We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Diana Hernandez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Diana, appreciate you 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?

I’m the happiest being a business owner. At my last job, I was a server at Denny’s. I loved being a server, it’s what I’d done most of my career. I loved it because I love taking care of people and helping them. I was doing my business during the time I was there. I got really mad because it felt like I was doing double the work for half the pay because my tables were suffering from running around like a chicken with my head cut off. As a manager told me, no one asked me to do what I was doing. No, no one did, but I stepped up and did it because I was taught the customers come first. it was instilled in me from a previous job. Then, I ran into problems with a coworker I asked my GM to take care of. I don’t know if it ever was, but it got worse when I came back from a small vacation. I took the next day off and when I came back, it just didn’t feel right anymore. I walked in and walked out before I even clocked in. I remember calling my dad on the way home and going “what did I do?” He said “what was right for you. Now come home and focus on your goals”. From there, I focused more on finding more markets and paying more attention to my business. Aside from the business, I have more time for what I want to do. I work when I want, how long I want, and I find I have more time for what I want. I regretted walking out when I did, but I haven’t looked back since. I’ve been enjoying that I get to do what I love every day. That day I walked out was the start of my life. It was the start of being my own boss. It was the start of building something I love. I don’t regret it for one second.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those who may not know me, my name is Diana Hernandez and I’m the aromatherapist behind Essentials by Diana. I started my business as a way to offer alternative wellness, as I’ve been seeing a rapid incline in turning away from what we know as modern medicine and going back to our roots.It started as 4 roll ons at my first market. Slowly, I’ve been adding more roll ons to help with different ailments. I currently have 12 roll ons and 4 lotions, and there is more to come. I started this because I want to help others. It helped my family and myself, and I figured it can help others as well. I’ve helped others with anxiety, depression, digestive upset, menstrual pain, and so much more. What sets me apart is I’m doing this because I want to. I’m not doing this for a “get rich quick” thing. I’m doing this because I want to help. I started because my only intention is to help and that’s where it will stay. If I don’t have something, I’m more than happy to sit down with you and help figure out a blend or lotion that can help.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I first started at markets, I wasn’t confident in myself. I wasn’t sure how to answer questions, I wasn’t sure how to sell, I wasn’t sure about much. I had singed up for only 3 markets, because that was the advice given to me and I figured “well I need to start somewhere”. During the down times and in between my markets, I would hit my books and figure out how to say things and how to explain. I also learned more about myself. I found out that I was able to find my voice. I started learning how to explain a GC/MS test, how to explain why I use the essential oils that I do, I was also able to explain more about the oils. Finding my confidence and learning even more about my path helped me in more ways than one. It opened so many doors for myself.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding the business wasn’t easy. I’d use money from my paychecks and even my husband helped pay for it. My first year, I owed roughly $900, because of buying the equipment and the oils and everything else in between. It was disheartening when I saw the amount, but it also pushed me forward. I figured it was an investment and if I was going to see anything for it, I had to put the effort forward.
To be honest, I wasn’t very smart with the money I made at first; I didn’t use it wisely or correctly. I took a small course online for accounting and figured out where I was going wrong and how to fix it. Since then, I’ve been able to use what the business has made for the business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://essentialsbydiana.square.site
• Instagram: @essentiallybydiana
• Yelp: Essential by Diana

Image Credits

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