Today we’d like to introduce you to Cesilie Candelario
Hi Cesilie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
As a little girl I always dreamed of owning my own clothing store and designing my own products, I played many video games that revolved around fashion and business ownership. In 2019, my grandma asked me to help her start her own business selling new, used, and upcycled home goods. She always dreamed of this and it taught me a lot about the retail industry and starting a business. In May of 2020, I was very bored in lockdown and decided I would too begin my dream job. I started by making tie-dye clothing and quickly moved to wholesale clothing with the hope to eventually produce my own designs. Almost 5 years later, I am still searching for the perfect manufacturer but have many design concepts and hope I can soon start this journey. I will be completely transforming my brand to sell size inclusive, ethically produced, and sustainable clothing in efforts to help the planet and no longer contribute to the mass production of cheap clothing that sits in landfills after a single use.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest parts of owning a business is time management, you are completely running this ship by yourself so the hours you put in (or don’t) will very much be displayed. Sometimes you’re working super late nights and then you burn out and have to give yourself a break but not too long or you won’t be able to make the sales you rely on. I’m also struggling to find a manufacturer that practices safe and ethical production, that uses sustainable fabrics, and doesn’t require an order amount of hundreds of pieces in only one color. I would love to learn how to sew but I have fibromyalgia and the hours required to sit in a chair and use my hands very intricately are not attainable for me, unfortunately.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I helped create my Grandma’s small business from scratch, and that is my “real” job. It is a brick and mortar just past downtown La Mesa, called “Shuwee.” I have been able to really put my creativity out there in the shop displays, website, and social media content. I have learned so much about furniture, spacial layouts, and of course running a business. I do most of the behind the scenes with help from my Grandma, Judi, of course. We have made many relationships with customers. estate sale companies, and staging companies to curate all of our pieces. There is no specific style of furniture and home goods that we sell, we choose anything we might like- We are very eclectic. We often encounter some older, more beat up pieces and I have learned how to refinish wood pieces, sand them down, and/or paint them. I am truly living a dream life working with my family and being able to express myself creatively while still being able to pursue my own dreams.
How do you think about happiness?
My friends and family are always so supportive of me and fun to be around, I try to spend as much time as I can with them because they mean so much to me.
I enjoy being creative in any way, aside from looking for manufacturers, I am currently making jewelry upcycling some older jewelry pieces by using their beads. I try to be as eco-friendly as I can by reusing things including clothing, I am definitely a thrifter and love finding gems in things other people no longer have use for.
A big part of my business is making people feel good in the clothes they wear and not feeling like they have to fit a certain mold. It brings me joy when others feel confident in themselves, because they should be! Everyone should love who they are even if it’s not always what they see being pushed out in media. Life is way too short to dislike what you look like because of social media or magazines.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopirismae.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopirismae
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopirismae
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/shopirismae/
