Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mark Galindo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I’ve always had the vision since I was young but never the drive or mindset to do so. In March of 2021 my son was born and I became a stay at home dad, with a newborn in the middle of a pandemic, I had lots of time. That time also came with a ton of self reflection and determination to want to be successful for not just myself but for my family.
I remember starting with a basic google search “how to start a business?”
I knew I needed merchandise but how was I going to sell, what platform should I use?
Everything from packaging, shipping labels, photography, marketing and creating a brand within itself. It took weeks of research and countless YouTube videos before I felt confident enough to seek merchandise, but little did I know that is the hardest part.
I started off with days of basic google searching, it was hard because everything I came across was not the quality nor in the profit margin I know I needed.
I found a potential vendor in Las Vegas and since they did not ship, I decided to fly there and talk to this vendor. Unfortunately they were not for me.
Flying back home I was a little discouraged, but after being home for a couple of days I found the drive to continue my research.
I found another possible vendor in Los Angeles this time, but again unfortunately they were not for me.
Still determined to find my vision, walking the fashion district talking to countless people, I finally found my perfect partner.

Mark, 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 Mark Matthew Galindo, I was born and raised in East Austin. I’ve always admired gold jewelry growing up, but knew it was a bit expensive. I always sought out for gold plated jewelry but it 99% of the time would turn my skin green. That’s why I created Essentials. I wanted to create a brand with very affordable gold plated jewelry that will not discolor your skin. Since the launch of Essentials I’ve strived to keep everything under $25 and I plan to keep it that way for years to come!

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I remember being so anxious on spending $25 on an online ad, it was my first time spending such on an ad. I would usually only do $2-$5 at a time, $25 was just a lot for me at the time. The thoughts of what if I don’t get any traffic, any sales, or am I just wasting my money? It ended up being one of the best decisions for Essentials, my website reached a few states and I was able to make my first couple of out of state orders.
It was a huge eye opener on how powerful marketing is, and just a few weeks later I had my first international order.
Essentials Jewelry was able to gain followers and customers from around the world based on risks.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

I sell through my own website that I created. I rather package, ship, and I even deliver locally myself. I’m very hands on and transparent with my customers to provide the best customer service I can.
I like my website because I’m able to see all live analytics, inventory, and orders all in one app. It also gives me the idea of what I need to work on, or do better next time.
I feel if I was to use a fulfillment center it would take away from me being so hands on with everything. I like generating people and building a long term bond as a customer, rather then just making a sale.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.EssentialsJewelry.org
• Instagram: @EssentialssJewelry
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/essentialssjewelry