Samantha Ong (Founder, Joeydolls): Why She Built the Dolls She Never Saw Growing Up

This episode of Mission Critical is presented in partnership with Mastercard and explores what it really takes to turn a small-business dream into something real.

What does it take to build a Canadian small business when you're self-funded, wearing every hat, and navigating a world of tariffs, supply-chain disruptions and constant uncertainty?Samantha Ong, founder of Toronto-based Joeydolls, knows the answer firsthand.

Samantha created Joeydolls after realizing that she and her daughters couldn't find dolls that reflected their culture and identities. What began as a deeply personal gap has grown into a culturally representative toy brand serving families, educators and collectors across Canada, the United States and Australia.

In this episode, Samantha gets candid about the realities behind that growth: launching Joeydolls with nearly 1,700 orders in its first 24 hours, learning the hard way how much infrastructure a growing business needs, figuring out wholesale from scratch, building a global operation with a lean team, and navigating tariffs and a devastating $50,000 inventory loss after a train derailment.She also shares how customer feedback keeps her connected to the mission, why she has learned to embrace imposter syndrome, how she decides where to spend her time, and why staying true to the company's purpose matters even when commercial opportunities come along.

Samantha is a 2026 Canada Small Business 100 honouree, presented by Mastercard, recognizing the resilience, ambition and impact of Canadian small businesses.

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, representation, resilience and the messy reality of building something you believe in.