Spark and Hustle

Diseñadora Industrial y Fundadora: Adriana y los 12 Años de Verbena Designs

• Karina Rojo • Season 2 • Episode 15

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En este episodio de Spark & Hustle, conversamos con Adriana Soto, diseñadora industrial y fundadora de Verbena Designs. Con más de 12 años en la industria del diseño, Adriana ha creado una marca que fusiona arte, artesanía y una visión única en la joyería.

Nos comparte su trayectoria desde sus inicios en el mundo del diseño hasta la creación de su propia marca, los retos que ha enfrentado como emprendedora y su proceso creativo para transformar materiales en piezas que cuentan historias.


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Speaker 1:

Bienvenidos a Spark and Hustle. Hoy tenemos una invitada muy especial Adriana Soto, una talentosa diseñadora de joyería y fundadora de Verbena Designs. Adriana comenzó su camino estudiando diseño industrial en el Tecnológico de Monterrey en Chihuahua, pero más adelante decidió seguir su pasión por la joyería obteniendo una certificación en Phoenix. Ahora, con 12 años de trayectoria en su trajectory in his e-commerce business, he continues to create unique pieces and with purpose, that connect to his clients. In this episode, we will talk about his transition from jewelry design engineering, his creative process and the challenges and achievements of building a brand. Let's start. Hello, welcome and welcome to this space.

Speaker 1:

Spark and Hustle, a podcast that ignites your inspiration and feeds the hustle in this world of work and entrepreneurship. I'm your host, karina, a marketing enthusiast on a journey of exploration, conversation and empowerment. In each episode, we immerse ourselves in the stories of professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders like you. Discover the spark that lights up the trajectories and the agitators that promoted the success of these leaders and entrepreneurs. Whether you're browsing the corporate ladder or building your own empire, follow Sparking Hustle for more inspiration, practical advice and and why not? A little humor. Prepare to awaken your ambitions and elevate your hustle game.

Speaker 1:

We believe in the power of connection. Join our community on Spotify, itunes and Instagram to share your experiences, learn from others and be part of a support network for those who dream, do and believe. A support network for those who dream, do and believe. Again, adri, thank you so much for taking the time, the space. I'm super, super excited to know a little more about your story, how you started everything. Verbena, the pieces you make seem incredible to me, and what an emotion I'm going to hear from you increíbles, y qué emoción que voy a escuchar de ti, el proceso y todo lo que pasa detrás de de Iberbena. Entonces, si quieres empezar presentándote, Ok, muchas gracias, Kari.

Speaker 2:

Muchas gracias a ti por este espacio. Ya te lo he dicho, tu espacio me ha ayudado mucho. Me encanta tu podcast. Entonces yo feliz, feliz de recibirte aquí en mi estudio y platicarte de. I've already told you, your space has helped me a lot. I love your podcast, so I'm happy to welcome you here in my studio and talk to you about my jewelry. Well, my name is Adriana Soto, I'm an industrial designer and I have a jewelry design company called Verbena Designs. I'm a mother, wife. I have three children and basically my day-to-day is designing things and also being a mother and wife and trying to balance my life.

Speaker 1:

And here I'm going to talk to you a little bit about that. Thank you, Adri.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for introducing yourself. Can you tell us a little bit about how you started with the whole project and also what led you to study industrial design? Well, first of all, I have been very creative since I was a child. That's what I liked. I remember that at home, my mom made us dresses, because we are three women, so she made us design and I loved it. I loved designing my dresses and giving them to her, and that she made them for me was the best. So from there, I discovered that I really liked design and also at the time, I also got into studying to make clothes and so on. And when I left high school I said, well, what's next? And I heard that the industrial design career opened in Chihuahua. So I went to study there. Thank God, my dad always gave us the opportunity to study what we wanted, that we would really like to, but it was also that, like his support in studying a career, that maybe this is what you are going to get or this is what follows. It was a very new career. I mean very new. Nobody knew what it was, even not me much. I investigated it and well, already in other campuses in Monterrey in Mexico I was already there, but in Chihuahua it was completely new. So well, I sold myself and, the truth is well, super cool. I do not regret it.

Speaker 2:

Estando en la escuela tuve la oportunidad de irme un semestre a estudiar a Madrid, y pues, ahí también fue otro como parteaguas de mi carrera, como de conocer el diseño europeo, la libertad con la que diseñan los creativos que son. Sí, fue como yo me quiero dedicar a diseñar mis propias colecciones. No sabía yo todavía de qué, no sabía si de ropa, de muebles, de, hasta carros, lo del diseño automotriz también es parte del diseño industrial. Pero yo sabía que me quería como dedicar a diseñar algo y a tener to design something and to have a product. I did not know if maybe with a company or me alone.

