CREDIT: PROVIDED BY TARRYN SKUY
Fanshawe business graduate started an online celiac business to provide education and awareness and put her marketing skills to work.

A Fanshawe graduate has achieved entrepreneurial success and is utilizing her skills learned throughout her education.

Tarryn Skuy, owner of My Celiac Life, graduated from the business marketing program (BMK) in 2014 as well as the business administration marketing advanced diploma program (BAM) in 2015.

Upon graduating from Fanshawe, Skuy went on to graduate from Nipissing University with a bachelor of business administration in December 2016.

My Celiac Life is an online company that she started in July 2016 to create awareness about celiac disease and help people who suffer from it.

“I wanted to show individuals just how simple it would be to live an entirely gluten-free lifestyle, as well as tips and tricks to get through everyday life,” Skuy said. “Today it has evolved into an Instagram account with over 23,000 followers and a website/blog that discuss various topics about my experiences as a celiac.”

My Celiac Life assists people in finding restaurants, brands and products around the world that are safe for people with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine.

It affects approximately 1 in 100 people in the world. Skuy was diagnosed in November of 2009. She said that celiac disease has changed the way she operates every day.

“I truly felt that following and learning from someone would have helped me when I was diagnosed so I wanted to be that person who could assist others in overcoming their celiac disease/gluten intolerance,” Skuy said.

Skuy went on to discuss that Fanshawe gave her the confidence to think on her feet and work with other entrepreneurs with similar goals. “I decided that with my marketing experience and interest in social media and public relations, I would combine the two and practice what I love,” Skuy said. “This was my perfect opportunity to hone in on my skills as well as help other individuals with celiac and other similar diseases.”

While at Fanshawe, Skuy completed a number of co-operative semesters, participated in the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC), and was a member of the community consultancy team. She was able to work with and learn from professors about how to become a successful entrepreneur.

“It takes a lot of hard work to become an entrepreneur. There is no straight direction that someone can take and success may look different for many individuals,” Skuy said. “You have to have the motivation to get work done without being told. It is important to hold your head up no matter what others say and what others think.”

In addition to owning and operating My Celiac Life, Skuy also works at Conagra Brands head office as an assistant digital marketing manager.

According to Skuy, it has always been important to her to be involved with Fanshawe and she continues to stay involved with the Fanshawe community and professors.

“There are many avenues that My Celiac Life could take and I am excited to learn more about the different routes I may take and where this could lead me,” Skuy said.

For more information, please visit myceliaclife.ca and @myceliaclife (Instagram).