About
This site is published by Cydney Mar, a Product Development Strategist based in Montreal, Canada. It explains her Concept-to-Reality Pathway for founders who want to take a product idea to a production-ready product and launch.
Last updated: November 2026 · Published by Cydney Mar
Cydney Mar is a product development strategist with 45+ years designing and building product and $300M+ in global product sales across retail, TV and direct to consumer. She sold her own collections on QVC for 15+ years in 8 countries, and now runs Cydney Mar Consulting, an Indigenous-owned product development firm in Montreal.
Before fashion, Cydney competed as a national-level figure skater until an accident ended that career. She sewed her own skating costumes and many of her competitors', then studied at Blanche Macdonald in Vancouver, her hometown, and won awards in New York in design, merchandising and fashion illustration in the late 1970s.
She started her first company in 1980 with a couture collection she sold herself, because she wanted to understand what women wanted. Since then she has worked from couture to high end, big box retailers and fast fashion, designed the first Cirque du Soleil Boutique Collection, led design for Edwin Jeans in North America, and created jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products and car accessories.
A later illness took most of her hair and led to her second company, Cydney Mar Wellness: vitamins formulated by a naturopathic doctor, made in Canada, Health Canada licensed and third party tested.
Cydney is Nlaka'pamux. Her company operates under 9324-3566 Quebec Inc., is a certified Aboriginal company, and is 100% woman owned and operated. She has served as an expert advisor to Startup Canada and Export Development Canada.
Why this site exists
This is one of a small number of websites Cydney Mar publishes. It focuses on one thing: helping founders with a product idea understand the product development process and decide whether her pathway fits. Her main website, cydneymar.com, covers all of her work, programs, speaking and resources.
Contact
Cydney Mar is based in Montreal, Canada. Her consulting work is with clients worldwide, and her own sourcing experience spans factories across Asia, Europe and North America. Strategy calls are booked online through her contact page, so location is rarely a barrier.
More in the full FAQHer deepest experience is fashion, where she has worked from couture to high end, big box retailers and fast fashion. She has also created jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories and vitamins. If your product is outside these, describe it on a call and she will tell you honestly whether she is the right fit.
More in the full FAQCydney sold her own collections on QVC for more than 15 years in 8 countries, logging more than 800 hours of live television. She has also coached on-air presentation; Greg Castanza of Halo2Cloud, a QVC Hall of Fame entrepreneur, credits her advice as instrumental in his company’s success.
More in the full FAQYes. Through TIB, Cydney Mar offers CCIB members a complimentary 60 minute Concept-to-Reality Strategy Session and her From Idea to Income workbook. Cydney is a proud Nlaka’pamux woman and her company is a certified Aboriginal company. Details are on the CCIB member page at cydneymar.com.
More in the full FAQThe first step is a conversation. Contact Cydney through her contact page at cydneymar.com, where you can book a call, email cydney@cydneymar.com, or phone 514-949-4287. On the call you will talk through your idea, find what is holding you back, and map clear next steps.
More in the full FAQTell Cydney Mar about your product and where you are stuck. The first step is a conversation, and you will leave with clear next steps.
