Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Vazquez.
Karen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started in Encinitas, California back in the early eighties. My earliest memories are from when I was three years old and my parents would take me to the Self Realization Meditation Gardens in Encinitas on Sundays after their morning church service. Because my parents were very involved at that church and in the local Encinitas community during my childhood, I was lucky enough to be active in the local scene of North County at a very young age. My parents regularly took me to restaurants like The Potato Shack and Roxy’s Cafe, local theater venues, farmers markets and more.
Since my parents were quite progressive, as a kid, I was also exposed to health, wellness and fashionable thrifting long before it was “cool” to meditate, practice yoga, eat tofu or falafel balls or shop at vintage shops and thrift stores. Interestingly enough, I have seen those industries explode in SoCal and I love it. Locals in San Diego County know that Encinitas, Leucadia and Solana Beach all have the ultimate hipster vibe! I can’t believe how much has changed over the years compared to the earlier hippie days and memories from my childhood. Now it’s just “cooler” to be earth-friendly, thrifty and spiritually minded. Thank goodness for that.
I fell in love with Southern California many moons ago due to my upbringing, and have experienced the happiest and most memorable moments of my life among our epic SoCal coastlines, impressive cities, and quaint beach town streets. I believe that in the last decade San Diego has made its mark and has earned a reputation for its beauty, culture, weather and more. Here in San Diego, there are so many entertainment and lifestyle activities to do and each regional area has a unique vibe that is different in its own way.
I have personally lived in every single North San Diego County city at some point in my life. I have lived in Los Angeles as well and explored the California coast from North to South. That’s no exaggeration and that is why I write primarily about SoCal. I LOVE the local scene in Southern California. I’ve spent most of my life here! I did leave for a brief time for my undergraduate studies at Temple University, where I received my degree in Music and Theater, but then I returned shortly after graduating. I have never been able to stay away from California for long periods of time. This area made me who I am and I believe the energy here is very unique, hence me creating my blog, LoSoCal.
People ask me all of the time: “What exactly is LoSoCal?” The answer is simple. I am an advocate for our local Southern California small business owners and artists. LoSocal is the brand that I created about three and a half years ago as a way for me to share my favorite aspects of the local scene in Southern California through travel, photography and the written word. I have done an extensive amount of pro-bono social media marketing for local brands that I love, but also offer blogging options to those who need the support. My pricing is very reasonable, so feel free to contact me with any questions.
What I love the most about the local vibe here in SoCal is the shops, restaurants, artists, and events… and I am very passionate about what I do. For me, shopping local is a way of life. I try my best to shop local and utilize local artists, services, and products as much as possible.
I have had such an incredible journey since I created LoSoCal. I have met so many amazing people in our communities who are just as passionate as I am about shopping, eating and spending locally. I believe in the purpose of LoSoCal with all of my heart. For me, it’s about being mindful when we shop and choosing to support our local Southern California economies. I feel that the best way we can contribute to our SoCal communities is by supporting local businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs via locally sourced purchases as much as possible!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has had its challenges. Being a one-woman show has been difficult at times. I have had the wonderful opportunity to feature guest bloggers on my site, but the day to day work required as a freelance writer in addition to wearing several hats with LoSoCal… can be very time-consuming. I’m constantly networking, writing, managing my blog and social media pages, learning all I can about entrepreneurship, advancing my skills with photography AND researching the people, places and economic issues in the SoCal area. The good news is I recently spent the last several months creating a stronger business strategy, so I have a detailed list of exciting things ahead with the brand. I have also experienced some health issues with my spine and having to slow down to deal with a health issue can be quite humbling. However, to be perfectly honest, my downtime has helped me to reflect on the future of LoSoCal. I have learned a great deal recently about practicing grace and patience with myself. I encourage entrepreneurs everywhere to never give up on their dreams, stay positive and move forward in order to keep their goals in focus. I have found that LoSoCal has offered me a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community, and it’s been a consistent reminder that even though sometimes I face challenges, I am blessed to live in one of the most gorgeous locations on our planet.
Please tell us about LoSoCal.
LoSoCal is essentially a local travel blog. I find that many of its followers are curious about my perception of the local Southern California scene. They love asking questions about my favorite spots and sharing their own secrets of SoCal with me. I tend to specialize in networking with local entrepreneurs and social media marketing with an emphasis on writing and engagement. I have also assisted other local businesses owners with their branding and business development. Due to the message behind LoSoCal, I try my best to be supportive of business owners, entrepreneurs and artists from this area. I love supporting our local communities and the people who are trying to enhance and develop our local economies through the practice of shopping local as much as possible.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have focused on creating a more strategic business plan at the onset. That was something that took me a great deal of time to learn on my own. In 2016, about a year after creating the LoSoCal brand and blog, I became an Ambassador for Hera Hub Carlsbad. Since then in the last three years, I have learned so much about being an entrepreneur from the weekly business accelerators at the Carlsbad venue. If I could do anything differently, I would have joined a community-based shared workspace like Hera Hub from day one!
Contact Info:
- Address: 5205 Avenida Encinas Suite A Carlsbad, Ca 92008
- Website: Losocalblog.com
- Phone: 7603307764
- Email: losocalblog@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Ernie Tyler
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