We were lucky to catch up with Paola Leon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Paola , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

In 2016 I was living in Venezuela, studying fashion design because it was the only fashion career path that was available in the country. I started feeling unsatisfied with the major because my dream was to open my own fashion business. An opportunity to relocate to New York City came up, and I knew that was my moment to take a risk in life!. I was excited about the idea of moving to New York City, but the decision to move did not come lightly as I didn’t know anybody there except for one family member. Considering all of the things I’ve heard about the culture in New York, my age was also a concern. I knew in my heart though that this was the only city that could provide me a fresh start and a real chance to achieve my dreams because you know what they say, ” If you make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.”

Being a teenage-immigrant in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language wasn’t easy to say the least. This transition in my life also marked the first time I would be away from family, so this made the acculturation process very difficult because I was doing it all alone. Moreover, my parents couldn’t afford to continue supporting me financially, so I had to find a way to earn my own income. My first job ever was at a coffee shop in Hoboken, New Jersey. I would also pick up extra hours of babysitting to pay my school tuition.
Those first couple of years were the hardest. I used to work 12-hour days, and then I would attend my classes in the evening. My days would start at 5AM and end at 12:30AM. As a result of the pressure to maintain this hectic schedule, I had no social life. I was just focused on saving as much money as possible.

After I finished school, I started working as a fashion stylist. Although this role gave me opportunities for growth, I wanted to be my own boss. However, I didn’t know what career path I wanted to pursue. In 2020, I became interested in sustainable fashion with the focus of second-hand clothing and pre-loved designer bags. These passions are what lead me to establishing The Vintage Caffe.

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

My name is Paola Leon, and I’m from a small city called Maracay in Venezuela. I’m 26 years old and the founder of The Vintage Cafe LLC. I studied fashion business in The New School, and that’s how I discovered my passion for sustainable fashion.

The Vintage Caffe started as a hobby, but with time, I pivoted this hobby into a business. Luxury brands are not accessible to everyone, so my intention behind the mission of The Vintage Cafe is to supply customers with their favorite luxury brands and honor my beliefs about sustainable fashion. All of my bags are pre-owned and some of them are vintage. They also go through a process of authentication by me and the artificial intelligence of Entrupy.

What sets me apart from other vintage stores is that I’m very selective with the bags that I choose to add to my collection. I keep in mind what kinds of bags my customers are interested in while selecting my offerings. Most of my bags are also in near perfect conditions. My personal motto is that if you are going to spend a lot of money on a used bag, make sure the condition is worth your investment.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social Media has been a huge tool in growing The Vintage Caffe. In particular, I’ve been very active on TikTok and Instagram to establish brand awareness.

On TikTok I post my videos in Spanish and English because I want to teach the Latin community about the second-hand luxury market. Some of my videos touch on the history behind the bags in my collection, unboxing new arrivals, packing orders and even sharing a little bit of my personal life.

I can definitely see the difference on my social media platform the moment I started talking a little about me and showing my personality.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Definitely is “I can Do-Everything myself”

Delegation is a necessary practice for small business owners. However, until recently, I didn’t feel comfortable handing tasks over to other people because I considered myself a “perfectionist”.
Months ago I was stuck in the “I can Do-Everything-Myself” mentality. When I opened the pop-up for The Vintage Caffe in Soho, New York, I was doing all the tasks a business requires myself, from the sales in the store, to sourcing and authenticating the bags. I would work from 11am to 7pm everyday in the store and then a few more hours at home until I collapsed physically and mentally. That is when I decided to simplify my routine and follow the advice everyone had given me – to delegate things one does not enjoy or is not skilled at doing –
All of us have our own strengths and weaknesses. It’s very important to focus on the things that are most meaningful to you and to either say no or delegate the rest.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thevintagecaffe.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevintagecaffe/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paola-andrea-león-215669161/

Image Credits
Edward Vargas