competition.

What do you want people to know about ostomies?

It’s really hard when you first get one and you’re learning to cope with a body that you didn’t necessarily ask for, but ostomies aren’t gross. They’re an opportunity to live again and they should be treated as such. I created a brand that stands for radical acceptance and representation and a light that ostomies have never been shown in before.