Speaker 2:

Well, I finished my career. Well, that was when I decided to enter the corporate world. I worked in a company that is dedicated to doing real estate and industry, and well, there I was doing like work tables, but it was very much that they told me what to do.

Speaker 1:

So they didn't give you much freedom to be creative and make your own designs.

Speaker 2:

No, no, I mean, well, in the work that I had to do, it couldn't be. I mean, literally, it was the work table has to measure so much and so much and it has to have a lamp here and there's no more. No, no se podía, o sea literal era la mesa de trabajo tiene que medir tanto y tanto y tiene que tener una lámpara aquí y no hay más. Pero yo siempre les decía ¿y no quieren que les diseñe un escritorio? Y les diseñaba un escritorio ahí, bien locochón. Y lo hacían.

Speaker 2:

Entonces ellos sí me daban mucha libertad, pero en otros proyectos, incluso hasta de marketing y así, but in other projects, even marketing and so on, and I was happier doing that, which was not my job, than doing the months of work. So, but hey, I think it's experience you need. And from there, well, I moved to the United States. That's when I got married. But it was a difficult decision because to say, well, here I have my job, that I'm going to do in the United States, and my husband told me no, man, because I still couldn't work here. So it was like no man, you come to study something that you like.

Speaker 1:

And that's how it was like between studying jewelry. It was like studying jewelry oh, wow. Okay, now everything makes sense to me with your European style, because I always love how you dress, I love all your outfits and I think that living in Europe for a period maybe it also makes you change your mind and see everything that is happening in the world of design, there, de abrir la mente y ver todo lo que está pasando en el mundo del diseño allá. Sí, lo que escuché es que de tu familia fue que te inspiraste por el hecho de que tu mamá les hacía sus vestidos, su ropa, entonces, como que de ahí nació la inspiración por el diseño, ¿cierto? Sí, sí, sí, ok, qué lindo, qué lindo. Yes, yes, yes, okay, how nice. And tell me, for the people who don't know, tell us what industrial design is.

Speaker 2:

Basically industrial design is you realize that they teach you from finding a need to creating the product to solve it, hasta crear el producto para solucionarlo, el hacerlo. O sea te enseñan a trabajar madera, metal, muchos tipos de cosas. A mí me acuerdo que te enseñan a soldar, entonces te enseñan a trabajar con materiales, hacer prototipos y también te enseñan a cómo venderlo. Entonces básicamente como todo el ciclo de vida del producto, pero pues realmente sales con una idea muy general de algo, o sea, ya, si te quieres especializar en algo, pues sí necesitas como seguir estudiando.

Speaker 1:

Ok, entonces cuando estudias puedes irte por cualquier industria y ya de ahí empezar a crear tu carrera. Sí, sí, sí. So when you study you can go to any industry and from there start creating your career.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 1:

And how was it that you were inspired to create Verbena Designs, which is 12 years old? It's already 12 years old, right? Congratulations? Thank you, Thank you?

Speaker 2:

Yes, well, look first of all. Well, since I arrived here in the United States, gracias, I'm going to a jewelry class and we'll see. And I remember I mean I'll never forget my first class, which, for me, was like, wow, this is all mine, because, well, it was impressive to me how well they're going to design something, a piece, and they're going to cut it into metal and they're going to polish it into metal. And they're going to polish it. And it came out like a piece and I was like, wow, I don't need to send it to any place, I don't need to make patterns like fashion design. I mean, it's just me, my creativity, design and learn to work metal and stones. And it made me a fascinating world. So, from there, I say no, this is mine, and I continue to study for a year. And when I finished studying, I say, well, it's time to create the jewelry. And that's how I basically started and created Verbena Designs.

Speaker 1:

Wow, how inspiring. And, apart from the jewels, they are the maximum, because I feel that you have a lot of creative space. You can make different shapes, designs, everything. What material was the one you liked the most, the one you liked the most to work with after your class? Because I imagine that you worked with different materials. ¿qué material fue el que más te gustó con el que más te gustó trabajar después de tu clase? Porque me imagino que trabajaron diferentes materiales.

Speaker 2:

Sí, sí, vaya con varios materiales, pero el que más me gustó y que hasta la fecha sigo usando es la plata. Me encanta su brillo, todo todo. Me encanta que es muy fácil de trabajar. El oro también, pero pues, es más costoso. Obviamente no vas a hacer mil prototipos de oro hasta que te gusten. It's very easy to work with gold too, but it's more expensive. Obviously you're not going to make a thousand gold prototypes until you like them. So the money is very good to make and create and design, and if you don't like it, you found it and you do something else.

