In this episode of The Marketing Department Podcast, we sit down with Ali Jamal, founder of Northern Touch Vintage, to unpack how he went from working at Apple to building one of Toronto’s most recognized vintage clothing brands—without spending a single dollar on ads.

This story is for you if you’ve ever thought about:

• Quitting your 9-to-5 to start a business.

• Turning a side hustle into a full-time career.

• Building a fashion brand that attracts celebrity clients.

• Learning how to grow a business purely through word of mouth, culture, and community.

Ali shares how he made $5,000 in one night at his launch party—what would’ve taken him 160 hours at Apple—and why he walked away from a safe corporate job to bet on himself. He explains how vintage sourcing really works inside rag houses and textile warehouses, why most vintage shops smell (and how he fixed it), and how he curated a store experience that feels premium, inclusive, and unforgettable.

Along the way, Ali built a client roster that includes Wayne Gretzky, PK Subban, Andre DeGrasse, Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, and even Drake’s circle. But the most powerful part of his story isn’t just the celebrity moments—it’s his mission to use fashion as a tool to give people confidence and transform the way they see themselves.

If you’re an entrepreneur, creative, fashion lover, or someone ready to make a bold move, this episode will give you both inspiration and real-world lessons you can apply right now.

Chapters

00:00 Cold open: $5K night and quitting Apple

03:15 Starting Northern Touch Vintage in a condo during COVID

07:40 The inside story of rag houses and sourcing vintage

14:10 How Holt Renfrew discovered the brand on Instagram

19:35 The launch party that changed everything

24:50 Walking out on Apple for good

29:20 Lessons from the first pop-up and business partnerships

36:00 Finding and designing the house boutique store

42:45 Why most vintage stores smell and how Ali fixed it

48:20 Building confidence through styling customers

54:40 Celebrity clientele: Gretzky, Raptors, Drake’s circle

1:02:00 Running a brand with $0 ad spend

1:09:15 Tagline Me: Ali’s rapid-fire answers

1:14:00 Final reflections on contentment, hustle, and confidence

#VintageClothing #Entrepreneurship #TorontoFashion #Streetwear #MarketingPodcast