We were lucky to catch up with Chris Villagracia recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Chris, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I stopped buying clothes from other brands for two reasons: they didn’t represent who I am, and they only took my money without giving anything back.
That’s what inspired me to create a clothing brand that focuses on people, not just the brand, and to do my part in helping others with their personal development.
Chris, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve been designing merch for over a decade, but the personal development aspect came from a deeply personal place—overcoming suicidal thoughts and depression. After years of fighting, I won that battle. Now, I feel a responsibility to help others who are struggling like I was.
I’ve always pride myself on being a Scorpio and building a brand around Zodiac signs felt like a natural choice and it’s something we all have in common, whether we like it or not. The market already exists, but nothing in the semi-luxury space with high-quality materials like the brand offers. People are already comparing my designs to major brands, and that’s the goal—to create something similar but unique enough to stand out.
I call it “luxury goods without the luxury price.”
For the past 15 months, I’ve been dedicated to building this brand. I believe everything I’ve gone through has prepared me for this purpose. They say the first half of your life is to find your purpose, and the second half is to serve it. I’m 35, and my true journey is just beginning.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I’ve always believed in the idea of “changing direction but never the destination.”
I started making money in high school, thinking I’d help my parents but then I had kids. I tried to make it in the music industry for about 10 years, hoping to become a star but it didn’t work out. I went for an associate’s degree in automotive, dreaming of opening my own shop but I never found the right team to make it happen. I took business administration classes and almost franchised a small company but that fell through before it even started.
And then I got into real estate, made good money, and finally helped my parents in major ways. But something was still missing – the feeling of truly helping others who are struggling like I once did.
Now, I believe that’s what led me to this brand I’m building. It’s a new journey after I’ve started many and left behind, but this time, I feel a deep trust and faith in this next chapter of my life.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve had to adapt and pivot since starting my first job at 16, making just $5.25 an hour. I became a father at 18 and I realized being a cashier earning $10 an hour wasn’t going to cut it. I worked harder than everyone else, determined to get noticed and earn promotions. By my late 20s, I was making $45,000 a year as a manager, and I felt good about that—until my fiancé graduated nursing school in 2021 and started making $60,000 a year then eventually reaching six figures.
I thought I was doing well in life until I got into real estate right after my fiancé graduated. In my second year, I earned about $30,000 in commission in just “one month”. They say the money you have is based on how much valuable work you are willing to do and I’m willing to do whatever it takes and pivot many times as needed to get to the next destination.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lvzodiacs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xlschlx/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cv192131?trk=people-guest_people_search-card
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LVzodiacs/playlists
- Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/vegasprinz
- Other: https://83bc2b-f6.myshopify.com/
Image Credits
All photos are taken by me using my own camera.