Speaker 2:

And are there different types of money. Yes, there is .925 silver, argentium, que es la que yo más uso porque es combinación de varios metales. Ok, so for a jewelry design to last, to be strong, you have to combine it with other metals to make it harder. So they are different alloys.

Speaker 1:

Wow, how interesting After studying jewelry, getting married, having new beginnings in your life. What were the challenges that you remember the most, that marked you when you started your business?

Speaker 2:

Well, the most was not knowing how to create a company in the United States. So I remember that I supported a lot of entrepreneurs groups. I remember that we went together and I met entrepreneurs there from Phoenix I lived in Phoenix at that time so I knew their experience. Some of them helped you create the company, they supported you. So basically from there, because I didn't know anyone who had had a company from scratch. So it was like looking for support groups for entrepreneurs and I remember that I went to the meetings. I didn't know anyone and I ended up meeting people who supported me a lot. That in the field of entrepreneurship, not of the brand.

Speaker 2:

But there was also another challenge which was in the world of fashion, of the brand of design. I didn't have experience either. So I remember that, like the year of opening my brand, of already being the official, I went to an event in Phoenix called Design Week and I remember that it was spectacular. I mean everything how they handled it, the marketing, the models, the show, everything and I said wow, I mean I want to be here next year. And I remember that I applied and it was super cool because it was not just like a walkway and that's it. It was like a bootcamp, so 10 fashion designers and 10 accessory designers came in. So that also helped my company a lot to know how to handle the world of design, how to sell your products, how to do all the branding, how to participate in a walk. So those two things I feel helped me a lot to improve my brand.

Speaker 1:

Okay, bye, no felicidades. All the little things I've seen look super pretty. If you can share with us a little bit of what you learned within these groups, or if someone wants to start their business in the United States, I don't know if, in summary, you can tell me what are the steps to start and have your own business here in the United States, yes, well, in the field of creating your brand, what I did was an LLC and well, the truth is it's very easy.

Speaker 2:

I mean, you can do it yourself and there are many applications that help you or you can support people who are dedicated to that, and basically it's filling the papers, making your logo, how are're going to make the brand name, and you send it and they have to approve it and they'll come back to you saying if you can, if the name is available or not, and that's basically it. And in the design area, what I learned in Fashion Week in the bootcamp lo que aprendí en el Fashion Week en el Bootcamp, pues fue como el diseñar para una empresa, porque al final terminó siendo como un concurso. Entonces nos ponían a diseñar una pieza para una empresa local En este caso fue una cervecería. Entonces yo was like, oh, how am I going to create a jewel for a brewery? But that it serves him, but that the design is cool.

Speaker 2:

So, like there, they gave you all the bases and I remember that I designed it was a tie-dye floor which, at the same time, was a collar very manly, right, wow. But women could also wear it. And I remember that I won as a fashion week accessory designer thanks to those designs and the experience was very cool because they really did help you to see the needs of the people, of your client, and in this case it was like knowing about the brewery what their clients were, a design that would help them promote themselves and all that a promocionarse, y todo eso Y también el conocer la creatividad de otros diseñadores. La visión fue muy enriquecedor.

Speaker 1:

Qué inspirante y felicidades por ganar el concurso. La pieza se escucha multifuncional, así que aún mejor. Y estuvo muy divertida, estuvo muy divertida hacer ese diseño.

Speaker 2:

It was very fun. It was very fun to do that design?

Speaker 1:

I would love to see it. If you have a photo over there, yes, I'll show it to you right now. And talking a little more about your creative process, tell us what it is that leads to design a new collection. I love your collections Seriously. I love how you manage your social networks and how you send the message of your new collections. I liked it a lot and it's something I really admire about you. So I would love to learn about what the creative process is like to design a new collection.

Speaker 2:

Well, first of all, I do try to make each piece have a meaning, a profound inspiration that when you wear it it means something. You're not just using a piece for use. So that's where a lot of my designs have gone through each stage that I'm going through. For example, for the Fashion Week we had to design another collection for the runway, so there I had to make very voluminous, big, fancy pieces and it was like my inspiration is going to be Mexico, so in the Mayans. So it was a lot like well, you are inspired by your roots, what you know, at least me.

Speaker 2:

But I see how that collection was and how they are right now, and they are already very different. That is right now. My collections are already a little more exquisite, more because they are no longer the right now, at least the collections for passerelles, right, but for your daily use, for it to last you, for it to be an elegant piece that at the same time, represents something. So, pues, es muy interesante cómo la marca ha evolucionado y ha madurado junto conmigo, por ejemplo, ahora que soy mamá, pues, o sea me encanta hacer cosas para cosas con los nombres de tus hijos, que tenga sus piedras de nacimiento. Que todo eso me encanta.

