06/02/2026
WINNER: BEST INTERIOR DESIGN
WINNER: BEST BATHROOM/KITCHEN RENOVATIONS
3RD PLACE: BEST FASHION BOUTIQUE
If you had asked my 30-year-old self in 2008 if she could foresee how today unfolded, I would have told you to S**U.
I opened The Spotted Frog with one clear intention: to sell custom Canadian-made furniture at a quality I could be proud of. Somewhere along the way, I accidentally became an award-winning Interior Designer and, apparently, one of the Best Fashion Boutiques in Richmond.
As I reflect on this entrepreneurial journey, here are a couple lessons I've learned:
💚 Many lifetimes ago, I was a mid-level Sales Manager for a Swedish furniture empire. I once challenged a senior Design Manager on the direction of my department. Her response was, "Stick to sales. That's what you're good at."
Thankfully, 28-year-old me had selective hearing.
Forty-seven-year-old me would like you to know that being good at sales and being good at design are not mutually exclusive events.
💚 As a teenager, I was incredibly self-conscious about my body, despite being a size 2. Society's beauty standards are obnoxiously insane.
Three years ago, I started bringing in clothing because my middle-aged body couldn't find stores that reflected this season of life. Somewhere along the way, I became an accidental model.
Not out of defiance, but more like under duress.
I'm barely 5' on a good day. My hair is thinning. Most days I happily tuck my high cortisol tummy into higher waisted pants. The bags under my eyes occasionally make guest appearances in our Reels, and posing for the camera is as smooth as my questionable dance moves.
But I've learned that real beauty is making peace with the body that birthed two amazing humans and valiantly carried my Soul through every season of life.
Goddesses, take up space. Don't let anyone dim your light.
To this incredible Community, thank you for supporting us through every chapter and for valuing the beauty we create.
Big Love,
Huong
