Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Silva
Hi Monica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 17 when I started my lip care brand Audacity Cosmetics in 2019. I struggle with dry sensitive skin, so when I was entering the world of learning how to do my makeup, and using different skincare products as a teenager, I decided to make my own lip gloss & lip balms to nourish my lips throughout the school days because I couldn’t find a hydrating lip product that didn’t have ingredients that would dry out my lips even more. I started Audacity Cosmetics as a side hustle to raise money for college. I was working as a salesperson at a candy kiosk at my local mall, so every paycheck I earned from doing that, I put it towards ingredients, and supplies to make 10-15 lip glosses per 3 lip shades I’ve created. I wanted to stand out from other brands, so I call my products ‘Dry Lip Killers’. Vegan & Cruelty Free coconut infused lip care that hydrates & demolishes dry cracked lips through a non-stick, smooth formula that are available in a variety of shades! I sold my lip care products to teachers, students, friends, and one day in my marketing class, one of my peers has convinced me to join TikTok. I decided to share my journey starting my brand at 17. Miraculously, my side hustle became a lot more than what I intended it to be over night. My 10th video that I posted on my account hit over 9 million views, and before I knew it I had people from all over the world asking where they could buy my product. I went from 100K to 300K to Half a million followers in a year. My small business went viral during my winter break vacation, so when I returned to school from break, more students from my school wanted to buy. I was overwhelmed & underprepared. So every morning break, lunch break, and any sliver of time I could find during class, I would be writing down orders that I got through Instagram. I realized I started earning more income than my 9-5. I took the risk & resigned from my 9-5 in December 2019, and waited till Jan. 8 to turn 18 to get an LLC. My parents were stressed for me and furious about my decisions. I’m a first generation Latina, so taking the risk to pursue my business instead of sticking to a stable income scared my parents. I worked before, during, and after school– I was losing so much sleep building an online store and quickly learning the basics of selling products online, while also taking the time to learn how I to manage my business lawfully while managing a student life. I launched my online store in March of 2020. But then the pandemic hit & everyone was isolated in their homes. I not only had more time, but also felt nervous for what it meant for the start of my business, but I kept going regardless because people didn’t stop demanding for my product. It’s launch day and I earned over $10,000 in one day. From there on, I started a work space in my bedroom, grew out of it and built an office in my parents backyard. I paid for college, and started online schooling- however, I ended up dropping out of college after only 3 months of attending because it’s not the college experience I expected since Corona virus pretty much kept us at home for so long, and when some students recognized me from TikTok, one of my business professors ended up finding out more about my success and requested I teach the class my methods to growing/scaling my business. Given I am going to college to learn more about entrepreneurship & business marketing, I did not expect that I would teach the class for a day. It was a wake up call that I am more than capable to teach myself through experience… so I left. This was heartbreaking for my family because I was suppose to be the first Silva in the family to go to college. But now I just want to be the first Silva in the family to become a millionaire. Since then, 4 years later I have 4 businesses. Audacity Cosmetics (my Lip Care Company), Bossy Imagery (a small product photography business curated for small business owners across the US), SocialsbyMS (my Marketing Consulting & Social Media Managing Service), and La Patrona Community (my Podcast & digital marketing company that teaches aspiring Creators & Small business owners how to start & scale their business).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Due to such a fast rate of support from thousands of people online, I was underprepared to meet the demands if a new audience. I had to legalize my business, build my online store, put together a stable marketing strategy, create content everyday, and create product every day. All while taking online instagram orders to fund the growth of my business.
Becoming self-employed at the age of 18, and risking NOT graduating high school because of how much attention I was putting into my business was stressful but so rewarding at the end. I had to take additional curriculums to meet the credit requirements to earn my diploma.
The pandemic made shipping my customer’s order overwhelming as well. I had close my business a few times when the post office closed due to pandemic protocols.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Through so much success with Audacity Cosmetics, I grew an audience that was inspired by my journey, so I posted tutorials, hosted monthly webinars to teach others what I learned. Which over the years has led me to starting other businesses that accommodate to the small business community.
Today I am:
Founder/CEO of Audacity Cosmetics
Podcast Host & Business Educator of La Patrona Community
Product Photography of Bossy Imagery
Marketing Consultant & Social Media Manager
Full-time Content Creator & Public Figure
I specialize in Beauty, Business, & Lifestyle
I’m proud of myself for not giving up. With the amount of time I out into my work, because its A LOT, I’m glad I’ve remained disciplined to continue this path even when I felt burnout, overwhelmed or stressed.
I feel that what makes me different is my willingness to expose all what I’ve learned through my journey on a personal level with my audience. Whether its showing the good & the bad while managing Audacity Cosmetics, or sharing the behind the scenes experience of what it’s been like for me to be an entrepreneur.
How do you think about happiness?
Having my family & friends, and my significant other. I’m happy I have people I my life who support me through it all. I’m happy to have a career that allows me to have all the creative freedom I want. I’m happy to share the experiences I have with others. I’m happy knowing I became the woman I wanted to be since I was a little girl. I’m happy to become a role model for my little brother.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.audacitycos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicasilva.ceo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MonicaaSilva
- Other: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2334527
Image Credits
for the first image of me standing in the white & black outfit with the white background.
— Credit: Mario Villanueva @mvstudios_
