Episode 405: From Teacher to Business Owner with Corissa Hernandez

About corissa

Corissa Hernandez is a financial planner and a business owner, the co-founder and visionary of Legacy Full Circle Financial & Insurance Services, The Empire Tavern, House of Xelas, and Nativo HLP. She is dedicated to sharing the lessons she has learned with other spirited entrepreneurs to inspire, educate, and uplift everyone with big ambitions.

After becoming a teacher sheI discovered her own knack for helping people tap into their talents and go after their dreams. While teaching, she saw the 2008 market crash devastate hard-working, deserving people — including her own family, this is when she became determined to educate herself on preventing financial disasters, and got licensed as a financial advisor. Soon, shewas working as a teacher by day, and financial literacy educator by night. In that work, she saw an incredible need for adult financial education, and founded Legacy Full Circle in 2008 alongside her Husband, Gabriel. Since then, they have been the most diverse, fastest growing agency in the nation. Aside from this they have build different successful businesses that celebrate the community around them

Our Conversation with corissa

▪ The intentionality of your business​

▪ Creating the right routine for your business and yourself

▪ Respecting your personal time

▪ Advocating for yourself when visiting the Doctor

▪

links:

Find out more about all the goodness Corissa Hernandez is doing for our community

Learn more about Legacy Full Circle Financial

Listen and Share this and all other episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All other Podcast Platforms.

Episode 271: College Success & Resources for Undocumented Students with Sarahi Espinoza, founder of DREAMer's Roadmap

“If I can change the life of one person, if I can help one Sarahi out there and let them know they can go to college after high school, that’s success to me.”

- Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca

Is someone in your family getting ready to apply to college? Maybe your teenager is looking at school’s out of state or your young cousin is starting to think about their future career and what schools would benefit their education? This week we interview Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, founder of DREAMer’s Roadmap. This free mobile app provides resources and helps undocumented students find scholarship opportunities for college. Sarahi talks to us about her own journey as an undocumented student, the inspiration behind creating the app and what high school & college students can do to make their college tuition life a little easier. Furthering your education can be a little confusing, but luckily Sarahi has created a helpful resource for any student looking for new opportunities!

More about Sarahi: Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca is the Founder and CEO of DREAMers Roadmap, a mobile app platform that helps undocumented students navigate the necessary resources to access higher education. This is Sarahi’s project for the past 4 years within a longer trajectory of activism within and for the undocumented community, which has placed her in the spotlight of continued conversations centered on national immigration policy.

Sarahi was a Champion of Change at the White House in 2014, has received 4 House of Representatives Awards, and was named in Forbes 30 under 30 in 2016. A former undocumented student who once had to drop out of school to support her family, Sarahi’s personal experience informs her unwavering vision: to help hundreds of thousands of students eliminate the barriers to success and achieve their full potential. 

More recently Sarahi has directed two major campaigns serving minorities. #FirstOfTheMonth where she and two other local orgs Cosme together and raised 2.2 million dollars to help the most vulnerable of their neighbor who were impacted by covid and got no financial support. The other #Supplies4FarmWorkers a grassroots community-led campaign organized by 100% volunteers where we go to farmworker camps and fields to distribute backpacks, school supplies, PPE, and essentials. Serving families affected by the California fires and Covid19.

Tips for College Success from Sarahi

• Be proactive!

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

• Reach out to the Admission’s Office and EOPS offices.

• Be persistent. Call, email and show up in person if possible.

• If parents can’t make these calls due to language barriers, students need to make these call.

• Check out FastWeb.com for random scholarships. Anything helps!

Links

Follow @dreamersroadmap on Instagram and Facebook.

Download the DREAMer’s Roadmap app from the Apple Store or Google Play for more information, scholarship opportunities, resources and events local to you and around the country.

