Conversations with Dominique Almuena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Almuena.

Hi Dominique, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always found joy in creating things – whether it was through art, design, fashion, you name it. I get so excited about creating things I love because I find it so rewarding to see the visions I have in my head come to life in real form. My love to create really began when I landed my first job working in a men’s + women’s clothing store seven years ago. I worked my way up to many different positions along the way, but I eventually found my passion through my work in visual merchandising. I used to create and design floor sets and window/wall displays for different clothing retail locations all over the LA and Orange County and loved every bit of it! I also was a full-time college student back then busy earning my Bachelor’s, while also juggling being an NCAA athlete at the same time too! (proud Whittier College Volleyball alum over here!)

All of those years working in many different retailers while earning my Bachelor’s in Marketing has now got me here today! I currently am now balancing my time between (what I consider) two full-time jobs as a product developer/designer for an e-commerce company AND as a small business owner for SHOPSUGARCLOTH! I’ve always dreamed of pursuing my love for fashion and to run my own business one day, but I was never one to take those dreams seriously. All those years creating floor sets and wall/window displays for other companies has now lead me here to doing it all for myself and my own business! The thought of this still blows my mind!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I can definitely say that my journey has been nowhere near a smooth road! I would say my biggest challenges, even up until today, are mainly in trying to balance my time and letting all the fears of failure take over me. I feel like being a business owner definitely comes with its challenges, especially in the middle of a pandemic. There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes that not very many people get to see. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and stressed, but there are two important things I learned: 1. to be okay with making mistakes along the way and 2. celebrate your victories (even the smallest ones)!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
A few months back, I had attempted to try the “tie-dye trend” as way to keep myself and my mind busy during all the craziness at the beginning of this global pandemic. I started with old t-shirts, sweaters and basically anything that I could find in my closet at that point. As the days passed, face coverings started to become mandatory here in California and I remember being so embarrassed to wear the masks I had at the time because they honestly looked like a baby’s diaper on my face – so I decided to tie-dye them one afternoon! Little did I know then that this was going to be the beginning of my business journey! I decided to start selling my hand-dyed face masks to family and friends because this pandemic began to get worse and at the time, were very hard to find.

Seven months later, my face masks continue to be the best sellers on my website and have sold to over 20 states all over the country! I’ve created over 50+ face mask designs these past few months and because of the support of the best customers ever, we now have grown our catalog to include quality women’s clothing/accessory pieces! All our products are either designed, hand-made or curated by yours truly! I believe that this is what makes our brand truly unique because most businesses nowadays specialize in “mass-production”. We may not have the biggest selection like most retailers out there, but every piece of ours is truly a labor of love!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I would say the start of this business was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken! I honestly did not have any knowledge of what starting my own business would be like, especially navigating it through a global pandemic. I’m such a strong believer in that cliche saying: “you will never know what will be if you never try in the first place!” I had so many fears when I first started this business, but I knew that if I didn’t give it a try, I’d forever be left wondering what it would’ve or could’ve been like. Looking back now, starting this business was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. It’s given me a newfound confidence and gave me such a beautiful community of the sweetest, most supportive virtual friends!

Pricing:

• Hand-Made Cloth Face Masks : $7-$10 (Adult + Children sizes)
• Hats: $15-$30

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: shopsugarcloth.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopsugarcloth/?hl=en

Image Credits
Alexis Ibarra Photography & Dominique Almuena