Today we’d like to introduce you to Yesica Lopez.
Hi Yesica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Never in a million years did I ever imagined I would own a business. I got a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and worked as a news producer, but owning a business never crossed my mind. However, in 2017 I started questioning my career choice, and while feeling lost, that’s when I first got the entrepreneur bug. That’s when I knew I wanted to create and build something of my own. I had way too many ideas, and I had no clue where to start or how. No one in my family owns a business, and I didn’t know anyone with the experience so, I knew I had to figure it out all one my own. Three years ago, I set a goal that one day I would own a business, and that dream came true in November 2020.
For the last three years, I have been doing research, learning, and brainstorming business ideas from a boutique to a photography business to sunglasses, but nothing felt right. Then came 2020 hitting us all in a way we never imagined. In the middle of the year, I lost my job, and I decided to take that negative and turn it into a positive. I wasn’t going to let this pandemic bring me down. That’s when I decided to believe and take a chance on myself. That’s when I knew it was the perfect time to work on my business; it was now or never. I sat down and wrote what I wanted my business to represent — I wanted to embrace my culture, the Latinx community, and bring both of my worlds together. And that’s how IXTA Apparel was born a brand that focuses on inspiring and encouraging you to embrace who you are one t-shirt, hat and mug at a time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, 2020 overall has been a bumpy road so starting a business during a pandemic hasn’t been any different. As I started looking into merchandise, I came across some challenges; businesses were either closed or behind on their orders due to the pandemic. I had a launch date in mind, and if one vendor didn’t work out, I had to move forward and keep looking and looking until finally, I was able to gather all of my merchandise. As a small business, we also struggle with exposure and getting our brand out there. There are already way too many big brands, and starting fresh is challenging when no one knows who you are or what you have to offer.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
IXTA Apparel offers t-shirts that empower, hats, and mugs that motivate and embrace the Latinx culture. We are currently working on our newest collection, which will be dropping very soon! As a new brand, we want to grow and be known for empowering and motivating anyone we can reach. IXTA is spicing up your basic tees, hats, and mugs by adding a special touch. IXTA was a dream that has now become a reality, and that’s what we are most proud of — just going for it. We are not just trying to be a brand, but more than, we want our customers to feel proud when they rock our merchandise and feel empowered to be themselves and go after their dreams.
What are your plans for the future?
IXTA is fresh out of the oven, and right now, we are focusing on our Winter collection which is dropping real soon. As of now, all we are focusing on is working on our brand, getting established, and growing. As a creative, I have way too many ideas in my mind, and I already have so many collection ideas for the coming months. We are excited and looking forward to the future and seeing how IXTA evolves and grows in the coming years.
Pricing:
- T-shirts starting $27
- Hats $22
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.ixtapparel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ixtapparel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ixtapparel
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ixtapparel
Image Credits
IXTA Apparel
