An Inspired Chat with Elizabeth Estrada

Elizabeth Estrada shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Elizabeth, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I have to say that it has always been a goal of mine to live on a farm or at least have farm animals in some capacity. I have volunteered at horse rescues. I was part of 4-H as a kid. I love farm animals. So that being said, something that has brought me so much joy this year has been building a chicken coop with my dad and my boyfriend and investing in what I call our “chicken children.”

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Elizabeth Estrada. I have a diverse background, but currently I work in Wine. I started a career as a plus size model in my early 20s and was able to travel the world doing that pretty successfully. That job gave me so much confidence to really take a risk and try things that might seem crazy to try by other people’s standards.

So after modeling slowed down around 2020 I pivoted. I started a job working in real estate and then later, to help me better understand the landscape of where I’m living. I decided to make Wine in Ojai, California so that I could really be an expert in Ranch properties and Vineyard properties in my area.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I have this friend who I met when I was around 19 years old. I started working at a coffee shop and met her younger sister. Her and her sister just seemed to be the most mystical, unique, vibrant and “witchy” types of women and I immediately looked up to both of them. Monica (the older sister) gave me my first bartending job, which is really hard to get your foot in the door at 21 doing that. I owe her a lot of my adult success working in Wine because she gave me that opportunity and really believed in me and supported my creative efforts within bartending.

I am very thankfully, still friends with Monica and this woman I feel truly saw something in me to a capacity that I’m not sure anybody has ever seen me. In her presence I feel seen, cared for and hopeful. I also love how we can be cynical and twisted with our dark sense of humor together.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I was always a spirited and creative individual. Probably even more so as a child. However, for whatever reason, I have a strong sense of responsibility. I feel responsible for the people around me sometimes, even my parents. I might blame that on being an only child.

If I could say one kind thing to my younger self now that I’m 35 years old and have some life experience… I would tell her to lean more into her creativity. To not be afraid because creativity does not always make you the most money but that does not equate to being irresponsible.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I just left a job at a wine shop. That job was so fun because it allowed me to be completely my most authentic self. I got to wear the most outlandish outfits (really chill dress code) have a mullet hairstyle and have open and honest conversations with everybody who walked through the door.

That job opened me up to an amazing community of people who I love dearly and have gotten me through a very hard year. I absolutely think the public version of me is the most real and authentic version of me. I’m not sure I could ever become an actor because I really don’t know how to be anybody but myself… for better or worse.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What false labels are you still carrying?
I really need to try harder to get out of my own way when it comes to success.
I know that I’ve been told I am the “Jane of all trades” because I do so many things. The truth in that is that I do a lot of things well and not very many things expertly.

So I feel like I need to either embrace that I will always be somewhat of a Renaissance woman or dismantle that label and truly give myself time to become an expert at one thing. Maybe that means pivot careers again and go all in on something.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @lizphoto

Image Credits
David Wilusz -photographer
Lou Mora -photographer
Anastasiya Sazhina -photographer