Speaker 1:

Qué lindo, qué lindo que tanto como tu marca y como tú han evolucionado al mismo tiempo. I love all of that. How beautiful, how beautiful that both your brand and you have evolved at the same time and that you are inspired by everything that is happening in your day to day. Can you also tell us the steps of how the idea arises, let me say steps, of tell the steps from the idea arises until it becomes a that? If you can tell us the steps from the idea of your inspiration arises and until the phase of a finished jewel yes, of course.

Speaker 2:

Yes, look, it's very funny because suddenly there are collections that I've been working on for months I mean for months and there are times that I take too long, and there are some that don't even come to light. Then I make prototypes and everything. But there are other collections that all of a sudden I'm like I don't know at night and an idea comes to me and I run to the workshop, I do it and it's done. So it's very funny how there are some collections that are born from something deeper that I've been thinking about for days, or, yes, a more elaborate idea, and another one is simply like I saw it in my imagination, in my head, and I arrive and I grab it and I don't even draw, I literally grab the metal and I do it. So it's very different, but I do try to make each one have or have an inspiration.

Speaker 2:

For example, the one I just took out right now is called the Promise Within, and it's like this inner promise that you make to yourself. They're like some rings of commitment, basically, but that you give to yourself. So they represent this promise of you can say, being faithful to yourself, of putting your well-being first, of self-love, of all this idea right Before committing to another person. The commitment is with you. So obviously this idea is deeper, that as a mom, you want to take care of yourself, profunda de que ya, como mamá, como que te quieres cuidar, viene todo eso, no este, y te igual han salido otras.

Speaker 1:

Pues, más así, rápida que la hago y se me, me gusta muy bien cómo equilibras la creatividad artística con las tendencias del mercado y las preferencias de tus clientes, porque ya con 12 años me imagino que tienes clientes que regresan y hacen compras una y otra vez si es un tema muy interesante, porque trato siempre de hacer piezas atemporales.

Speaker 2:

La verdad, no soy muy fan del fast fashion, so I do like to create a piece that is in fashion or in trend, but that doesn't go out of fashion and no longer works for you, but is more timeless, que tengo mi propio estilo y, a lo mejor, mis joyas no van a ser para todos, pero sí para alguien que le gusta. Como tener su propio estilo y no sé.

Speaker 1:

Y hablando del fast fashion, que también es un tema que me fascina y me encanta, y no soy la más perfecta en practicarlo, pero lo intento con, but I try to, with the decisions I make every day. Tell me how you contribute to slow fashion and what you do every day to be a little closer to taking care of the environment and not support fast fashion so much.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it's a topic that I love, y no apoyar tanto el fast fashion. Ay sí, pues sí, es un tema tal, la verdad, que a mí me encanta, porque sí, creo que, o sea, tenemos que ser más cuidadosos con el consumismo. Creo que es un tema serio, que, y, sobre todo, lo que le estamos dejando a las nuevas generaciones, ¿no, o sea? A mí me encanta vestirme con. Prefiero tener ropa una pieza vintage I love to dress with. I prefer to have a vintage piece and like to put it on in various ways, To have 10 pieces that came out cheap, they were in fashion, but in two months, three months, I'm I'm a fan of knowing how to combine vintage things but putting accessories that might elevate your style. I think it gives you a more proper style and helps you not to be with that consumerism that, to be honest, doesn't do anyone any good.

Speaker 2:

What are your favorite places or stores that you go to for slow fashion and support the environment? I don't know. I don't have one in mind, but we recently did the swap with friends and I really loved the idea. I loved it. From there. I use a lot of clothes that pass me by From there with my sisters I live with one close by, so it's like we're always giving each other clothes and, yes, that makes me a great idea. A great idea because maybe what I don't like anymore not that I don't like it, but I'm already tired of it, because if you get tired of it, it's normal this to another person is their favorite piece, because it's basically new and you can combine it with other things and you already have incredible looks.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I love the swap parties. I mean, at least all the people I know feel that they have a super unique and different style. So I really like how they dress.

Speaker 2:

Just like I said, I love how you dress, thanks, anyway, going back to the topic of the jewelry, can you tell us a little bit about the techniques you use and how the final result flows from the materials, the metal they prefer? I do almost everything with silver and gold, pink gold, and well, that's the basis. Basically, the technique I use is chiseling and welding, which is basically cutting and solder in specific points so that the piece has the support and well, if it is going to take a stone, we mount the stone. If it is going to take some other design and in the end, the polish of the piece is done.

