We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carla López de Azúa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Carla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

In the heart of an economic recession after Hurricane María, where businesses were shutting down or tightening their belts and entrepreneurs faced unprecedented challenges, I found herself on the brink of expanding the company’s vision. Armed with a passion for creativity, and a determination to succeed, I embarked on a journey that would not only define my career but also prove that opportunities could arise even in the toughest of times. My working model has always been different and I knew that traditional methods of securing clients might not be as effective during a recession, so I decided to leverage the power of social media and newspaper presence to expand the brand.
My first move was to create an engaging website and social media presence that showcased the company’s experience, and the success stories that have come out of our incubator. I hoped to create the same experiences for my future clients. Simultaneously, I wrote a compelling press release detailing the unique approach of my business model, and the success stories. Because of this, newspapers wrote articles and I was able to capture the attention of business owners seeking innovative solutions during tough times.
This strategy soon began to yield results.The social media presence and newspaper articles attracted the attention of a large local company who was struggling to make their retail business more contemporary. Impressed by our success stories and our mission to improve the conditions of small business owners, the large company reached out for a consultation.
For three years I worked closely with the company developing a tailored marketing strategy to revitalize the retail business and attract a younger audience with a gamit of diverse events. As they implemented the plan, the positive results became evident, and the business began to thrive once again.
The combination of social media presence and newspaper coverage had not only secured our first client but had also paved the way for a flourishing consultancy business in the midst of an economic downturn.
My success journey during this tough moment in Puerto Rico demonstrated that, even in challenging times, a commitment to bettering the economic development of small businesses, creative and strategic approach to marketing, coupled with a strong online presence and traditional media exposure, could open doors to unexpected opportunities.

Carla , 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?

I am most proud of the work that centers around creating and collaborating with clients, companies and individuals who wish to make Puerto Rico a more equal opportunity economy, at the same time being socially responsible with children and their caregivers. Constantly evolving from one project to another I have been able to pivot as I sell and start new businesses all the while keeping direct contact with former clients and partners.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

During the aftermath of hurricane Maria, I had to chose: to pay my employees, pay the company loan or pay myself. At that time defaulting on a loan due to the Hurricane was viable, so I had been able to maintain a cushion in my corporate bank account and default on my loan and pay my employees. All of our employees at this time maintained themselves true to the business, from securing our property to helping the community around us.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

As a new business model in Puerto Rico it was an exciting challenge to educate our audience on what we were building. Strategically finding clients who understood and were cheerleading for the business model to work became a key component in building a safe and sound reputation. these clients became part of our PR strategy: inviting them to interviews, being the ones to speak to the success of the business model and how a shift in mindset of old ways of doing business created great discourse around Real Estate endeavors. Not only can you invest in real estate, but you can make a lasting impact in small businesses, single mothers and communities. Lasting relationships with these clients 10 years after our start has made our brand one that promotes longevity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pop-projects.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-lópez-de-azúa-84a32014/

Image Credits
Photos by René Pedrosa