Episode 253: Learning to Feel Your Best, Nourish Your Body, and Thrive Postpartum with Lorena Garcia, CEO of Majka

Hola Octubre! Fall is here and the year is winding down. Even though we’ve spent most of the year indoors, it feels like it has flown by.

Lately we have been talking a lot about the fourth trimester and how important it is for moms to prepare not just for pregnancy, but for after baby’s arrival. This week’s guest completely agrees. We interview Lorena Garcia, co-founder and CEO of Majka, a brand dedicated to helping support moms thrive postpartum with resources and lactation bites, boosters, oats, and more and we’re big fans.

The three of us are sharing stories about our Mexican moms and entrepreneurial tips we’ve learned throughout the years, but we also talk about Lorena’s personal experience of her fourth trimester and her inspiration behind creating Majka. She shares why it’s okay to ask questions during pregnancy and ask for help & support after baby, and how we must learn to prioritize ourselves because we are not just moms; we are still our own people who need to heal. 

More about Lorena: Lorena Garcia is Mexican entrepreneur and currently the co-Founder and CEO of Majka, a brand dedicated to help support moms to thrive postpartum. Lorena has founded and managed multiple successful businesses and is a digital marketing and branding expert.

Lorena’s Favorite Majka Recipe

Lorena’s youngest son was born earlier this year, so she is incorporating Majka into her daily routine to help nourish herself and baby! She shared her favorite smoothie recipe below to try with the lactation booster. You can find more recipes for drinks with lactation boosters and lactation bites on Majka’s blog.

Orange Ginger Carrot Smoothie - with Booster

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 orange, peeled (I sometimes just use orange juice)

• 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower

• 1 medium carrot

• ½ inch fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

• 1 scoop Majka Lactation Booster

Blend everything together and enjoy!

Nutrition: 408 kcal, 21g fat, 45g carbs, 13g, 27g sugar, 12g protein, 137% vitamin C

Super Mamas listeners can get a discount on Majka products! Use code SUPERMAMAS for 10% off your order at lovemajka.com/discount/supermamas.

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia keeps getting swindled by Instagram ads. 😂 She loves biker shorts and found these by Blanqui which are designed specifically for postpartum. It’s like a faja and shorts all in one.

Paulina’s pick is a face paint kit from Amazon that she bought for Zixta. It’s tough to keep her occupied while Sabina and Krista are doing their school work, but Paulina paints Z’s face in the morning and tells her to transform into whatever animal she’s painted, and it works! She plays pretend all day.

Her other tip is the game called Spot It and Spot It Jr., available in both english and spanish. Paulina sets it up for the girls while she’s making lunch or doing something for work, and it keeps them entertained together.

LINKS

Follow Majka on Instagram @lovemajka and shop for products on lovemajka.com

Follow Lorena on Instagram @callmelore

Episode 252: Curls, Community, Culture, & Family Values with Julissa Prado of Rizos Curls

This week we interview the ultimate curly queen, Julissa Prado, founder and CEO of Rizos Curls. We have been big fans and supporters of this mamacita for the past few years and we’re exited to finally have her on the show!

During our chat, she shares how she created natural ingredient hair product concoctions for herself and ran an underground hair salon in her high school bathroom for all the underground curlies she encountered. She also talks about what it’s like to work with her family, and how all of her family member’s wants to see the other grow & succeed and will do whatever it takes to help each other get there, including working multiple jobs! Julissa honestly has the biggest heart for her family and her community, and she is such an inspiration in the Latinx community. We have so much love and admiration for her and we know you will too!

More about Julissa: Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Julissa Prado is the Founder & CEO of Rizos Curls, a Latina-owned hair care line aimed at embracing and celebrating the beauty of curls, coils and waves everywhere!

