Meet Elizabeth Valles of Pacoima,CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Valles

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started my small business journey as a way of representing my culture and motivating my middle school students. Having the privilege of working in the neighborhood I grew up in was a full circle moment for me. I am proud of the hard work I have put in coming from an under-privileged neighborhood and so this was a huge motivator for myself to do something with my position as a teacher, and maker.

As a middle school teacher, I noticed that my students lacked confidence in their academic abilities. I had to really encourage them on a daily basis, and build their self-esteem in addition to teaching them math and science.

My very first sticker I made was for my students and it said “I believe in myself.” I gave it away to them for their water bottles and laptops. I wanted them to own their work, be proud of it, and show off the knowledge they had. After that, I did another that said “Kind kids are cool.” This was to also motivate them to be respectful and kind to others.

Around this time, my social media presence was in the beginning stages, and I decided to put these designs out to sell and make some of my money back. This money also funded snacks and prizes for my classroom. I recieved great feedback on these designs, and the support was comforting. From this point, I was encouraged to branch out and also represent my Mexican-American culture through stickers, shirts and sweatshirts.

Now, I continue to make designs that represent the Latino culture, women, educators, and anything I feel passionate about. I truly enjoy creating designs, and making the shirts/sweatshirts at home. Each piece is intentionally made with love by myself. The process is therapeutic for me, and has also helped support me financially.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Having this business has not always been easy as I have struggled along the way. I was really tested during the pandemic because that is when I also started Grad school. Owning a small business, in addition to being a full-time mom, student and teacher, really became overwhelming. This when I took a brief pause from my business to grow as an educator. Luckily, the passion and interest have remained long enough to continue creating to this day.

In all honesty, trying to maintain everything afloat through the years has been hard. I understand that this is something I do because I choose to do it. No one tells me to do it. I am the type of person that will always be working on a project, and/or doing something. While it’s a challenge, I truly do enjoy what I do. I strongly believe that my love and passion for creating and representing has been reflected in my work. My audience sees me as a real person that loves what I do but also struggles, like everyone else.

I love the community I have built around me, and only wish to contribute in a positive way to their lives, even in the smallest ways. When I am not creating products to sell, I am doing my best to create content that is relatable. Through this, I have realized I am not everyone’s cup of tea. The imposter syndrome is real but I also have learned to put myself out there because I have a voice, and representation matters.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As previously mentioned, I create pieces that represent my role as an educator and Latina. I consider these roles to be under-represented groups of people. I want to be able to represent who I am, and be proud of it.

I mostly sell stickers and sweatshirts. Two of my popular designs that I am proud of are the Mazapan, and Echándole Ganas designs, both found as sweatshirts and stickers. These simple yet powerful designs have appealed to the Latino community. The Mazapan is a delicate, peanut candy known in many latino households. It’s like a staple in the community… If you know, you know kind of thing. The Echándole Ganas sweatshirt was my motivational reminder to keep doing my best, especially when life gets tough. The monarch butterfly included in the design represents the migration of families for a better life, as my parents did when they came to the states from Mexico.

The fact that I am a normal every day person and creating these relatable pieces sets me apart. I have built my small business and each piece through hard work, dedication, and a lot of love. I do my best to show my process when I am able. I gather feedback and have truly done my best to be transparent and real about life. It’s certainly not easy and do not sugar coat it. This is what I have been told by those that support me and my endeavors.

What’s next?
I want to continue creating designs that represent underrepresented groups. I would also love to once again be a part of events to grow my audience and share the pieces I love. Vendor events and markets are always fun to participate in as I enjoy meeting like minded people, and being inspired by them. For the moment, I do not anticipate any big changes but I will continue going strong with my small business goals in order to produce income that will help me maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ganasandgrace/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ganasandgrace