We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lupe Mora De Marchante a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lupe , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn in a new endeavor is always special. We’d love to hear about how you got your first client that wasn’t a friend or family.

My first client came from an unlike source and when I least expected it. On a Saturday morning, I went into my pedicure appointment expecting to go in and out without interacting with anyone and enjoy a few pages from what I had been reading. I was delighted, however, when my nail technician asked about my book. I put my book down during the appointment, and we discussed our beloved authors, books, and upcoming releases. When the service concluded, I shared that I was developing an online bookstore, and the books she had recommended were destined for my inventory, seeing as I desperately needed to increase my stock if I expected to have a half-decent bookstore by the planned launch date I had set. Even though I still needed to put the finishing touches on the website and announce it on social, my nail tech later went on to browse an embarrassingly low-stocked and less-than-perfect website and placed the first-ever purchase at my bookstore.

When I saw the notification on my phone that an order had been placed, I felt a surge of emotions because her purchase didn’t just mark the first dollar my bookstore ever received; it helped shape my resolve. Her support at such an early stage of my bookstore’s development served as a sign of encouragement when I wondered whether my time and effort in building an indie bookstore after leaving a corporate job that I loved to be a full-time mommy would ever pay off. It did. As I’m writing this, it’s one year after that first client’s purchase, and Pen & Honey Bookstore thrives.

Beyond becoming my first client, meeting Nicole Castle was significant in a personal way because it provided the closest thing to experiencing what I used to daydream about in my youth. Before smartphones, going to a nail salon usually meant passing the time in the waiting area reading gossip and celebrity magazines—which I grew annoyed by—so I imagined instead an experience with the endless reading options and comforts of a library blended with the services of a salon. Nicole was the first client at my bookstore, but she also gratified my younger self’s wonder about what a library-salon fusion could feel like.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am the founder of Pen & Honey Bookstore + Press and the author of a #1 New Release book on Amazon. I grew up in L.A. County and moved to Texas, where I received a B.A. in English. I returned to Southern California and found my way into the corporate world, first as a Sales & Marketing Associate and eventually as International Marketing & Communications Manager for global beauty brands. After filing for divorce, I sought a deeper connection with myself and decided to follow my intuition and write my first book.

Down to the exact day, six months after filing for divorce, I celebrated the dual launch of my first book’s pre-sale and of the corporation that would become the parent company of Pen & Honey Bookstore + Press. I continued to write as a side hustle but only departed from my corporate job when, after meeting the man of my dreams, I got pregnant with my second daughter. I stepped away from a position I loved to grant myself the rest, reflection, and care I didn’t receive while pregnant as a teenager with my first daughter. I welcomed a baby and experienced new depths of myself, which allowed me to trust the inclination of opening a bookstore.

It began as an online blog and evolved into a bookstore with a cultural mosaic of delicately selected authors and titles and a publishing company that empowers aspiring and established authors from diverse backgrounds while advocating for inclusive storytelling.

With time, the bookstore has grown and offers more than just books. What sets me apart is that I’ve prioritized my authenticity above all. As a rule of thumb, only what speaks to me and brings me joy is included on the site, from specialty coffee beans to locally harvested honey and, most recently, courses on the writing process, self-publishing process, and, specifically, memoir-style writing for abuse survivors.

Of all my projects and endeavors, I am most proud of having seen my debut book, “Magic (v.)” to its completion. It validated my efforts after having exposed deep vulnerabilities for everyone to read. The completion of this workbook served a dual purpose. It healed and restored my self-love and paved the way for others to do the same. The personal stories found in the book are intended to provoke self-reflection. If answered wholeheartedly, the prompts that follow each of my flashbacks allow the reader to experience self-awareness, self-acceptance, and, ultimately, the sensation of being accompanied and guided on their self-love journey. This personal survivor story has allowed me to continue my advocacy efforts, from donating copies of my book to women’s shelters to volunteering to host poetry and prose workshops at youth correctional facilities.

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

Yes, absolutely. My online bookstore has multiple revenue streams. It’s primarily a destination for curated books, but once on the website, it becomes clear that there are more products than just books, such as delicately selected coffee beans from around the nation, but also creative services. As an author and writing mentor, I offer courses on the writing process, self-publishing process, and, specifically, memoir-style writing for abuse survivors. By nature of the business structure I have in place, Pen & Honey Bookstore is a sister brand to my publishing company, Pen & Honey Press, which is yet another source of revenue stream.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As a reflection of my motivations, the mission driving my journey is to align with my intuition primarily. Naturally, that translates to what my authentic self is inclined to pursue, such as empowering aspiring and established authors from diverse backgrounds, nurturing unyielding confidence in survivors of abuse and trauma, and providing them with a powerful catalyst for healing. By fostering a safe and inclusive space, I aim to equip writers with the tools and support to shape their journeys while challenging societal norms and promoting self-love. As such, Pen & Honey Bookstore + Press strives to celebrate diverse perspectives and contribute to a more equitable and compassionate world through my publishing programs, mentorships, scholarships, and community partnerships.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.penandhoneybookstore.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/penandhoneybookstore/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penhoneybookstore/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@penandhoneybookstore

Image Credits
Alexis Vergara