After years of making her own curly cocktail and being the “curl whisperer” within her community, Julissa decided to launch her own hair care line Rizos Curls. The result is a line of products made with quality natural ingredients that works across a variety of curly hair textures. The brand has amassed a global following of #RizosReinas, becoming a favorite among the curly hair community, shipped to over 57 countries and now available at Target stores nationwide! As one of the leading faces of the beauty industry and entrepreneurship, Julissa is an active national speaker with past speaking roles at Harvard University, The Girlboss Rally & the U.S. Department of State for The United Nations, among others. She also proudly organizes curated events and resources centered on entrepreneurship, including the Rizos Curls Small Business Summit.

Julissa holds a Masters in Business from Wake Forest University, is an alumni of UCLA, and has held corporate leadership positions at Nestlé.

Our Conversation with Julissa

What is Rizos Curls?

Undercover curlies & straight hair tendencies

How she started her business

What it’s like to work with family

Julissa’s Quarantine Routine

What advice would you give to your 17 year old self?

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia’s pick is another loungewear pick, because you know she likes to be comfy at home with her two month old daughter, Augustina. She loves this cropped sweater from Aerie. It’s lightweight which is great as the seasons start to change and it’s easy to breastfeed Augustina when she wears it.

Paulina’s pick is a Mexican movie on Netflix called, “All the Freckles in the World”. It’s such a cute love story and reminded her of when you’re growing up and have your first crush. It would be so cute to watch with your pre-teens or teenagers.

Links

Follow Julissa and her brand, Rizos Curls on Instagram - @julissa_prado @rizoscurls

Shop Rizos Curls online at rizoscurls.com. Head to her site to find a store location near you, including your local Target!

Follow the Prado cousins on Instagram @pradocousins and check out their viral video from last year.

This episode was brought to you by our sponsor Target. Head to Target.com and shop Baby Month Deals for the entire month of September!

Episode 244: Clean Beauty for the New Mom and Beyond with Gabriela Babila creator of @MatanaOrganics

You know we are big fans of beauty products and self care. We find that incorporating our beauty and skincare routines into our days is one of the easiest ways to get self care as busy moms, and this week’s super mama guest understand that.

This week we interview Gabriela Babila, creator of clean beauty brand Matana Organics Skincare. She started her business when she realized she couldn’t find clean, safe beauty skin care products during her pregnancy and began making them at home. The line is nature-inspired skin care for pregnancy, postpartum and all mothers who seek clean, safe, and organic products and best of all it’s organic, plant based, and cruelty free.  Gabriela talks to us about how she became fascinated with the beauty & power of plants, and using nature to create her skincare line. Her passion & positivity for her family, her business, and motherhood really shine in this episode and she is dropping all the gems (or matanas, as you’ll learn) that we needed to hear. 

More about Gabriela Babila: Founder, wife, girl mom, LA Native and clean beauty enthusiast, Gabriela Babila is the heartbeat and face behind the brand, Matana Organics. With a background in psychology and expecting her first child, Gabriela knew how important it was to nurture the body AND mind during this transition. Struggling to find safe and effective skincare products to help manage all of the physical changes pregnancy would induce, she thought about her own mom, an immigrant + single mother, and how she would approach her concerns. Her mother didn't have much, what she used for skincare she made, teaching Gabriela the power of natural remedies. So she decide to make it. And now she is sharing it with all mothers. 

Matanas from this week’s episode

Matanas = gift in Hebrew

“I love being a mom but there’s more to my identity.” - Gabriela Babila

“The desire to become an entrepreneur, to do something that i was passionate about; I couldn’t hide that from myself.” - Gabriela Babila

“The fear is not enough of a reason to not go for it.” - Gabriela Babila

“I cant worry about what can go wrong because what if it doesn’t go wrong? What if it goes right? And I’ve wasted precious time and precious brain power thinking negatively.” - Bricia Lopez

LINKS

Follow @MatanaOrganics on Instagram and like their page on Facebook.

Learn more about Gabriela and to shop Matana Organics, go to matanaorganics.com.

