We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tracy Carroll. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tracy below.
Tracy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
I started my business from the personal need of re-stocking the Cuban products that I use. After moving from Miami to the Jacksonville area, I discovered that the availability of the products that I use for cooking, personal care, etc. are not easily available as they were back in Miami. It set off the idea in me of opening up an online and local pop-up market where I could sell those items. I whole heart deadly felt, at the time, that I surely could not be the only one struggling with finding these Cuban products. But as a full hands on mom I took a risk with doing so, not fully understanding what it really meant to be a small business owner. Yes, there’s the start up financial cost to it. Tapping into the savings account that you worked so hard to build was a gamble. But more than that, it was the time and commitment needed to start the business and get it going. It’s taken much more time than I romanticized in my head. I’ve had to make some tuff decisions in letting opportunities go that would have been to the betterment of the business, to be able to have that time with my children, I have gotten frustrated and at times have thought of just closing the business down as trying to keep a “work/life balance” is not an easy task. My children have to come first, always! They are part of the reason why I chose to start the business but shouldn’t have to suffer because of it. I also have to dedicate time to the business in order to flourish the dream I had of it. So I work hard to try and schedule around the children’s needs like homework, adventure time at the park, and family time, and also make time to participate in pop-up markets, social media, and continuing to build the business up. I don’t have a magical formula to what the balance is… but I do my best. It’s a daily struggle that I’m sure other small business owners who have small children can understand.
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 Tracy Prieto Carroll. I am a mom to a son named Reed and a daughter named Emilia. I have been married for 12 years to Doug. We quit our careers and left the big city of Miami in the late summer of 2020 to live the quiet life in the Jacksonville area. We have a beautiful property where the children can run around, explore nature, and just let their imaginations run wild. I started Emilia’s Cuban Market after I realized that the Cuban products that I loved so much from Miami were not available in the shops of my new town or online. So I began a small business that sells those products not only to Cubans but to all. I named the business after my daughter as I wanted the name to have a personal touch. Emilia’s is currently an online shop and can be found in various pop-up market in the Jacksonville area. We carry various products from home goods like espresso makers to personal care items like children’s baby shampoo and conditioner from Spain. Although we currently do not sell any consumables, our future goal is to open a brick & mortar store where we are able to offer Cuban food as well as Cuban products.
Our customers have been amazing! Although we do have some Hispanic and Latino customers, the majority of our customers are not. It’s been a really great experience in sharing my culture with so many who have been eager to learn more about it. They have loved our products and the history behind them. For some, it has brought back so many childhood memories of loved ones or of living in South Florida, but for some its been the joy of knowing that they can now make their own Cafecito at home with their new espresso maker.
I recently learned that my grandmother, Gladis Gort Rodriguez, also opened up a small Cuban shop back in the 1970’s when her and my grandfather moved from Miami to Longwood, Fl. Like myself, she also ran into the issue of not being able to re-stock on beloved products that she used daily. So she would go back down to Miami and stock up for herself and the shop. Learning of that was no surprise as her and I were cut from the same cloth. We don’t settle for “not an option” or “not available”, we make it happen!
Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.
We do not manufacture our products. All of our products are either created by another small business owner or are manufactured, mainly in the Miami area. I knew that there were certain products that I wanted to have in the shop and I knew that those products would of had to been purchased via a wholesaler or in person at a bodega. Unfortunately, since I am a small business, purchasing wholesale is not an option. I learned very quickly that buying wholesale is beneficial if you are purchasing in mass quantitates. It is not financially desirable to do so being such a small operation. So, I did what every girl dreams of… I headed back home, grabbed a shopping cart, and went shopping. I can honestly say that I have hand picked every item in the shop that was not created by another small business.
I also knew that there were items that I wanted in the shop that I was not going to find in a bodega or wholesale warehouse. I wanted unique products that were made with love by other Cubans or in celebration of Cuban culture. I went on a search and found several businesses like Albisa Candles and Le Chic Miami, who create products that do just that. Even the props that I use to display my items are from 305 Deco Living, a Cuban owned and operated company. It was very important for me to support other small business owners.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source for customers, in my opinion, has been the pop-up markets and festivals. It’s the opportunity to meet someone and be able to have an in person conversation about the business, why I started it, and what the products mean and are used for. I do have online customers, some of which have been recurring customers, but nothing beats having that face-to-face experience with them. Being able to answer their questions in real time or listening to how the smell of one of our soaps brings back memories of their grandmother, it’s an experience you just can’t duplicate through your online sales. Also, having the human connection has helped the business grow by those customers spreading the word about the business and in building new clientele. I am very grateful for every customer that I have had!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.EmiliasCubanMarket.Square.site\
- Instagram: @emiliascubanmarket