We were lucky to catch up with Concetta Bondi & Mariana Narvaez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Concetta Bondi & Mariana Narvaez , thanks for joining us 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?

The P A L O S A N T O journey began in Mexico, with a spark of inspiration as we were traveling through Mexico together. Through a shared passion for art, design, and culture, we found ourselves immersed in the vibrant culture of the small towns we visited, where we had the privilege of connecting with local artisans firsthand. While searching for pieces for our own homes, we were captivated by the remarkable talent and passion these talented artisans showed for their craft. Wanting to share these treasures with a wider audience, we embarked on this journey to create P A L O S A N T O.

The conceptualization stage unfolded in a very organic way, as we discovered we shared the same vision – so decisions regarding design, branding, and mission flowed smoothly. Next, came time to formulate a concrete business plan – having an idea is one thing, but making it happen is another. The initial phases of launching the brand were not without their challenges. While we both had some entrepreneurial experience, neither of us came from a design background and had no experience in this industry. For example, delving into the realm of product exportation/importation seemed daunting at first, but at the same time, exciting. These moments have served as a poignant reminder of the importance of continually pushing boundaries, setting new goals, and continuing to grow and evolve both professionally and personally.

In fact, we ended up launching almost one year later than expected. Despite meticulous planning and all our best efforts to be prepared, unforeseen obstacles led to a delay in our launch. Amidst the challenges, discipline and consistency have been crucial. Working from two different countries, scheduling regular meetings (and respecting them) has allowed us to remain focused and aligned in our objectives, even when life gets busy. Moreover, being able to identify and work within our individual strengths has worked well for us. In our case, our talents complement each other – Concetta focuses on the design/branding/marketing aspects, and Mariana is a numbers pro, so her role centers on strategy/logistics/financial planning.

In one of our toughest moments, a mutual friend and fellow entrepreneur gave us this simple but powerful advice: “good things take time”. While our journey continues to evolve and refine, once we did launch, P A L O S A N T O was a much more complete, coherent version of what we had initially planned.

For aspiring entrepreneurs embarking on their own journey, we would say that although the path ahead may seem daunting (and at times, impossible) it’s important to trust yourselves and your abilities to navigate through the challenges. Equally as important is knowing when to reach out for help and guidance. We are always amazed at how supportive our community really is.

Concetta Bondi & Mariana Narvaez , 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?

P A L O S A N T O decor is a luxury interiors brand specializing in one-of-a-kind, handcrafted objects that blend ancestral techniques with contemporary forms. Our brand is deeply rooted in a commitment to honoring Mexico’s rich cultural heritage and centuries-old traditions through pieces designed to elevate our everyday experiences. Each piece embodies a harmonious fusion of the past and present, the modern and the timeless.

Setting ourselves apart from traditional retail paradigms and the trend of rapid and disposable consumption, we take pride in our direct collaboration with artisans. At the heart of P A L O S A N T O’s ethos lies our dedication to supporting female creatives and entrepreneurs. As a women-owned and led brand, we are committed to promoting ethical and sustainable employment opportunities for women artisans and women-led studios and cooperatives. By investing in these communities, we seek to empower artisans while safeguarding these sacred traditions for generations to come.

How’d you meet your business partner?

We (Concetta Bondi and Mariana Narvaez) first crossed paths over a decade ago while working together in Phoenix, Arizona. At the time, they were both working at a Spanish sustainable engineering firm; Mariana was the director of the finance department and Concetta worked in human resources, leading cultural competence and language training. They instantly clicked and have remained friends long after they both transitioned to different roles and Mariana relocated to Monterrey, Mexico.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?Tell us about your choice and the pros and cons in your view.

At the outset of our journey, we decided to make our website shoppable – we wanted a space that would not only showcase our core collection, but a space where clients and designers alike could seamlessly procure individual custom pieces or entire collections. After thorough research, we opted for Shopify as our platform of choice. Its blend of aesthetics and user-friendliness appealed to us.

However, we soon discovered nothing was as easy as it seemed. We found that the available templates were not exactly what we were looking for and still required a significant amount of coding. The person we had hired to help us set up the shop was more of an engineering pro vs graphic designer, and in the end, this led to months of delay and basically a worst-case-scenario only days before launch. Luckily, a recommendation from a friend saved us just in time (Josee from Plus Media Creative is the BEST).

We were also surprised to learn that many key features were missing from the Shopify platform – especially regarding shipping logistics. Considering the platform is designed for e-commerce, we did not anticipate many of these issues. For each issue we came across, the answer always seemed to be to resort to third-party applications, which was both frustrating and led to unexpected set up costs for our new business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://palosanto-decor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palosanto.decor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083358310000
• Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/5wvpKsY