Episode 243: Making Language Learning Fun with @bilingual_birdies founder, Sarah Farzam

So many businesses have had to adjust under quarantine but this week's guest had her business flourish even more online. This week we speak to Sarah Farzam, CEO of the bilingual education program, Bilingual Birdies. She shares how her program uses music to help kids stay engaged and excited about speaking a second or even a third language, and how you can make some extra cash as well while keeping the kids busy this summer. Estas Lista? Escucha ahora mismo!

More about Sarah Farzam: Sarah is half Mexican and half Iranian and grew up speaking Spanish, Farsi and English. She’s from L.A. and graduated from UCLA with a BA in English.  In 2006, with zero business experience, Sarah launched Bilingual Birdies, a foreign language and live music program for children up to age six. Today Bilingual Birdies teaches Spanish, French, Mandarin, and English to thousands of children per week across 21 cities in the US, Canada, and Australia through their online training program which certifies and licenses bilingual and educators to launch their own Bilingual Birdies businesses in their own city.

Enrolled families benefit from original Bilingual Birdies products such as bilingual ebooks, music albums, and the most adorable bird puppets you have ever seen in your entire life.  Under Sarah’s leadership, Bilingual Birdies educators have traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico to volunteer and preform in the children’s section of La Calaca Festival., journeyed to Paris, France to train early educators on how to implement their methodology to teach English to children in a fun and musical way, and most recently they traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to volunteer at Little Ray of Hope, an informal preschool in Kawangware, the country’s second largest slum. Nearly 13 years after Sarah started Bilingual Birdies she is more motivated than ever to identify bilingual educators with an entrepreneurial spirit who are looking to share their language and culture with children, make money doing what they love, and transform their communities to encourage future generations of global thinking, open-minded humans. You can learn more about Sarah Farzam and Bilingual Birdies at bilingualbirdies.com. 

Our Conversation with Sarah

Tell us about yourself. How are you? How is life in quarantine?

You’re trilingual! Tell us about your company. Is this how is began?

How many languages do you teach? What is the age range of your students?

How has your business shifted with covid?

What does a class with Bilingual Birdies look like?

What are some tools that you recommend for my parents to use at home to help teach your children another language?

How often are your students taking classes in order for them to feel comfortable speaking the language?

Do you need to be a musicican to start the program as a teacher?

When covid is over and we are no longer required to do social distance learning, can our kids take this class in person?

Sarah’s Tips for Making Second Language Learning Fun

• Amp up second language learning in any area you can! If it feels like homework, chances are your kids won’t want to learn it. Work at it everyday based on your child’s interest.

• Reading books and singing songs/listening to music in another language is a great introduction to the love of language learning.

• Play based learning is super effective. Bilingual birdies gets your kids dancing and moving with the use of puppets, props and more, and you can do the same thing at home!

• Turn learning into a game by incorporating the new language into your daily routine. Breakfast, bath time, and cleaning can be an opportunity to get stuff done and learn new words and phrases.

• Check out video.oznoz.com to watch your kid’s favorite cartoons in up to 10 different languages.

Links

To learn more, sign up your child for virtual language classes, or learn how you can start the program in your city, go to BilingualBirdies.com.

Episode 227: Paletas, Side Hustles and Having Your Life Partner as Your Business Partner with Amy Saravia from @Gourmeletas

This week we interview Amy Saravia, founder of Gourmeletas, delicious hand dipped paletas covered in your favorite toppings. Anyone remember their yummy ice cream at last year’s Super Mamas Social? This mama of three talk to us how she & her husband started their business by switching from pizza to paletas. She was looking for some “me-time” from her full-time stay-at-home-mom life (aren’t we all 🤣) and ended up creating a yummy new business venture. Amy also shares her best tips for turning a side hustle into a career (a.k.a. save a lot of money & don’t quit your day job just yet!) and how to communicate with your spouse when they're also your business partner. is a go-getter who puts her trust in God to make sh*t happen, and she’ll make you feel determined to make your dreams into reality.

