On the TechTO stage ×2
How to leverage customer centric design to win faster
Watch on YouTube ↗5-7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Out
Watch on YouTube ↗First seen on the TechTO stage in 2017. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Joanna ↗
In their words
When I started Knixwear I knew absolutely nothing. I was doing an MBA at the time — this is about five years ago — and I knew nothing about fashion, I knew nothing about technology, I knew nothing about the target demographic, which was new moms.
It doesn't mean the customers are always right, but it means that their opinions are always valid.
The only true thing that successful people have in common is that they didn't quit. Throughout the time of creating Knixwear, a lot of people are like, how did you do it? And the truth is that when anyone else would have quit, I just didn't quit.
Around the web ×2
Quick answers
What is Joanna Griffiths known for?
Founding Knix in 2013 and running it for 14 years. In 2022 Essity bought 80% of the company for US$320M, and in 2026 it bought her remaining stake — among the largest exits by a female founder in Canadian history.
Is Joanna Griffiths still at Knix?
No. She stepped down as President on August 1, 2026 and sold her remaining 20% stake, leaving Essity the sole owner. Chief commercial officer Nicole Tapscott succeeded her as brand president. Griffiths said she planned to spend more time with her family and has not named a next venture.
How did Joanna Griffiths start Knix?
While doing an MBA, knowing nothing about fashion or the customer. She researched in online chat forums, ran a wear-test with 20 classmates, and collected feedback from over a thousand women before launching in late 2013 — as she described on the TechTO stage in October 2017.
How many times has Joanna Griffiths spoken at TechTO?
Twice — October 2017 on customer-centric design, and March 2019 on the things she wished she'd known before starting out.