Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariana Magana
Hi Ariana, 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?
My small business started in 2017 from the warm hearted love and inspiration from my grandmother growing up. Unfortunately I lost my grandmother in 2021. Although I lost my grandmother, I feel as if, she was living through me. & I continued her legacy by creating dishes in the kitchen, recreating her recipes, while also adding a twist of my own. & becoming this one stop shop. I started in a small apartment In 2017, VERY small. To now, cooking in big commercial and ghost kitchens. Through the long days of plate sales, long nights, and the pop up events in the community, I landed myself in the nightlife industry for some time as I worked my way up at Chef’s SD. I started off as a hookah server, Working my way up in the kitchen and being a guest chef on Taco Tuesday’s. As I built a name for myself downtown, I did local pop up events around San Diego. I also began traveling up north. & In 2024, I went viral on instagram which shot my following up. Through, building my marketing on instagram with my munchie creations as well as attending Big festivals like, Chef Fest, Chicano Fest, meeting celebrities, and interacting with our local San Diego artists, I was able to build my following up to 10,000 followers.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely been challenging I think the biggest part behind running a small business, is that it has it’s pros and cons. You get to experience both sides. Both ugly and the pretty. The slow and the busy days. The risk, the amount of time, and work you put into your passion does pay a price. I think the first couple of years, I invested more in my business and myself in able to grow stronger and bring it more attention. I’ve experienced both easy flows and busy flows. Which are both bittersweet feelings. The hardest times are the ones I hold onto. Those times bring you closer to the unexpected
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Aristastyshop?
My small business is a one stop shop in San Diego. I specialize in Mexican food but have expanded my horizons with different cuisines and flavors. Yes, we sell all types of Mexican food and homemade dishes, but we also offer private dinners, catering, party rentals, picnics, desserts, munchies, agua frescas, pop ups, club appearances. We strive to bring you everything you’d like to experience while attending a party or any celebration in one stop.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I am the only one behind my business. Behind the marketing, cooking, bookings and etc. But our strongest asset & what a lot of people don’t know about us, is that My team consists of myself and my children. I am single mother of 4. I was going from Job to Job. Eventually, working several jobs at a time, striving for my children. This became the biggest reason for why I put my all into my business. My goal of becoming a business owner and a boss of my own is showing my children that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