More about Amy & Gourmeletas: Husband & wife team, Amy and Tomas are the creators of Gourmeletas. They sought to re-imagine the classic hand dipped ice cream/ paletas served on unique carts. Their dessert company now offers a full line of gourmet desserts to all types special events and clients. Learn more at gourmeletas.com.

Before the episode, we’re talking about Bricia’s big announcement - she’s pregnant! This is why we’ve been eating so much and talking about our taco orders. 🌮 Send her all of the best pregnancy and baby products you recommend because she’s starting from scratch. Paulina also talks about how she and her husband and done having kids (yep, we’re talking about vasectomies again 🤣).

Pick of Tip of the Week

Paulina’s pick is such a mom pick. It can be a struggle to wake up her daughters for school in the morning, but Alexa has made it so much easier. You can customize the alarm to different songs, celebrity voices and sound bites. It’s simple and helpful and her daughters love it. Learn more here. 

Bricia is asking for tips this week! She’s not a fan of the belly band during pregnancy (it just desnt work for her 🤷🏽‍♀️) but she is still looking for something she can wear as her belly grows. Let us know in the comments if there’s anything you recommend! Other tips she has for preggo mamas as she gets closer to her due date are rubber bands for her pants that her mom taught her, drawstring pants and long shirts. Her pick of the week is bio oil which is keeping her skin really hydrated.

Link

Follow @gourmeletas on Instgram.

Bricia mentions her birth story from her first pregnancy - listen to that episode here.

Episode 212: Restoring Your Marriage, Faith and the Power of Words in Your Life with @RosieRivera

This week on the show, we sit down with Rosie Rivera - entrepreneur, international speaker, author and, oh yeah, the youngest of the Rivera Dynasty. This mama never imagined her life turning upside down over night the way it did; we talk about how many factors in life like death, children, and other issues can really put a strain on a marriage. Together with her husband, they started a podcast called “The Power of Us” to share their relationship experiences and show listeners that a successful marriage takes effort and intention on both parts. Rosie’s interview will inspire you to hold on to your faith even in your darkest times.

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia’s pick this week are these tweezers for $14.97 from Tweezer Guru! It includes 4 pairs of tweezers, including a super thin pair for ingrown hairs and blackheads (it’s an art that her facialist showed her how to do). She ordered it thinking it wouldn’t be good since it was so cheap, but she ended up falling in love with the set and then got upset when she realized she had been spending over $20 on all the other tweezers she had previously owned.

Paulina has a great tip this week - did you know you can link your Delta SkySmiles to your Lyft rideshare account? Paulina uses Lyft all the time in LA (we’re sure you do too!), and now she gets miles every time she takes a ride in the U.S.. If you travel a lot, you can easily rack up the miles! To learn more, visit deltalyft.com.

Links

Follow Rosie on Instagram at @rosierivera and learn more about her at rosierivera.com.

Watch Abels Worship on YouTube.

Learn more about Rosie’s conference, Dare to Breakthrough It on 11/1, with Miriam Nenninger.

Episode 191: Bringing Texas to LA, Briana Valdez from HomeState

This week on the show we have Briana Valdez, aka “Breezy” Chief Queso Ambassador of HomeState. Prior to opening HomeState, Briana had never run a business but that didn’t stop her from carving her way into the restaurant industry with one goal in mind- to share her and her families’ story of Texas through food. With her third location opening in Playa Vista soon, Briana takes us through her journey of opening her restaurant, the value of mentorship, staying true to herself, how she manages her time and self care.

Before the interview, Paulina and Bricia discuss last week’s episode and how they spend their Easter Weekend.

Our conversation with Briana Valdez

How did you get HomeState started? What did you do before and where did the inspiration come from?

What made you want to get into the restaurant business? & how did you “carve your way into it” ?

What do you love the most about mentoring? What have you gained?

Best mentor advice you’ve received?

