Entrepreneur Stories: Hooked Creations
When tragedy strikes, sometimes it can lead to unexpected paths of healing and creativity. That’s exactly what happened with Jen Gaetan and her mother, Debbie Duffield, who turned their grief into a heartwarming entrepreneurial venture.
In 2021, Jen’s father was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. After seven months of battling the disease, he passed away, leaving behind a devastated family. Jen’s mother, struggling with the loss, could no longer bear to stay in the home they shared. Seeking a fresh start, Jen and her family—husband, two teenage daughters, and her mother and brothers—moved to a new property to heal together.
However, tragedy struck once more when Jen’s youngest brother suddenly passed away, just two days after moving in. The loss weighed heavily on the family, leaving them to search for ways to bring normalcy back into their lives. In a surprising twist, a unique opportunity appeared: a chance to take over an established gnome creation business. With a deep sense of humor, Jen’s late brother, who had despised gnomes, would have appreciated the irony. And so, Hooked Creations was born.
Since launching in March 2023, Jen and her mother have handcrafted over 400 gnomes. Their unique creations have become a labor of love that they now share with others. They are frequent vendors at the Hespeler Village Market and other local pop-up shows, where they enjoy engaging with customers and seeing the smiles their gnomes bring to children’s faces. The highlight of their work is hearing from people who take photos of the gnomes to share with loved ones.
In addition to their popular gnomes, Hooked Creations has expanded its offerings to include rearview mirror gnomes and hand-painted signs. As their business grows, they have also begun selling their products in an artisan store in Walkerton and will soon be featured in another store in Cambridge starting September 2023.
For custom orders or to learn more about Hooked Creations, you can reach Jen and Debbie by email at hookedcreations53@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page here.
Hooked Creations – Jen Gaetan and Debbie Duffield.
