Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joyce Salazar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Joyce, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

What I wish I did differently is learn about contracts. When you have a small business, you think you won’t be in a position where you need one, you get contacted for a large order, then you’re scrambling. A contract will protect you and your client; it’s worth learning about regardless of your business size.

Time management is something I have done differently since last year. Learning to ‘get ready and stay ready’ has changed how I operate and optimized my time management skills. It was a challenging skill for me to gain, but the reward of learning how to manage my time is astounding.

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?

Everything I make, I make with the intent of breaking the stigma surrounding marijuana use. My way of doing this is by, creating elevated products that feel luxurious and won’t break the bank. I make everything out of cement so when you pick up an ashtray, the weight feels good in your hands. The designs for my ashtrays, rolling trays, and roach clips feel like home decor. If you leave your setup out on purpose or accident, it will look like a beautiful part of your home.

If everyone can know one thing about Rucas Reefer, it’s that I am always thinking of ways to innovate what I offer. I want all of us to be able to use what we need/want and feel a community, so if you see a stash scrunchie in the wild say hi so we can get to know each other.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Using resources to enrich my business is one of the most powerful things I did. I studied countless youtube videos learning how to find my customer and connecting on more than a product. You do not need to save the world to have a business but knowing “why” you do what you do is one way to stay resilient and connect with your customer. People love buying from someone they feel like they could hang out with, so knowing why I do what I do helps me accomplish more. ‘How great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek’; TedEx talk on youtube is an easy-to-digest way of figuring this out.

Aside from knowing why, learning ethical sales skills is very helpful. Mastering sales is good for every economic season, doing it in a way that makes people feel welcome and at ease is even better. The Perfect Close by James A. Muir is an easy study for sales.

If you have a team, learning how to handle tough situations with grace and confidence is essential. I recommend Radical Candor by Kim Scott to develop your management style. People leave bad managers, not the tasks they had at work; Kim Scott does a great job of explaining how to be a great manager without losing your humanity.

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

The biggest challenge I experienced is becoming a first-time mom. Now this is good news, but I used to make all my products out of resin. Resin is not safe for pregnant people so I had to stop production immediately, this is where I thought I was going on hiatus or shutting down. I did not want to let go of my business nor did I want to take a break so I had to pivot. After research, I settled on cement as my new medium. Using cement instead of resin is the best thing I did for Rucas Reefer so far. I have so much more freedom on what I can create and how innovative I can be. Change is scary but the result is always better than before.

Contact Info:

• Website: rucasreefer.com (coming soon)
• Instagram: instagram.com/rucas_reefer
• Facebook: facebook.com/rucasreefer
• Youtube: youtube.com/@incrediblejoyce9779