Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Rodriguez.
Hi Angie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a person with many passions including fashion, helping people, animal rescue and creating a space for women to feel empowered and grow. I started Mad Glam Boutique as a creative outlet to channel my passion for fashion and empowering women to feel their best! One day I had an epiphany that if I wanted to start a women’s clothing business, I could be successful because of my passion and work ethic, and I am so glad I acted on that idea.
I started Mad Glam with only $100 and invested it in clothing. I reached out to everyone I knew and shared about my new business venture. My growth was slow but I somehow always felt successful. Everyone sees and identifies success differently, but to me, I was building relationships and still making profits at the end of the day and that was enough to keep going! Owning my own business has been one of the biggest blessings in my life, and I wanted to find a way to pass those blessings on while integrating my other passions in life. My profits are now shared with animal rescue organizations in Orange and Los Angeles county. Knowing how my contributions can help animals in need, it only further inspires me to continue to work hard toward success. The more my business grows, the more I can give back and that gives me such passion for my work. Last year I established my own seller’s network and began hosting pop-up shopping events called “The Boss Babe Market.”
I desired to create a space for other women entrepreneurs to share their stories and sell their products. The Boss Babe Markets are fun, encourage connectivity, thrive on creativity, and bring women from all walks of life together who share the same passion of chasing their dreams. When you attend and see all of the women building one another up and working so hard at their businesses, one can’t help but feel like a part of something meaningful. I look forward to growing my business and my market in the next couple of years. I owe the success and growth of my business to the amazing community of women who believe in my mission and encourage me to keep going. If I can be the encouragement to any woman who is curious to start her own company, I say, Get it Girl! You have a community of women waiting with open arms to encourage you!
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’ve been in business for ten years and it has definitely not always been a smooth road! I work full time and go to school part-time on top of running my business. I wish there were more hours in the day! Trying to juggle all of it has been a challenge because I work hard at everything I do and really pour myself into my passions. I recently hired an awesome woman to help me take photos of my products and create marketing material. That has really lightened my workload and allowed me to focus on other aspects of my business and streamline the time-consuming aspects of owning a company. Being a small business owner definitely builds your resiliency as you are the creative director, the financial adviser, the marketing manager, and the busy work intern all in one! You are the customer service representative while also being the shipping and distribution center all in one. It can definitely be a struggle in the beginning learning how to balance each task, prioritize your workload, and manage your work life/home balance.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
You should know that when someone shares my page or makes a purchase my heart screams and does a little happy dance. I am grateful for the big purchases, the small social media likes, and everything in between that helps me know that my brand is connecting with somebody. My brand and business is here to ignite hope through positivity, empower others to feel their best, encourage learning from a transparent small business owner, and offer products that women can shop in good conscious of supporting a business that passes success on. What I am most proud of is the community we have built and the difference we have made in people’s lives. My goal is to always strive to put a smile on someone’s face or provide encouraging words to each follower, customer, or other businesswomen. What I would like the readers to know is that my business is here to provide you timeless clothing pieces and amazing customer service. Everything I do, I do with love for my customers and my community.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people know that I work full time and am finishing up my Master’s degree in social work, but I don’t think they know what I actually do for work. In my full-time job, I am a Youth Service Manager for a local non-profit called Hope Builders. Hope Builders empowers Orange County’s young adults with the mentorship, life skills, and job skills training that meet the needs of employers. I am in a macro social work role. I oversee a small team of social workers and administrative staff. As a macro social worker, I focus on the needs of our population and work with other non-profits to fill the gaps. I also ensure that staff are trained in a Trauma Informed Care and use that approach when working with our youth. This is all while I am building and growing my brand. I love to think that this can emphasize the truth that women really can do it all. We can be in school, have a thriving career, and still work all within different industries. I love to believe it showcases that women are never just one thing or stay in one lane, but can do all things that bring joy, purpose, and hope to our lives.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.shopmadglam.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopmadglam/
Image Credits
Coral Soto Instagram @astoldbycoral
