We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Belinda Picaso a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Belinda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
This Business has been a huge risk. I’ve never finished or stuck to something work/career wise, so to me starting my own business was like “WHAT ARE YOU DOING BELINDA?!” I knew that if I started it and went full blown into it I could not back out, I could but starting this was supposed to be something for myself and my family as well. I already am not working and when people hear stay at home mom sometimes its looked at as just being at home all day hanging out so to start this business it was a risk because I am still a stay at home mom, I am having to find balance in doing this business and still being mom at the same time, no taught me anything about this or walked me through any of it so trusting that its going to work and fall into place has been such a challenge but I’d say its all been worth all of it!
Belinda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Belinda Picaso Serna and I am 30 years old. I am a mama, wife, and now small business owner. I have always been crafty and creative and artistic but never did anything with it. My husband had started doing t-shirts but stopped and we had all this equipment just sitting around. At first I jokingly was like “what if I started making shirts” and then ordered my first batch of prints and after that I was committed to it. I fell in love with doing it almost immediately. I customize t-shirts, sweaters, etc. for all ages from babies to adults to elderly. I help those who have an idea for an event, parties, holidays, etc. come up with ideas on a t-shirt or put their ideas onto a t-shirt that they already may have had. I am so proud that I took the step and actually started this and have stuck with it. I’m proud that I found something outside of being a mom that I love and cherish doing. I want anyone that follows or knows about me and this business that I truly am grateful to each and everyone that has helped and supported it never goes unnoticed. I feel so blessed!
How did you build your audience on social media?
I find social media to be intimidating but such an amazing way to grow! I wont lie and say that its been easy because that’s furthest from the truth. I still am trying to get myself out there and build my audience but what I have done was took a meeting with the owner and founder of MDM (Medina Digital Management) Tasheena Medina and she and I talked about goals with my social media and how to improve. I’ve implemented so many things from that meeting like posting regularly or scheduling posts so that’s been great for building my social media. I also made a t-shirt for a radio host out here in Arizona for free just to get my name out there it was a shot in the dark that it would do anything and thanks to him and his post it helped me grow as well. it’s scary putting myself out there I’m awkard and so self conscious but I am committed to trying and doing what I have to do get this business where I want it. I think I’ve found my rythm with social media but I am alway researching and learning different things that can help and I am always so open to ideas or critiques from others on social media if that means its going to help. I am game for it all! One piece of advice I’d give to others is it’s all trial and error and you cannot have success without hiccups along the way so trust that it will work out and BELIEVE that it will !
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
I am so big on communication so I am constantly checking DM’s, I will text for updates I send pictures of mockups I pretty much will communicate through out the whole process if necessary and I am so big on responding in a timely matter. I know life happens and sometimes its not realistic to be on the phone 24/7 or social media but I wont leave a client hanging. I think that’s one thing that I’ve heard from clients is my communication is great and I appreciate that more than they know. I hope that they always feel that when working with me.
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I took these photos