Today we’d like to introduce you to Allyssa Ramos.
Hi Allyssa, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Gypsealust is a woman-owned, person of color/Filipino-owned small business based in San Diego, CA. Our journey began back in 2015 as an online boutique store, and since then, we have not only grown our customer base across the world but have had many opportunities to connect with our communities in the North County San Diego area. We specialize in personalized jewelry (engraved jewelry/nameplate necklaces), accessories, and gifts that can be customized to a customer’s liking! But our most popular, in-person service is permanent jewelry. We are the first shop in San Diego that has offered this service dating back to 2020!
Our mission is to create personalized, one-of-a-kind, size-inclusive jewelry pieces that can be enjoyed by anyone!
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 first launched Gypsealust in 2015, and I am very proud of how far this business has come. It has not always been an easy road – but one piece of advice that I can give is to focus on your own growth and stop comparing yourself to the success of other small businesses. I started Gypsealust about 8 years ago and had my first sale on Etsy on July 14, 2015. At first, I branded my company to be more of a boutique but really found myself wanting to create more art pieces that people can actually use. After years and years of trying out almost every single craft you can think of, I am still nowhere near where I want to be. And that’s okay! I’ve been really inconsistent with posting content on social media, I can never limit myself to focus on one type of art – life has literally gotten in the way so many times. But you know what? Nothing’s going to stop me from pursuing my goals, and that’s what’s important. It doesn’t matter if someone started yesterday and is more successful than you, we’re all here to support each other. And your journey will always be different than someone else’s. Just keep doing what you love, and everything will work out.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
During regular working hours, I am a Senior Human Resources Generalist for a technology company that is leading the industry in transportation solutions. I am currently pursuing my master’s in human resources management and have over 6 years of experience in the field. But as soon as 5 pm hits or the weekend starts, I transform into the CEO of Gypsealust.
Ever since I was younger, I remember always having a passion to do something creative. One of my first creations that had an impact was designing my high school’s AVID hoodie. It was so surreal seeing students walk around campus wearing an art piece that I created! That really sparked something inside of me, and I wanted to continue to create things that people appreciate and can actually use. As I grew older, I knew that being an artist wasn’t going to pay the bills. I always had side jobs in graphic design, videography, and photography, but I was also working towards pursuing an engineering career. After a couple of semesters in college, I soon realized that my passion for being creative outweighed any other major. I ended up graduating with a bachelor’s in art and technology, but life took me elsewhere, and I fell into the world of Human Resources. Though I loved HR, there was still something inside me that yearned for being creative. And that was when Gypsealust was born.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
To be completely honest, I don’t think I have had any luck – but I wish I did lol! It’s taken so much hard work, long nights, tears, and the support of my family and friends to get where we are today. And we aren’t even close to achieving our long-term goals, but we had many little successes along the way. I wish I could say that luck has helped, but at the end of the day, it is up to you to go out and hustle hard. Chances rarely fall into your lap, so it is on you to make those opportunities happen! Life, God, the universe – whatever or whomever you believe in will be that driving force to push you forward, but ultimately it is you who has the power to make it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopgypsealust.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/shopgypsealust
