We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Viviana Castellanos a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Viviana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you manage your own social media?

Owning a small business means I wear many hats at once, including social media. I have run all my social media channels since the start. Social media is such a huge avenue to communicate and build lasting relationships with customers, it’s difficult to be known without an online presence.

Most of my social media knowledge comes from hands on learning throughout the years of using and observing the shifts in platforms. Additionally I had the opportunity to be Eplleseed Films’ social media marketing intern last year. I gained so much knowledge from my time there in regards to the enormity of building a legacy from the ground up. Until I can afford to build a social media team I will continue to put my best foot forward as I take on the responsibility of Mancha’s Pawnaderia social media team.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Mancha’s Pawnaderia provides freshly baked dog treats inspired by traditional Mexican pan dulce. From cakes to cookies to sweet potato chicharron I provide a variety of options to the South San Diego community that make their dogs feel extra special. I got into my industry after working at multiple pets stores and seeing the lack of creative affordable dog baked goods. Once I moved back to Chula Vista I realized there were none to very few options for dog cakes in South San Diego. I wanted to make my bakery standout from others by incorporating my Mexican culture into the name as well as the products. Yes, there are many dog baked goods on the market but how many incorporate the beautiful Mexican culture. The pastries I grew up with deserve to be shared with our pets, in a dog safe manner. I believe that our community would enjoy the opportunity to celebrate their furry family members with delicious pastries. My bakery sets me apart from others because of the flexibility of the treats, I try my best to release new designs every season/holiday, I allow customers to customize messaging and colors, and I am always up for testing my skills when a client asks for something new.

It has been over a year since I began my business, although I’ve had many challenges, I am very proud that I haven’t given up. Through the pandemic to beginning a full time job I have done my best to keep up with orders and staying connected to my audience. As new customers come in I want to let them know that I will always be transparent about my work, ingredients, availability, and my skill set. As a business owner I’ve learned it’s okay to be open about successes and failures. I strive to provide high quality products that will bring only joy to every one of my customers pet.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The need to control everything. As a small business owner it is way too easy to overdo it. I’ve found myself burnt out on multiple occasions because I wasn’t willing to let go of any tasks. I would overwork myself when I had a very capable support system behind me eager to help. For myself, it always comes back to “this is my brand, no one else should take on the workload”. So my solution was to do 98% of everything. It didn’t work. When I started working full time there was no way I could drive 40 mins home and then bake a huge order while also sleeping and eating a good meal. So, I bite my tongue and asked my mom to help with preparations before I got off of work. Not gonna lie, the first couple recipes didn’t go too well but we persevered and now my mom helps prep for me. Even letting go of that small bit of control has been very difficult for me. I tediously overlook the details for orders or events and it freaks me out to think about someone else doing that when I’m not available.

The backstory to all this is perfection. “You want it done right, do it yourself”. Well that only works for a while before you feel like passing out after completing 67 out of the 150 tasks on your to do list. People are more than willing to help, let them PLEASE. No business runs with one person and one person only. Therefore, I hope to get better at loosening the reigns of control as time goes on because it truly is the best feeling when you’re leaving an event empty handed because your whole crew is carrying everything for you. My one piece of advice to myself and others is “if you have the support use it, but don’t take advantage of it”.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Most of my social media following was built slow and steady. Many, if not most, of my followers have come from other followers reposting/sharing my products. In order to keep new followers I do my best to engage with posts, comments, and story reactions. Responding to messages in a timely manner has also aided to building connection with my audience as well as reacting to their posts unrelated to my business. Showing my followers that I care enough to engage with them whenever I can.

Be genuine. I don’t have a “huge” following on social media, but I do have a substantial amount of followers on Instagram. The biggest lesson I’ve learned as a business owner is that quantity does not equal quality. A person can have 100k followers but of those followers who is truly engaging with you? Who is sharing your posts and bringing in new customers? The people that invest in your vision are the followers you want to focus on.

Social media feels like a giant monster that will stomp you in a millisecond BUT it’s a monster that can be conquered. Start small with posts that resonate with your brand. Focus on the platforms you know best and conquer one platform at a time. Where is your audience? Go to where they are. Putting the most effort into one platform will help grow other platforms once you decide to switch over.

Don’t try to go viral. The most random things can go viral and it’s so easy to tell when someone is trying to go viral as opposed to genuinely sharing content they care about.

Be picky about the content you put out. Don’t just post to post. Video content is huge right now and even more so when that content provides an educational value. The truth is, everyone wants something from the content they consume whether its knowledge, entertainment, or a distraction.

Post yourself. I know its scary to do, and if I’m being honest I still struggle with this, People want to connect with you on a personal level. Humans seek human connection. Be yourself, and the right people will find you. Your audience no matter how big or small is there to support you!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manchaspawnaderia/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manchaspawnaderia/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@manchaspawnaderia