Speaker 2:

Wow, it doesn't sound as complicated as I thought, and that's a technique, because in school, for example, I also learned that the vacuums are made of wax.

Speaker 1:

There are many different techniques, but the one I use here is the chisel and the soldier. If I want a piece, página web ¿dónde te contacto? Ya tienes piezas que ya están hechas y vendes. Cómo es que funciona en el momento de querer comprar o trabajar?

Speaker 2:

contigo. I already have, as in my page, as models, designs and established and based on that, they already tell me if they want to modify something or add something, or that the stones are different and I can get the stone that they like the most. Pero sí, básicamente tengo mis diseños y en base a eso ya, ellos lo modifican, pero también como diseñado desde cero con clientes, si tienen no sé alguna idea o un hobby que les guste, que quieran materializarlo como en un collar, en un anillo también. Lo he hecho y está increíble diseñar desde cero con ellos.

Speaker 1:

Puedes compartirnos tu rango de precios de las joyas?

Speaker 2:

Pues va de todo, pero empiezan en no sé $45 y a $350, $400 o más si son de oro. Pero pues básicamente es un rango bastante amplio 50, 400 or more if they are gold, but basically it's a fairly wide range.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so are you open to creating any type of pieces if the client asks for it or there's something that you don't work with with some material or with some technique I don't know that they ask you for. Have you ever said no? Have you ever?

Speaker 2:

Of what I have said no to is in making repairs. The truth is that I don't like it and they ask me a lot, but it's something that I don't do. I hardly do it. But apart from that, if it's a design that I can do, if the majority, well, yes, you can Okay.

Speaker 1:

Now talking a little bit about how you built your, you started your business, or, following the topic of how you started your business, what were some key steps you took to establish your brand in the digital world?

Speaker 2:

Well, I think right now, it is super necessary that your brand has a digital presence, and also not only to put it. I mean, I also think you have to put your authenticity, which is very important, although the truth is that I closed myself to that, like showing myself in the camera and all that. I said no, but the truth is, yes, that's what your authenticity is going to sell, because it really is your style. So I think it is important to dedicate time to it, to study too, because it is all about knowing that you dedicate yourself to that Social media. But I think it is also a lot about the message you want to convey, not only in your product, in this case, the jewel, but everything behind it, the message I tell you also, like that of slow fashion or inspiration, or the process that was reached to reach the product, because it is important to show it to people, because se llegó para llegar al producto, pues es importante mostrárselo, porque a la gente, al final de cuentas, le interesa.

Speaker 1:

Sí, creo que mínimo yo me gusta mucho aprender de la historia de cómo se creó ya un tal marca. Si voy a comprar una pieza, hago mi research. I look for how it was created, who is the founder and if everything aligns most of the times with the values that I also have, it is a yes or yes of I'm going to buy it because it's super aligned. So I see a lot of importance and it does it super well. I love everything you upload and I love all the processes behind what it takes to create a piece In these 12 years. You told us a little bit about the evolution of Verbena, but I would like to see if you can tell us a little bit more about how it evolved. I don't know what happened in the first years. Tres años, cinco años, ocho años, ¿y cuál ha sido la lección más importante que has aprendido durante estos 12 años?

Speaker 2:

Pues yo creo que eso, como la marca ha ido evolucionando conmigo con mis necesidades En este inter de 12 años, pues tuve tres hijos, I had three children. So it was very interesting how, at no time almost, I worked, almost until I was going to give birth, because it was something that I love and could, because it helped me a lot to get out of that role. I mean, I didn't want to leave, but it's very necessary to have your creativity, your passions and continue working on them. So it's very interesting how, over these 12 years, I tell you, the brand has evolved with me. And at the beginning, I tell you, they were more different designs than the ones I have right now. But I think that in the end, in technique, in the stones that I handle well, yes, there is a lot of improvement.

Speaker 1:

What strategies have worked for you to promote your pieces and sell them online?

Speaker 2:

Well, I think that connecting with the clients this that we were talking about, of being authentic, because a piece is not going to sell by itself, because you put a photo on it so that they know where the inspiration comes from that the client sees how it will serve them and how not to serve for another piece. That there is enough in the market. What are the benefits that my pieces are going to bring? That maybe it is more durable, or that you can repair it with me when necessary. Or all the benefits go away, then you have to show them to the client to see what is your best way to highlight in terms of competition.

Speaker 1:

So you have faced growing up, that your business has grown grown because in 12 years, I imagine, you have grown a lot and how has that growth escalated? What have been the challenges and how have you overcome them?