Do you have any tricks on time management? How do you organize yourself?

Do you practice self care? & how?

What is the one thing that you told you yourself that you wouldn’t do as a mom that you’re doing now?

You can follow Briana Valdez on Instagram as @helloitsbreezy and her restaurant @HomeState. Find a HomeState location near you, on myhomestate.com

Pick or Tip of the Week

When she gets home, Breezy LOVES to watch Friends on Netflix. Also, her secret to her beautiful and glowing skin is Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate, Psssst, she says this is the cure to all the nights of not washing her face.

Bricia and Paulina bond over putting essential oils or perfume in their Eucerin lotion.

Episode 188: Entrepreneurship, owning one’s worth & raising critical thinkers with @Hautemommie

This week on show we have #MomBoss Leslie Antonoff - creator of the Hautemommie blog, co-creator, executive producer and star of Aspire’s culinary series, Butter + BROWN and Founder of Sweet Knowledge Clothing Company. We talk entrepreneurship, her incredible mindset that has lead her to live without fear, accepting help without shame, the important lessons she’s instilled in her three daughters, the most important lesson she learned from her own mother & so much more. 

Before the interview, Paulina and Bricia speak on #momguilt. After spending a weekend in SF and now a couple of days in Nashville, Paulina is reallyyyy feeling it. Also, Bricia contemplates sending Eduardo off to Oaxaca for 4 weeks- should she do it?? Comment below! 

Our conversation with @Hautemommie 

How the @Hautemommie twitter account developed into a blog

Turning @Hautemommie into a business 

The most difficult challenge being a blogger

Getting Butter + BROWN off the ground

The why behind Sweet Knowledge Clothing Company

The importance of accepting help

The most important lesson passed on to her daughters

The most important lesson passed on from her mother

Follow Leslie on IG as @Hautemommie and Twitter as @Hautemommie. Also, follow her on @ButterandBrown and @SweetKnowledgeClothing

Pick or Tip of the Week

Leslie’s pick comes from her “Not your mamas book club”! Get yourself of a copy of The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory. Lawyer turned New York Best Selling author illustrates a story of a black women being loved and cared for- absolutely a must read!

As you all know, Bricia is the plant lady. Her secret to keeping her plants alive? This Super Green Lucky Bamboo Fertilizer

Paulina’s most recent read/listen is Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist- the title says it all. Also, based off her last week’s tip, Paulina invested in this compost bin.

Episode 166: Starting your own business with Ramona Ortega from Azlo

This week on the show Paulina and Bricia sit down with third-time returning guest and financial guru, Ramona Ortega and talk entrepreneurship. She covers the first questions you have to ask yourself before opening your business, monetization strategy, business finances and structure, the differences between a sole proprietorship, LLC, C-Corp and the benefits of opening up an online business checking account. If you’re thinking of making your side hustle a business, this one is for you.

Before the interview, Paulina and Elizabeth sit down and discuss their weekends and their Oaxaca trip. While Elizabeth had a not-so-great weekend, Paulina gushes about her new at-home office project and HBO’s new documentary The Sentence, which we’ll be hosting a viewing party at Bricia’s on October 15th at 8PM & we would love it if everyone joined in and watched with us via IG! After the movie, we’ll be going Live to discuss the film. See you all there!

Our Conversation with Ramona Ortega

(11:52): Start of the interview

(19:40): Understanding what you’re selling- what problem are you solving? Are you a service or a product?

(20:40): To whom are you selling to?

(21:50): How big is the market?

(22:10): How are you going to make money? AKA your Monetization Strategy

(24:00): Bricia’s Life Example- Why asking is the most important attribute in business

(24:27): What is it that people need to grow their business?

(27:35): Business Finances & Legal Structure, “It’s easier to prevent something than to fix something after it’s messed up.” Explaining Sole proprietor

(29:40): LLC, “When you start to grow you want to think of of different structures”

(31:09): C-Corp Explained

(32:06): Keeping your money STRAIGHT! Taxes, invoicing and getting paid

(35:17): How do you prove your potential for growth?

