Today we’d like to introduce you to Elysia Guillen.
Hi Elysia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The idea of starting a vintage reselling shop has been in the back of my mind for years. But at that time, I didn’t have the motivation and confidence to begin this business. When the pandemic hit, like most, my husband and I faced unexpected financial challenges as we were temporarily furloughed from our hospitality jobs. I was depressed and fearful of the unknown, we had bills piling up and a teenage daughter to take care of. My husband suggested I start selling online, I had an abundance of goods and clothes piled up in our apartment, it was time to really give this pipe dream a shot. The stay-at-home order gave me that final push to make the leap, at that point, I thought to myself I had nothing to lose. I started off with the basics. I went through my closet, found some items I did not wear anymore and posted on Poshmark. I had followed a few vintage inta-shops on my personal IG account, whom inspired me to launch my own shop on Instagram. It slowly shifted to only selling housewares, as I decided it was my strong suit. I would sell wares by posting purposely styled photos of a piece on my stories with its approximate size, as well as price, urging followers to respond quickly to claim it via DM.
At first, my family and friends contributed to my inventory by giving me their vintage finds and treasures. I have since expanded my sourcing from estate sales, yard sales, and thrift stores all over the Central Coast. I started acquiring more and more wares and I knew it was time to try to take it up a notch. That’s when I began participating at outdoor community markets. Last October, my interest in personal connection of experiential retail ignited this ‘fire’ inside of me that I didn’t know existed. I have been fortunate to meet many talented vendors from attending local flea markets and pop-ups all throughout Santa Barbara, Ventura and Santa Paula areas. It was refreshing to finally to meet customers in person since I only had interacted with them online during the shutdown. I have so far collaborated with several creatives and small businesses from my community. Whether it be providing a local resin artist with vintage goods that she can repurpose or curating a small collection of home decor for a womxn-owned vintage shop. Fast forward to present, the Instagram platform has opened many opportunities for my business to thrive and a community of amazing small business to connect with.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not! Once I went back to work last summer, I started realizing that I didn’t want to pursue a lifetime career in hospitality. It took me a few months, but I eventually transitioned to part-time and started focusing more of my time on La Segunda. The silver lining of this pandemic made me self-reflect and revaluate my life. Before COVID, I was always on the go: one job to the other—I had never had time slow down, really take care of myself, and follow my dreams. The biggest and scariest challenge of all of this was that it was all new to me. I knew I had a passion for vintage, and I loved going out and finding new places and wares, but transitioning that love to a working, profitable business is tough. Honestly, I have learned a lot through trial and error. You just have to learn to be confident, take chances, and never lose sight of your goals. Luckily, I have a friend who has a small business and who gave me suggestions that helped me hit the ground running. This is why I enjoy helping womxn with starting their own venture. I think there are a lot of woman like me, who are extremely passionate and can bring a lot to the table, and I want to show them support the same way they have supported me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about La Segunda?
La Segunda is a Latinx-owned vintage brand, bringing unique goods for your home, inspiring conscious consumption, committed to sustainability, and rooted in authentic inclusion and community. The name of my shop is inspired by my earliest (and fondest) childhood memories with my grandmother; scuffling through racks of old clothes and searching for wares at La Segunda. In Spanish, La Segunda means “secondhand store” and this name stuck with me ever since. At the core, my mission is to make vintage and second-hand homewares inspiring and accessible and for every person who chooses vintage over new, it’s a step closer to creating positive change on a larger scale. Everything I choose is a reflection of me and my character. I take inspiration from my culture surroundings and try to find the vintage equivalent. I aim to always provide a welcoming, inclusive energy and I am a firm believer in “community over competition” concept. Since I have started popping up in community markets, a few customers have told me that my story has inspired them to create their own business. I use social media as a tool to connect with female entrepreneurs and I have recently been working with four other Latinx entrepreneurs in organizing an outdoor community market featuring BIPOC vendors. I look forward to collaborating to create more entrepreneurial centered talks and workshops.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important things to always remember… is that life is a beautiful journey and not a destination. We are growing and evolving every day and continued learning is the true key to being happy. Just when we think we have one thing figured out, something else will ‘pop up’ and challenge us. I say, take on those challenges with grace and strength. Treat them as opportunities to push through and level up! All challenges show up for a reason, and for me, I believe all of mine were right on time. Be open to seeing things through a different lens, as new perspectives will benefit you greatly. Many times, we have a vision for the way we want our life to look and let’s be honest, it doesn’t always go that way. The more you can let go of what you think the outcome should look like, the more adaptable you will be to change. Change is really the only constant we can count on and getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is the biggest gift you can give to yourself and to others. I’m so grateful for each opportunity and amazing person I have met along the way. It’s all played a role in my life and I can’t wait to see what the universe has in store for me next!
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@lasegundagoods.com
- Website: www.lasegundagoods.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lasegundagoods/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lasegundagoods
Image Credits
Albany Katz Cynthia Barahona American Riviera Media
