Story & Lesson Highlights with Francisnelli Bailoni dos Santos of Hollywood

Francisnelli Bailoni dos Santos shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Francisnelli, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
The time that it takes to embroider the pieces I create. From the smaller to the biggest piece, they are all time consuming and some people tends to think that I can just magically embroider something quickly and are surprise by the time it takes and also by the price I charge.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a self taught embroidery artist. I specialise in custom embroidery animal portraits and also embroidered 3D insects.

I have a background in costume making so obviously I love sewing especially hand sewing so when I discover embroider and could incorporated it into my other passion, animals, I literally found my happy place.

The love I feel for animals is displayed in every single piece that I embroider, been it a custom portrait or just some random animal I stumbled upon on the internet.

My Pretty Babi offers, besides custom animal portraits and 3D embroidery insects, an exquisite embroidery tiny earrings and necklaces’ collection of dogs and cats’ faces.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I decided to pack everything and leave behind a life and people that didn’t accept me for who and how I was.
That was also one of the saddest moments of my life because I had to leave behind the only creature that loved me for who I was, my dog Floquinho. My intention was to come get him once I found my new home but unfortunately, I could not due to restrictions in the place I moved to.
Nonetheless, if I haven’t moved away from that life, I would not be myself today and I would probably not be alive today.
And feeling free from all that held me back, was certainly the most powerful and liberating time in my life.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Many times. Right now is one of them.
A lot of things place a lot of weight when you run a small business.
Sometimes, I miss the fact of having a salary, sometimes I miss recognition, sometimes I am just get tired.
I have to be a know-it-all and handle lots of aspects of a business that I don’t enjoy and sometimes even the embroider part of it becomes bothersome.
I am sure a lot of small businesses owners feel like that from time to time and I am sure that is why so many suddenly give up their dream.
I haven’t yet but I have been close to…

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Trent Reznor, best know for his many soundtracks nowadays, however for me he is the lead singer of my favorite band NIN

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
LOL, work… definitely

I would just travel to the few places left on bucket list and enjoy the company of animals more. I would probably volunteer even more helping animals in need.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.myprettybabi.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/myprettybabi_embrodiery
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisnellibailonidossantos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyPrettyBabi