Rising Stars: Meet Emily Padron

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Padron.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a high school Spanish teacher and the owner of Valerosa Boutique. Valeroso/a is Spanish for brave, courageous, valiant; I chose this name for our boutique because it describes me and my business. Valerosa Boutique opened in February 2020 with 15 handmade totes brought back in my suitcase from Mexico, the phone numbers of some amazing artisans I had met during my travels and a dream to empower small business owners in Mexico.

Valerosa Boutique began to grow quickly and those 15 totes were gone in no time. I began to collaborate with a group of artisans partners to design and create our own unique products. Each product is locally curated, then handwoven in Mexico and shipped directly to our door. Today Valerosa Boutique totes and accessories can be found in over ten different stores! We attend local pop-up markets and offer online shopping. We also employ two artisan families in Mexico full-time!

We have grown so much in the last year and a half, and I believe this community will continue to support us and our dream of promoting cultural awareness, providing living wages to our partners and inspiring others to make ethical purchases that matter.

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 don’t think any new business endeavor is a smooth journey. Getting Valerosa Boutique up and running was definitely the hardest part. Creating the website, keeping track of inventory, shipping goods internationally, all of this was new to me. I had never owned a business or worked in retail. I didn’t want to take out a business loan, so I decided to do everything on my own. It took many sleepless nights, hundreds of YouTube videos and reading numerous articles to start Valerosa Boutique.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Valeroso/a is Spanish for brave, courageous and valiant. At Valerosa Boutique, we specialize in selling products that promote the courageous dream of being your own boss. Each purchase at Valerosa Boutique empowers artisans and allows them to be successful and continue to grow their businesses.

We are known for our beautiful, handwoven totes. I work with our artisans partners to create colors and designs that radiate. Each bag takes about four days to make and attention is in the details. Beautiful patterns, bright colors, durable plastic are just a few of the reasons customers love our bags. I am proud that through my designs and connections with our partners in Mexico, we have been able to employ two families and three individuals full-time. We are able to provide them with fair working conditions and a living wage. I think what sets us apart from others is our focus on our artisans and their work. We don’t sell a single bag without telling our story. Since I am a Spanish teacher, it is important to me to educate others on the culture behind the beauty.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My husband, Jorge, has been my biggest supporter. I remember standing on the street corner at the ATM in Mexico and asking him, “Should we do this? Should we try to start our own business?” He said yes. Jorge has been with me every step of the way. He organizes our inventory, packs up the truck for every market, and even picks the perfect pompom combinations for our bags. We recently had a little girl and he has been an amazing father. He is always there for her and provides me with the time I need to work. He is the person who tells me when to keep pushing and when to take a break. I don’t think this business would be where it is today without him.

I also have to shout out our customers. Every business owner knows word of mouth is the best advertisement. Our customers continue to show up for us! They come to our pop-ups, buy from local boutiques, share our social media site and more. Honestly, the love and support we have received from our customers has been inspirational. Our mission at Valerosa Boutique is to show these amazing, talented artisans how much their work is loved and appreciated and show our customers how much love and care is put into each product they purchase.

Pricing:

• Overnight Tote -$80
• Playera Tote -$70
• Hombro Tote -$65
• Día Tote – $55
• Clutch -$40

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.valerosaboutique.com
• Instagram: @valerosaboutique_
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/valerosaboutique

Image Credits
Kristen Austin Negin Naseri