Today we’d like to introduce you to Eleana Estrada.
Hi Eleana, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As long as I can remember, I have always had a creative mind and a never-ending curiosity about my Mexican indigenous roots. TianquiztliCreations was the second go at binding the two ideas into a multi-platform small business. My inspiration took shape after a visit to The Field Museum in Chicago in the Fall of 2019. After seeing a Latin American exhibition filled with beautiful jade pieces and other artifacts, I finally decided to start a jewelry business where all the items were handmade with a powerful meaning of spiritual protection or empowerment. Since 2019, TianquiztliCreations has explored many other products and collaborations with other small businesses all over the United States, started a podcast channel available on all listening platforms, and self-published three children’s books and two horror anthology books.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Navigating through the everyday tasks of running a small business was not easy initially, but it became more accessible and fun with time and patience. I opened a shop as I held down a full-time job as an insurance agent, and balancing orders and creating new jewelry weekly wasn’t always easy. Still, the positive feedback and customer custom orders were always worth it. As my small business grew, I would sometimes even have family members join me in the fun to keep up with the growing demand. TianquiztliCreations was so popular that I created a website and did many pop-ups and events in Virginia and Texas.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My specialty has always been custom orders and collaborating with other artists and creatives. I have been fortunate to work with other small businesses specializing in homemade products, creating gift boxes for my customers. Once I launched the TianquiztliCreations Podcast, I was excited to showcase even more artists and businesses promoting their visions and hard work. The podcast has featured more than a dozen individuals from all over the country. One of the episodes reached over 5k views on YouTube. This was an exciting moment for my brand.
Networking and finding a mentor can positively impact one’s life and career. Any advice?
Being open to new ideas and opinions has helped me immensely in growing my small business and understanding that some things may not work out the first time and that patience and persistence are key to success. I recommend showcasing your brand with local events, as that’s how I started, and it helped me grow my audience and connect with them. Many of my limited edition products came from my audience telling me they wanted me to carry them, such as creating candles, bath soaks, and importing jewelry from Mexico.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tianquiztlicreations.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tianquiztlicreationsllc_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TianquiztliCreations/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TianquiztliCreationsMedia
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/@TianquiztliCreationsMedia
