Today we’d like to introduce you to Miguel Hurtado.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Miguel. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
A few years ago, I sparked an entrepreneur-like mindset out of the blue, and I started having a lot of energy that I wanted to put towards building a small online shop. I started following small businesses on Instagram and Etsy that I really liked, and by doing so, I manifested starting my own online shop. In the beginning, I had no idea what I wanted to sell. I’ve always wanted to have an online tee shirt shop and make designs based on music artists I loved. But for whatever reason, I actually started making and selling hand-painted pot candles, which is really funny to me now because It’s so far off of what I do now.
However, I sold zero of them and ended up giving them as gifts to friends and family. I realize now that it’s not that they were bad; I just didn’t give it enough time, nor did I have the passion to market them or continue to make them. So, I thought of a low-cost item I could start fresh with and I thought why not stickers? Everything took off from there, and I started drawing my favorite icons and the sales followed. I believe my passion for my drawings and my visual marketing style is what got me here today.
Has it been a smooth road?
Surprisingly, it has been a smooth road for the most part. I feel like I found a routine that works for me. In the beginning, I had a hard time balancing school, work, and my online shop; but over time, I found a balance that works for me. Another challenge is that within the Latinx small shop community, it’s sometimes common that shop owners share the same themes so it’s hard to create original styled products. Sometimes shops even take ideas from other shops. It happens to me sometimes, and I see it happen to other shops. I used to be upset by it; however the way I see it now, after much thought, is that we can’t take it too seriously, art is up for interpretation and if anyone takes it too far by copying an idea you just need to take it as flattery and know that the people who like your art will support yours over the others.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My shop “Buenas Vibras Shop”, is an online sticker shop on Etsy. I sell mostly celebrity drawn stickers and latinx inspired stickers. I draw very minimally, and I think the style I’ve developed over time allows me to have a quick turnaround time for customer requests and any ideas that come to mind. Something that I’m proud of is when I get a message from a customer and they tell me how much they identify with my style and products, and that they love my shop. When I get messages like that, it makes all that I do worth it. I consider this a small hobby shop, but I put my all into what I do and I love having new opportunities arise, it’s a constant reminder that this is real and to give myself new goals to achieve all the time.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’ve lived in San Diego my whole life, and I love it. I’m so proud to live here. Luckily, my shop is 100% online, so people all over the world can enjoy my products. Sometimes I’ll get messages from customers in San Diego asking if I could do pick up orders. If our schedules match, I can make that happen and I love when it does because bonding over the city we live in and my products bring me a lot of joy and its very rewarding. I’ve been in contact with some local shops in San Diego that have been interested in carrying some of my stickers and I’ve been very excited for when that time comes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.buenasvibrasshop.etsy.com
- Email: buenasvibrasshop@gmail.com
- Instagram: @buenasvibras.shop
- Other: www.buenasvibrasshop.etsy.com
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