Speaker 2:

What have been the challenges and how have you overcome them? Look, for example, in this one, there was when I started as a mom and all that. Well, it was a whole challenge to say, well, I can't do it all anymore, right? So, yes, I started to delegate to make my pieces. I sent them to be made in Mexico, but the truth is it lasted a while, but it was not like mine. So I decided that what I liked the most was to do it, to get involved from the design process to the elaboration.

Speaker 2:

And in the end, I think it's important to see what you like, because in the brand there are many areas that you will enjoy and many that you won't. So I think you have to learn to see which ones you like to get involved in and which ones you want to delegate. And in this case, I tell you, since I did it, I dije no es que a mí, lo que me gusta es hacerlas. Entonces volví a eso, a yo hacerlas, a yo interactuar directamente con el cliente y, pues que la pieza quede como a él y a mí, nos gusta ¿Y hay algo que sí delegas?

Speaker 1:

Por ejemplo, en un negocio hay desde lo administrativo, financiero, contabilidad, que el diseño del producto operaciones, o sea. ¿hay algo que sí delegas? O todo lo haces tú, toda la?

Speaker 2:

mayoría la voy yo. Pero sí te digo, hay cosas con las que sí son todo un reto, como las finanzas. Like finances, yes, I mean I do have to put myself in a position of, let's see, today I'm going to do this and I have to put my coffee, my music and concentrate, because I know it's a lot of work for me to get into those topics, but I have to do it. I mean, you have to learn to do everything and then you can delegate esos temas. Pero pues, lo tengo que hacer, o sea tienes que aprender a hacer todo y ya ver, tú puedes delegar.

Speaker 1:

Sí, 100%. Uno nunca lo puede hacer. Todo, todo, todo. Siempre es muy importante el apoyo y tener ayuda. How do you manage to balance being a mother of three children? Your creativity, the operational part, how?

Speaker 2:

is it that this is a balance between all the things you have to do and everything that is happening in your life? Ay, pues, es mucha, mucha organización Y obviamente es un reto, pero sí lo logro. Yo creo que obviamente con ayuda mi esposo, mi familia, que me ayuda, and obviously it's a challenge but I do it. I think that, obviously with help my husband, my family, that helps me, but it's a lot of organization, a lot of organization and, above all, like prioritizing what really is important.

Speaker 2:

I also support myself a lot in meditation on being well, first of all, and then, sí, es como trabajar mucho en mí, en mi mente, en el yo estar bien, o sea si un día todo depende del día, ¿no? Pero sí es como a ver en mi meditación, ¿cómo me siento hoy? Cómo aprender a escuchar tu cuerpo para ver qué necesita y en base a eso, pues, well, already know how to move, organize yourself, to see days that I'm just going to do things for my children, because that's how it requires it, and there are days that I do have the opportunity to work 100% in jewelry, but, yes, obviously also with a lot of support. How do you?

Speaker 1:

organize? Do you use any tool? What resources do you use to organize yourself?

Speaker 2:

Well, that was another topic that also helped me design. I designed like a planner that helps me Notice that I put the three most important things to do today and well, there I put them. Me ayuda como a hacer cuenta que pongo las tres cosas más importantes que ser el día de hoy. Y bueno, ahí las pongo y ya voy de que tachándolos y ya lo hice. Si no este, porque si sentía que que no me alcanzaban las horas o sea, entonces si te digo diseñé, ese planner es como un este, también es como un journal. Entonces ahí hago como mis listas de lo que tengo que hacer, mis, and that planner is like a this is also like a journal. So there I make like my lists of what I have to do, my thanks all together, because I can't have one agenda and then one to thank and because I love doing it but I don't have time or life. So it's like all together what I have to do, what I appreciate, what I want to achieve, all together and it's a tool that helps me. I love it.

Speaker 1:

How did you decide to make the agenda and what was the process?

Speaker 2:

Well, in fact, here I have it. Let's see.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I love it.

Speaker 2:

Well, I tell you that's the need. Ay, me encanta. Pues te digo eso es la necesidad Porque, en verdad o sea, todas las agendas que compraba era como o solo agenda o los diarios era como solo diario. Entonces yo quería uno que fuera como las dos cosas unidas. Entonces, pues, me aventé, porque también cuando en verano viajo mucho a México y así, so I sold myself, because also when in summer I travel a lot to Mexico and so on, so I have a little more time to not be 100% in the production of the jewelry store, and I said I also need products that are sold without me having to be there. So it was also a lot of that like well, to expand, part of expanding the products in my, in my store, and how was the process of?

