Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabel Cortes.
Hi Isabel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Spirited Holidays & Bazaars started because I had a need to let out some creativity. I felt myself slipping into a state of depression and I thought the holidays throughout the year would be a perfect way to get crafty and work with my hands. Not long after though, I realized I could organize events where other small businesses could get together in a community to support each other in their craft and financial journey. A lot of small businesses were started because of the pandemic, so I figured I could help my community as well as help myself emotionally.
Today, creating holiday crafts has become the side hustle to my real passion; organizing and planning events. I received my professional certificate in Meeting and Event Planning from San Diego State University back during my college days and never really went anywhere with it. I’m naturally an organized person and I thrive on having a plan, so this new venture has become a great opportunity for me to put that professional certificate to use and help my community at the same time. The only real hurdle I think I’ve had to overcome, and I continue working on every day, is getting out there and simply starting the conversation with people: whether it be inviting vendors to come to sell at one of my bazaars or talking to the brick and mortars that host us. At the end of the day, I’m just trying to have fun and I’d like everyone to know that it’s possible to be happy in life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road. Between making connections out of thin air and keeping track of every expense, it can get confusing haha. I’m sure every small business and one-person business can relate: we take care of the marketing, the production, the finances, the shipping, and even the follow-through and complaints. Still, I do it because I enjoy helping these small businesses continue to be creative and follow in their passions. I also enjoy having the freedom to choose how to spend my time, even if that means long hours and awkward conversations haha.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Spirited Holidays N Bazaars is about helping the community through events. Even though it started out by creating crafts during the holidays, it has turned into supporting small businesses. I specialize in bazaars because this is the way I have found to support as many people as possible with a single event. I have been able to work with small brick and mortars by bringing bazaars to their vicinity to create more awareness of their grand opening, their food, their drinks, and them in general.
I am most proud of the workflow we’ve set up where everyone supports everyone: small businesses promote themselves to their followers, and at the same time they are promoting the brick-and-mortar event as well, and vice versa. Many of the small businesses I’ve worked with have complimented me on how organized I am when planning an event and I think it’s because I provide as much information as possible as soon as possible. I like for everyone to know what’s going on so that it limits questions and confusion. Even more so, though, I make sure to be available for those questions if they do arise.
What do you think about luck?
I’d love to say that it has been my hard work that has gotten me to this point in my life and career, but to be honest, I feel lucky as well. Even though I prepared years ago to plan meetings and events, I feel lucky to meet and work with so many wonderful people.
I think it was luck that began this journey for me when I started creating crafts as a way to get out of my own emotional state. I was lucky to have a friend that introduced me to pop-ups where small businesses got together in a space to sell their crafts, I was lucky to join my first pop-up with minimal investment, and I was lucky that this friend wanted to organize a pop-up with me as a way for both of us to grow and learn, and I was lucky to have found what I actually enjoy more than creating crafts.
Hard work isn’t really so hard when you enjoy what you do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Spirited.holidays
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spirited.holidaysnbazaars/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spirited.holidaysnbazaars
