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So, she enrolled her two young
daughters in classes at Tsawwassen
Martial Arts. "I wanted my little women to
have a sense of confidence and strength
and be able to defend themselves," she
says, adding that she too wanted those
self-defence skills.
"When they started, I decided I would
start too," she says. "Instantly, I was
absolutely in love with the class."
Freeborn has regularly attended
her combination kickboxing-Krav Maga
classes twice a week ever since (apart
from a brief break in December after
aggravating a back injury). For her,
martial arts have been both the
reprieve and the challenge she didn't
know she needed.
"I realized that the time I would carve
out for myself to train became absolutely
pivotal in letting my burnt-out, fried-out
business brain rest," she says. "And I
realized that's how I relax." With previous
hobbies like dirt biking and competitive
Ashley Freeborn co
founded sizeinclusive,
comfy romper fashion
brand Smash + Tess
with her mom in 2016.
After the introduction of
hundreds of new styles,
fabrics and accessories
over the years,
Freeborn says the
business has reached
a good place. She is
less concerned about
scaling the company
(which already sells in
retailers across Canada)
and is more focused on
sustainability and just
enjoying the fruits of
her labour.
Much like with her
martial arts classes,
Freeborn views Smash
+ Tess as a community.
"Yes, we make clothes,
but it's so much more
than that," she says.
"We uplift each other.
We push each other.
We support each other.
It's women who really
have each other's
backs. It's a positive
space, it's inclusive,
it's welcoming—it's all
those things."
WARRIOR SPOTLIGHT
P o o y a N a b e i
