My husband and I have two baby girls - which is always a reason to stay motivated and push forward for success & to make a difference. We both always had different career paths (his was in the entrepreneurial ecosystem with a focus on innovation and mine in fashion/entertainment). When we realized that nowadays with the changes, our industries intersect, we decided to join forces and create a business that not only would showcase our strengths and add value to people, but also "give back" which we are both very passionate about! When Marcelo presented a thought to me of developing an event to assemble a group of diverse entrepreneurs to inspire via panel talks, and followed it up with one simple question: “Would it make sense to mix enterprises in technology with the world of fashion?”. With where Fashion is headed today, I jumped at the opportunity to share ideas with him, which in turn launched FASHINNOVATION. We want to grow a community of like minded individuals who believe that through collaboration, one grows and flourishes… and with the way the fashion industry is evolving through innovations and technologies, those two industries must always be conversing, in order to always keep ahead of the curve. We are hoping to facilitate that via FASHINNOVATION.
What were the biggest initial hurdles to building your business and how did you overcome them?
The biggest hurdle was starting a business from scratch and having no resources - just an idea and the dream to execute it! We had to ask for a lot of help - both financially but also advisory. We found that through asking, you receive. It was beautiful to see loved ones and friends come together to help make our dream a reality. Once we were able to prove concept and have a successful launch event, we now won't have the same hurdles but we believe that in business, hurdles will always come along. It's the only way to keep growing/scaling.
What books are you currently reading? And your recommendation for entrepreneurs to read?
We constantly read biographies - learning through the life of others is the best way to gain knowledge.
Did you ever deal with contention from your family and friends concerning your entrepreneurial pursuits? How did you handle it? What would you do differently in hindsight?
Yes - most definitely, In order to be successful, you have to be "fearless". It's something lots of people struggle with, which is why it takes a certain kind of someone to become an entrepreneur. It takes guts and lots of hard work. Therefore, when we first told friends/family - specifically family - due to fear, they questioned why we would leave the certainty of a salary to go after something which we weren't sure of the end result. We handled it with grace but it was difficult as you feel you have to prove everyone wrong and answer questions which are not necessarily pleasant when you're trying to stay positive through difficulties. What we would do differently is maybe not say too much and let things evolve before sharing information.
What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business success?
I would say it was the passion behind our idea, which drove to what we would say on the calls to prospects, which got them excited about our vision, to say "YES" to participate at the event.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started as an entrepreneur?
Ask for help - you'll be surprised at how many "yesses" you will receive.
What advice would you give to an upcoming entrepreneur locally and internationally?
Be fearless, be dedicated, persevere and stay passionate about what you're doing - it shines through and gets other people excited.