Speaker 2:

publishing it, of sending to do the design, everything inside, and I published it. Amazon gives you many tools. That is, basically, you send your design to Amazon and they produce it. The truth is it is a relatively easy process. That is very interesting. That is the truth. To those who have an idea to create a book, I highly recommend that they do it, even for fun, I mean to experiment doing it. The truth is it is not expensive and well, you already have a digital product. That is well that you made digital, but they materialize it for you and they distribute it.

Speaker 1:

I mean, you don't have an inventory at home, the inventory is at Amazon.

Speaker 2:

No, they do it and they send it to distribute.

Speaker 1:

How interesting. Congratulations, angie, you are so inspiring.

Speaker 2:

If you are interested, one day make a book investigate. It is a relatively easy process. Un día hacer un libro investiguen, Es un proceso relativamente fácil. Nomás te tienes que meter ahí varios días en el diseño del vaya de libro. Pero ya que lo tienes literal, es mandarlo y pues se distribuye solo Wow, wow.

Speaker 1:

Sí, creo que me encantaría seguir aprendiendo de ese tema y posiblemente te escribo por ahí. ¿qué usas para diseñar?

Speaker 2:

Ilustrador Canva varios.

Speaker 1:

Ok, ay no, muchísimas gracias por compartir todo y felicidades por el planner, porque se ve increíble. Gracias, te va a mandar un. Thank you, amanda. Yes, and going back to this whole issue, that is related to writing three things that you are grateful for, what has been the most gratifying of what you are most grateful for in your path as a jewelry designer and business.

Speaker 2:

Well, I think what I liked the most is connecting with the clients and leaving them a piece that, for them, has a special meaning. This maybe a piece that will go from generation to generation, that they have the names of their family or, little by little, add more names, or even women who are friends, people who have that baby plus the ones I already have, or like that. It's very nice to connect, connect and make a piece that reminds you of something, something nice about your life. Or also, for example, people who are dedicated to certain activities and having a necklace that represents it or a ring makes me incredible. Actividades y tener un collar que lo represente o un anillo se me hace increíble. Me encanta como hablar con las personas de lo que les apasiona y materializarlo en una joya.

Speaker 1:

Wow, me encanta Muy, muy bonito toda la intención que hay detrás de todas las piezas. ¿qué consejo le darías a alguien que quiere empezar su propia línea de joyería o un negocio creativo?

Speaker 2:

Pues que se preparen, porque creo que ahorita vivimos en un mundo que quieres hacer algo y luego pues lo haces por encimita y ya no te gustó. Pero realmente el estudiar, el prepararte y estoy súper de acuerdo con que te metas algo but really studying, preparing yourself and I am super agree with you to get into something and if you did not like it you change but really get into it fully, study it and, like that, see what your passions are, because, as when you are with your passions, I think you really connect with who you really are. And if you take that to a job, I think you are already going much further, because achieving to work on your passions is something very beautiful, but it requires a lot of effort. Being an entrepreneur is not easy, it is not anything and it is not for everyone, pero que requiere mucho esfuerzo Ser emprendedora pues. No, no, no es fácil, no es cualquier cosa y no es para todos, Pero creo que si te preparas pues es muy gratificante.

Speaker 1:

Me encanta. La educación es súper importante y fíjate que cuando usualmente hago esta pregunta, la respuesta la mayoría de las veces es atrévete, hazlo. Y sí, creo que sí, es muy importante no tener ese miedo y atreverse y hacerlo. Pero, como tú dices, creo que aún más importante es empaparse y educarse del tema del que uno quiere empezar, porque en este mundo, si es súper fácil lo en estos días ha sido súper fácil empezar cualquier cosa y al día de mañana dejarlo y no seguirlo, in this world it is super easy these days it has been super easy to start anything and leave it tomorrow and not follow it. So I really liked that advice you gave. Yes, thank, you.

Speaker 2:

I can even tell you that in these 12 years I have courses that I say I'm going to do it because I still lack it. I mean, I always, always have to be reinventing, voy a hacer porque todavía me falta, o sea me me fal, siempre, siempre te tienes que estar reinventando, sobre todo en el mundo de la moda. Creo que te tienes que estar reinventando, estudiando ver qué que está consumiendo tu cliente y estar preparado para ahí si pudiese regresar al inicio de tu.

Speaker 1:

If you could go back to the beginning of your career and give you a single piece of advice, what would it?

