I moved to Canada and couldn't find a job after months of applying. A unique idea helped me start my own business abroad.

Jemma Chapman came up with a unique business idea, using her illustrations. Courtesy of Jemma Chapman Jemma Chapman is a Toronto-based illustrator and the founder of Toonie Stamps. She moved to Toronto from the UK on a visa in 2025 and couldn't find a job. She decided to sell tiny prints of her illustrations via gum vending machines. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jemma Chapman. It has been edited for length and clarity. I'm British, and I moved to Toronto in January ...