We recently connected with Destiny Cano and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Destiny, thanks for joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

After I finished high school, society caused me to believe that I was meant to graduate college and pursue a normal 9-5 job. During this time I was adamant about nurturing my inner child and started California Sol in 2019 during my sophomore year in college. I started making earrings & necklaces that made me think of my hometown of San Diego, California.

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in 2021 from UTSA & was working as a makeup artist. I liked the idea of making people feel special & empowered, so I got the idea of throwing markets to give musicians & artists a platform to showcase their bands & businesses! Sol House Market originated in my backyard & eventually I had to start throwing the events at public places because they got too big & cops would start to show up from noise complaints! At this moment, I felt it was time for me to get more serious with curating events, so now Sol Market is hosted in public venues where everyone can have a safe-space to build their own platforms & showcase their talents!

While adding event curation to California Sol, I began working as a Registered Behavioral Technician for kids aged zero to 12. It was extremely fulfilling to be able to work with kids diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and I felt like that was my path, but only part of my journey for a short period of time. At the same time I was working at the clinic, I became a tattoo apprentice in June 2022. After my shifts with the kids, I would head over to Prospect Parlor and learn the art of tattooing from my mentor (@kree23). I was loving the RBT job, but my intuition knew that wasn’t my forever path in life. Working at the tattoo parlor allowed for me to still nurture my inner child & run my small business when I wasn’t tattooing. I began living the best of both worlds creating, learning, and running each branch of California Sol to further the growth of the community.

The bigger picture was finally coming together! Fast forward to July 2022, I quit my day job in order to do California Sol full time & tattoo. The branches of my small business were coming together to form a collection of skills & talents that help me pay my bills while still having fun. This has been a dream come true because I am able to promote California Sol in ways I wouldn’t have ever imagined. My small business started out by me making jewelry for fun, and now I have a booth at SA’s 1st all female tattoo & barbershop tattooing/being a permanent makeup artist. It’s insane to me that the universe led me to become an event curator that gives musicians & artists a platform to showcase their talents. It all comes back to nurturing the inner child we all have inside of us. I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a small business owner while helping others excel. California Sol was a hobby to keep my sanity & keep extra money in my pocket aside from my two jobs. Then, it became a lifestyle to keep my inner child curious & go against the status quo of having to be unhappy in a 9 to 5 work environment. Follow your passions/ interests because they will always lead you to your purpose! Check us out on Instagram (@shopcaliforniasol) for latest events & updates!

Destiny, 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 products evolved from jewelry to clothing, to everything in between… skateboard decks, manifestation jars, hand painted guitar amps, incense holders, etc! I simply started my business because I loved creating and sharing my art even if no one really cared! All that mattered to me was I was creating and nurturing my inner child the way that I know would have mattered to me. I was attending markets and making enough to fund my classes/books each semester and put a portion of my day job paychecks aside for a down payment for a home. California Sol has been a positive platform to make my voice heard through creation and meet amazing people throughout the way!

In another branch of my business, I specialize in tooth gems which lasts from 3 weeks- two years depending how you take care of it! Only Swarovski crystals are used and different designs can be made such as cherries, flowers, and more!

I am very proud of the multiple branches in my business that sets us apart from others that specialize in one trade. Rather than focusing on one main product, I prefer to have variety and have endless possibilities to offer. This includes tooth gems, tattoos, permanent makeup, crystal jewelry, and events I put together. The events are safe spaces open to all and it furthers the growth of the community to not feel nervous to try and sell their own art or perform in front of a crowd for the first time. It’s genuinely a safe space to make sure everyone feels empowered and heard.

It’s important for the reader to know that they are always welcome and safe at our popup markets we host. Everyone is welcome and I want people to feel heard and loved while having a great time! If they ever want to perform with their bands or be a part of the vendor spaces we offer, don’t hesitate to ask! Also, I want people to know the amount of services/products we offer ranging from tooth gems, tattoos, jewelry, and custom work!

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

California Sol started with me making earrings & necklaces, then growing into a larger business consisting of tooth gem, tattoo, event curation, and more! I was a college student trying to pay for my classes/books & wanted an extra source of income aside from my two jobs to save up to put a down payment on a house! I started with my business because I wanted to have that creative outlet while being able to save up for my future. Little did I know it was going to become my full time job in the future!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I definitely had to unlearn that you need a typical 9-5 in order to survive/ pay the bills. Society instills in our brains that we need to go to college, get a 9-5, and work that for the rest of our lives until we die. That we have to ignore the unhappiness for a paycheck in order to live. However, that is not the case.

I graduated with my bachelors degree in 2021 and here I am… a small business owner & tattoo artist apprentice. I was working my 9-5 after college thinking that was my path, but even though it was fulfilling work, my intuition knew that wasn’t my full journey I was meant to pursue for the rest of my life. It all boils down to learning who you are and what you want out of life. For me, I knew I wanted to make sure my life was filled with creation, helping others, and nurturing my inner child. Your passions will always lead you to your purpose!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: Shopcaliforniasol.com
• Instagram: @shopcaliforniasol
• Facebook: California Sol

Image Credits
@stellar.signal_ @kree23 @prospect_parlor_llc