Speaker 2:

be being authentic from the beginning. I think that when you're starting, if you try to do what others are doing, or if you eat more of these fashion products, or well for selling, right, sí, como más estos productos de moda, o pues por vender, ¿verdad, estás empezando, pero creo que sí, el ser auténtica, pues como a ti te gusta, o sea tus diseños, tu creatividad, creo que va a ser lo que te va a diferenciar de las marcas que hay allá afuera. Sí, 100%¿ Dónde ves a Verbena Designs en los próximos cinco años o en los próximos años, pues sí, veo más Ahorita. Estoy solamente con presencia digital. Entonces, pues bueno, mis tres Pop-ups or markets, because I love to meet people in person. It's a different experience, really, and now that I live in Texas, I'm really loving all the style, like cowboy and all that, so I also have several collections in mind.

Speaker 2:

I love it.

Speaker 1:

Have you thought about having your jewelry in a store? I don't know. I see that there are many stores that sell clothes and that sell everything and also have jewelry. What do you think about that?

Speaker 2:

Yes, I would like to tiendas que venden ropa y que venden de todo y también tienen joyas. ¿qué piensas sobre eso? Sí, sí, me gustaría En Phoenix. Sí tenía, como en varios boutiques y así.

Speaker 1:

Entonces me gustaría volver a empezar con eso acá en Texas ¡Qué bueno, se escucha muy emocionante todos los próximos proyectos que vas a tener con Verbena.

Speaker 2:

Por último, tengo una pregunta y ¿hay algún?

Speaker 1:

proyecto. It's going to be exciting for all the next projects you're going to have with Verbena. Finally, I have a question Is there a project or a new collection that you're exploring right now that you haven't mentioned or said?

Speaker 2:

Well, from the last collection that I already told you a little bit, but what? Or something like that with their RAA stamps. So I love it. I love that area and I would really like to explore it more.

Speaker 1:

Oh, how exciting. Well, I'll be seeing it there because I'm also fascinated by it. Living in Austin, I don't know, I feel like it's much more cowboy than Dallas, but Dallas, yes, that got me really excited. So well, I'll be there seeing what you create about the most cowboy world. And that was the last question. I don't know if there's anything else you want to comment or say.

Speaker 2:

Advice for those who are listening to us that you follow your passions, that you follow your dreams, that you work them. Going down in what you like is a very, very beautiful thing that I recommend. It's not easy, but it's very cool.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, adri. Bueno y última cosita ¿dónde pueden encontrar cuál es tu página web? ¿en dónde pueden ver tus joyas, tu Instagram?

Speaker 2:

Bueno, mi página web es verbenajulescom. En Instagram me pueden encontrar como verbenadesigns, y pues, ahí es donde básicamente subo todas las colecciones.

Speaker 1:

Gracias, ¿y el planner en Amazon? Ah, sí, el planner en Amazon¿.

Speaker 2:

Cómo lo busca? Y ahí está en mi página¿. En la página también. Sí, sí, en mi página también está.

Speaker 1:

Ah buenísimo. Muchísimas gracias, Adri. Me encantó conocer un poco más sobre Verbena y más sobre la historia de cómo fue que comenzaste todo este proyecto, que siempre me intrigó muchísimo, así que te agradezco mucho por hacer el espacio y compartir todo lo que has aprendido durante estos 12 años.

Speaker 2:

Felicidades de nuevo por verbena y sus 12 años y que sigan muchos éxitos más muchas gracias, muchas gracias a ti por este espacio, por este podcast, que creo que, como em emprendedores, nos ayudan mucho este tipo de espacios, no solo nada más para compartir, sino para escuchar qué están pasando las demás personas, qué están aprendiendo, cuáles son sus retos. Entonces, gracias, gracias por crear estos espacios.

Speaker 1:

Ha sido un placer conocer más sobre la historia de Adriana, su visión del diseño y cómo ha construido Verbena Designs over the past 12 years. Her trajectory is a great example of creativity, perseverance and passion for design. Thank you for sharing with us the challenges and learnings of being an entrepreneur in the design industry and jewelry Para quienes nos escuchan. Si quieren conocer más sobre Verbena Designs y ver las increíbles piezas que Adriana crea, pueden seguirla en sus redes o buscarla en su página web. Y, como siempre, gracias por acompañarnos en este episodio de Spark and Hustle. Si te inspiró esta conversación, compártela con alguien que necesite escucharla Y no olvides suscribirte al podcast en Spotify o Apple Podcast. Charla, y no olvides suscribirte al podcast en Spotify o Apple Podcast. También les recuerdo que nuestro newsletter está ya disponible. Si te interesa ver el contenido dentro de ese newsletter, compárteme tu correo en alguna de nuestras plataformas. Muchas gracias y nos vemos en el próximo episodio.