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

Alright, Erika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Kindred Haus was born from something I had been noticing for a long time: many people are constantly surrounded by others, yet still feel deeply disconnected. Whether it’s friendships, romantic relationships, or family bonds, so many people crave meaningful connection but struggle to find spaces where those relationships can grow naturally.
Creating connection has always come naturally to me. I’ve always enjoyed bringing people together, hosting gatherings, planning experiences, and creating environments where others feel welcomed and included. For a long time, I saw it as simply part of who I was, not something I imagined could become a business.
The idea became clearer when I began reflecting more intentionally on what I wanted to create, and when I prayed for direction. I asked God for clarity and for a sign to help me understand what I was meant to do. What followed felt undeniable: the conversations I was having, the situations I was witnessing, and the opportunities that kept appearing all seemed to align at the right time. It felt like everything was pointing toward the same purpose.
A major part of that vision came from observing how much the world changed after the COVID-19 pandemic. It felt like many people became more isolated, less social, and less comfortable building new relationships. Even though life moved forward, many people were left carrying loneliness or a sense of disconnection that often goes unnoticed. I realized how deeply people still need spaces where they can reconnect with others in a real and intentional way.
That realization is what inspired Kindred Haus.
The intention behind Kindred Haus is to create experiences that bring people together in ways that feel genuine, welcoming, and meaningful. Not just events for the sake of gathering, but curated spaces where friendships can form, romantic connections can naturally develop, and couples or families can deepen the relationships they already have.
At its core, Kindred Haus is being built with the hope of helping people feel less isolated and more connected in a world where true community can sometimes feel hard to find. It is a vision rooted in creating moments where people can simply show up as themselves and leave feeling like they belong.

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 background and context?

My journey has always centered around people, connection, and creating meaningful experiences. Over the years, I’ve worked in customer-focused environments where communication, organization, and relationship-building were at the center of everything I did. Through those experiences, I realized one of my greatest strengths is bringing people together and creating spaces where individuals feel welcomed, comfortable, and genuinely connected.

That passion naturally led me into the world of event experiences, community building, branding, and content creation. I’ve always loved organizing events, planning details, creating engaging content, and helping people step outside of their comfort zones to create real-life connections. What started as a personal passion eventually evolved into a business focused on creating intentional experiences where people can meet new friends, build meaningful relationships, create romantic connections, and where couples and families can reconnect through fun and memorable shared experiences.

My business is centered on creating social experiences that encourage authentic human connection in a world where many people feel disconnected or isolated. While networking may happen naturally at my events, the primary purpose is to create environments where people can relax, socialize, enjoy themselves, and build genuine relationships in a natural and comfortable way. I want people to leave my events feeling happier, more connected, and reminded of the importance of spending quality time together, especially in a time when phones and social media often distract us from real-life interactions.

One thing that sets me apart is that I approach everything with both creativity and structure. I genuinely enjoy the creative side of building experiences, but I also bring a strong business foundation. With an MBA and a background in organization, budgeting, customer service, and planning, I enjoy working with numbers, coordinating details, and ensuring that experiences are not only visually appealing but also intentional, welcoming, and thoughtfully executed.

I’m especially proud of the way I’ve continued to reinvent myself throughout different stages of life and business. I’ve experienced setbacks, career changes, uncertainty, and moments where I had to rebuild my confidence, but each experience brought me closer to understanding my purpose and the impact I want to create. Entrepreneurship, for me, is not just about building a business. It’s about creating moments and experiences that bring people closer together.

Another important part of my journey has been discovering the entrepreneurial community in Rio Grande Valley. Attending RGV Startup Week was incredibly inspiring because it opened my eyes to how many resources, programs, and supportive people are available for entrepreneurs who are trying to start or grow a business. I honestly wish I had discovered that community sooner. Being surrounded by driven and creative individuals made me realize how valuable mentorship, networking, and education can be when building a business.

What I want people to know most about me and my business is that everything I create comes from a genuine place. I care deeply about helping people feel seen, included, and connected. Whether it’s through an event, a collaboration, social media content, or a simple interaction, my goal is always to create experiences that leave people feeling inspired, valued, and more connected to the people around them.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One of the biggest moments of resilience in my journey was being let go from my job. At first, it felt discouraging and uncertain because so much of my routine and stability was tied to that role. But after allowing myself time to process it, I started looking at it differently, not as the end of something, but as the beginning of creating something more aligned with who I am and what I’m meant to build.

I did have a business before, but it was very different from what I’m building now. My previous business focused on providing a service for birthday parties, which gave me my first experience as an entrepreneur and showed me how much I enjoyed creating something of my own. While it was centered around a specific service and occasion, it taught me the foundation of building something independently. Eventually, I had to sell that business, but the experience stayed with me.

What I’m building now comes from a much deeper vision. This business is not just about offering a service for one event or occasion, it’s about creating experiences for all kinds of people to connect, build relationships, and feel part of something meaningful. It reflects my passion for bringing people together, building community, and creating spaces where friendships, family bonds, and even romantic connections can grow naturally. I’ve always believed that God works in mysterious ways, and looking back, I truly feel that losing my job was His way of pushing me to return to entrepreneurship and fully commit to creating something of my own.

Instead of staying stuck in disappointment, I redirected my energy into building this business and investing in my personal growth. I started attending networking events, connecting with inspiring people, learning more about branding and entrepreneurship, and creating experiences that help others step out of their comfort zones and connect authentically.

That experience taught me resilience in a very real way. Sometimes what feels like a setback is actually the push you need to step into the path that was meant for you all along.

Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?

Yes, I previously owned a Children’s Party Entertainment Business that I started in 2005 and later sold in 2008. At the time, we were relocating to Laredo, and I wasn’t confident about whether I would be able to successfully rebuild or manage the business in a new city. Selling it felt like the safest and easiest decision during a major life transition.

Looking back, I learned a very valuable lesson from that experience: don’t make big business decisions solely out of uncertainty or fear of the unknown. I wish I had taken more time to research the market, explore ways to adapt the business to a new location, or even consider scaling it differently before deciding to sell.

At the same time, the experience taught me the importance of adaptability, timing, and long-term vision as an entrepreneur. Sometimes we make decisions based on the information and confidence we have in that moment, and those experiences become lessons that shape how we approach future opportunities. Today, I carry those lessons with me by being more strategic, asking more questions, and taking time to fully evaluate opportunities before making major business decisions.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindredhaus.rgv?igsh=MXRyam5oMXc4ZHp5Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1TqEAuHFHP/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-fernandez-056ba6216?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@erika3yan?si=_zb3eHQOaHnP0naN
• Other: IG: https://www.instagram.com/erika3yan?igsh=MWYwYzR0ejQwbmQ0eg%3D%3D&utm_source=qrTiktok:
  https://www.tiktok.com/@erika3yan?_r=1&_t=ZP-96H2pbwykEYKindred Haus

  Instagram, Facebook & TikTok: @kindredhaus.rgv

  Personal

  LinkedIn: Erika Y. Fernandez
  Instagram, Facebook, TikTok & YouTube: @Erika3yan