We recently connected with RUTHMARY PARIS and have shared our conversation below.
RUTHMARY , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?
I started my small business on May 2021 after the pandemic. I started making etched shot glasses with the phrase Covid Shot #1 and Covid Shot #2. With the 2 shot glasses, I added a small tequila bottle, and this was my most tremendous success since everyone was ordering the shot glasses from me to give them as a gift. This was in San Antonio TX, and a year later I moved to Orlando. It has been a little challenging since I didn’t know too many people here or what things does the market in Orlando like the most. I wish I could have started before because I have lived in many other states, like South Carolina, Georgia, Chicago, etc, places where I had many many friends and I know they would have been my first adorable customers. There were so many friends that I love and I left in those cities, that I would have created nice things for them when I was there. But thanks to God, I have been always making stuff, God always provides clients so It keeps me busy and I’m happy about that.
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?
I create personalized and unique Items, sometimes based on my creation, motivated for the holiday season. Other customers come up with the idea and between both, I listen to what she is looking for and I give suggestions to make a tremendous and unique personalized item. I’m always open to trying new projects. I also do home decor, I love working with wood. Some of my products are, personalized hats, Tshirts, Decorative tiles, Wood Welcome porch signs, Table Centerpieces, Baby showers gift baskets, Vynil on any product, Wine Labels, Personalized Tote bags, Etched Glasses, Puzzles, Mouse pads, and more.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Well initially I just asked my husband for a Mother’s Day gift a Cricut, I have another job, so I was able to start buying supplies right away. It was not easy the first year, I was feeling that I was doing good sales, but at the same time, I was spending all my profit again and again. I still learning, but now I finally figure out how to balance and how to make my business profitable.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
When I moved to Orlando, since I didn’t have friends here, I decided to create a Facebook group, to make friends and to see and read what people like around here or what are they interested in. Since I’m Latina, I decided to create a group called ” Latinas Living In Avalon and Surrounding” which is there where are most of my Latina friends, some of them have ordered a product from me and have referred my business to others whom they know. They are an awesome group of women that we meet together monthly and we select a Latin restaurant near Avalon to support, so we usually let the owner know when is the less busy day and we all go, about a group of 25 ladies. I also, try always to give them small gifts made by me as promotion as well, That help too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/creationsbyRparis/photos
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creations_byparis/