(35:45): The Benefits of online business checking with AZLO

• Online Savings Account with Ally

(39:20): How to capitalize your company and how to track it

(40:35): Write-off and (more) tax advice

(44:15): AZLO: free, no minimums, integration of third-party apps (Shopify, quickbooks, stripe), workshops on negotiation, resident alien on-boarding, no international transaction fees

(46:35): What would you say to people who are hesitant of going online rather than a traditional banking center?

Pick or Tip of the Week

(50:45): To the people who have a passion project, Ramona wants you to write down how your going to make that project into profit and figure out what your next steps are to go forward. Also, for business advice gems, follow @AzloNow on Twitter.

Ramona is also reading Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Taleb to learn how to build your resilience and how to make yourself strong & catching up on Dexter on Netflix

(52:40): Paulina 110% recommends Netflix’s new Spanish series, La Casa de la Flores AKA The House of Flowers. It’s AMAZING!

(54:35): Bricia wants us all to listen to this podcast episode from The School of Greatness- EP. 679 THE MIND IS WHAT CONTROLS THE BODY. It’s sounds of this world, but you will learn a whole lot of breaking patterns in your life.

EPISODE 155: combining entrepreneurship & passion w/ Veronica M

Happy Tuesday, ladies! This week on the podcast we have Veronica Monroy-Ferrer, better known as “Veronica M”.

Veronica Monroy-Ferrer first joined the fashion world in 1996, selling her well known miniskirts at the Fairfax swap meet in Los Angeles, California. Daughter of a successful Peruvian seamstress, Veronica learned early on the secrets to designing clothes and acknowledging the modern woman as stylish, strong, and career-minded. Among a handful of auspicious local fashion designers, Veronica has made a name for herself by designing the perfect fusion of classic styles and vintage patterns with a bohemian twist. Growing up, her weekends consisted of fabric shopping with her mother and helping to cut out patterns at the age of seven. It was then that she realized the endless fashion possibilities by collaborating with bright colors and lively prints. The Veronica M brand is now synonymous with fun and bold prints.

In 1997, the demand grew for Veronica's amazing fitted miniskirts and she opened her own store, Scala on La Brea Boulevard. Soon after the opening of her store she began receiving request for "Veronica M" for local boutiques and private label chains. This began her wholesale division that is still expanding today. In 2000, Scala closed and reopened as Veronica M located on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA. Though it has since closed, we thank all who have supported this location throughout the years. In 2014, PeopleStyle watch named Veronica M jumpsuits the most flattering, perfect jumpsuit: "It skims your curves in just the right way." Veronica M continues to make a statement and strong impact on fashion. Veronica believes that every woman should not only look their best, but also feel their best."

But first, we address a sensitive topic that we thought it was necessary to discuss.

via GIPHY

our conversation with veronica m:

(18:40): How did you get started? 

(21:01): How did you go from Swap Meet to having a little store?

(22:47): Where did you get inspiration for your designs?

(25:19): How much was the 5-page purchase order? 😱

(27:30): Tell us about all the ugly parts of your business journey

(30:36): When did the kids come?

(31:26): Giving our husbands credit & addressing mom guilt

(33:38): What fashion trends should we look for this summer and upcoming fall?

(34:24): Tell us about your fall line

(35:50): Veronica's advice to all women

(38:10): Acknowledging our individual craft and instilling work ethic in our children and others

Pick or tip of the week

(40:00): Veronica M is LOVING zumba! Pick a sport or activity that will make you feel incredible about yourself.

(40:40): Paulina's tip is to keep hydrating with LOTS of H20. 

(42:50): Bricia is on the dry-brushing your skin trend.

• The Bathery® Dry Brush

• Dry Skin Body Brush

Shop Veronica M at VeronicaM.shop