Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gabriela Lopez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Gabriela, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
I strive to make a mark in my customers lives. I hope that they can look at my products and say “she loves what she does and it shows”. Small business owners go above and beyond for their customers because they truly believe that their products are gold. I have ladies that are loyal to my brand because I pay attention to their wants. I help them feel beautiful and that’s the kind of impression I want to leave on others. I hope that they can see how much I care about what I do. That really makes a difference on your business. It helps you grow as a person and as an owner. Generosity and staying humble can help establish a successful brand for many years to come. Maybe one day my kids can run my business. That’s how successful I want to be.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Gabriela Martinez as I recently got married. I have 3 children and I was born and raised in Gainesville Georgia. I am 30 yrs old. I work full time as a customer service rep in a local trucking company. I also have a small business Lavish Lo Lashes, I sell high quality lashes for regular customers as well as make up artists. I carry 25 styles that range from very light, natural to super long and dramatic. There is a lash for everyone in my variety. I started my business in 2020 during COVID-19 . I was already looking into the idea of starting the brand when the pandemic hit. Although 2020 was a crazy year, my brand did really well. I started with 6 styles that year. I found a manufacturer/ vendor, and I designed my brand to my liking. I quickly established a clientele. We were doing pop ups and markets. I put myself out there and I feel confident about the outcome. I grew more and more and started bringing in accessories to the brand. We have our online store now www.lavishlolashes.com. During the pop ups is where I really got to know my customers. I helped install confidence in ladies by teaching them one on one how to apply their lashes in person at my events. I also do house calls for make up and lashes for my local ladies. I have recently got to attend some local networking events. They really help build relationships with other women in the industry. Gainesville has grown so much in the small business world there are many talented ladies that come together several times a year, and share their ideas as well as sell their items. I am most proud of the fact that I use to be a shy person and now I have blossomed into a social, confident, successful lady. You truly don’t know what you’re capable of until you try. I love helping women feel beautiful. I want my clients to know that I am always there to help with their beauty needs.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Starting a business doesn’t just take one step. There are many obstacles to go through. I was researching on ways to start with a low amount of inventory. I was saving up for my launch date, as I took about 2 months of collecting lash samples until I found a great vendor / manufacturer that was fit for me. I saved enough for my first launch which was about $600. From there I invested all my profits and since I was constantly selling out of inventory I kept putting the earnings back into my business, so we grew pretty fast the first year. I was able to make my money back. Since my journey started during COVID-19 it was important for me to come up with a price for my products that would help me build up my business. After I had the right amount of inventory I was able to see what vendors worked for me and fit my brand. I had to eliminate a vendor that was unreliable. I found a cheaper more efficient way to supply my material, so that I could focus on cost savings to lower my prices and still offer a great product. Reinvesting in your business is important.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Content is so important right now. It’s important to keep your audience engaged. People are on their phones 24/7 they’re always watching. Taking pictures at every event, sharing your day as you sell products, use models at the pop ups to showcase your products. Make videos of yourself packing orders, making, printing labels. You can make it look fun and others will want to stick around to see you handle your social media. No pictures go unnoticed that’s helped me grow so much social media is free marketing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lavishlolashes.com
- Instagram: @lavishlolashes
- Other: TikTok: Lavishlolashes