Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Gonzalez.
Krystal, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always had in interest in entrepreneurship, I’ve never been the type to enjoy working for someone else, but I did for the “dependable” paycheck, although it wasn’t really dependable, at any given time that employer can decide that they don’t need me. Why would I want to work and give all my time, energy and effort into making someone else rich, while I only collect a small percentage biweekly, when I could work to make myself the income I desire to make. I want complete control.
In 7th or 8th grade, I took a class and I remember learning how to build a very basic website, THAT was one of my favorite classes I’ve ever taken. In 2010 I started working in the Oil & Gas industry, where I started off as a sales support and ended up landing a sales position, BORING, but it paid my bills. I then went back to college, where I was on my way toward a degree in Supply Chain Management, interesting but again, I never dreamed of working for someone else my entire life.
In 2015 I opened a small business called Tea Time Apparel after the birth of my second child, Mariella (Ella), but I didn’t understand how to grow my audience outside of my own social circle so it was difficult to expand. With that being said, I went back to working for someone else, but I always kept my eyes open for opportunities to learn how to become my own boss.
Fast forward to 2020, I was introduced to the world of E-Commerce by my boyfriend, it was the beginning of COVID-19, I KNEW that being a single mom and sole provider of two kids, I needed to have a full-time job and a backup plan so I got to work, with him by my side leading me and mentoring me, teaching me his mistakes so that I could go into this journey with ease.
Has it been a smooth road?
When they say that building a business or becoming an entrepreneur takes blood, sweat and tears… they weren’t lying! (okay, maybe not blood… yet) It’s stressful, it takes A LOT of sleepless nights, when I first started I was working until 3-4 am every night then waking up before 8 am to work my full-time job. What keeps me going is my desire to be able to travel the world with my kids, and have that type of freedom, permanently. They NEED to be able to be at ALL of their school events without being told “no” or given a hard time by an employer. And at this moment, the desire to be able to have my kids stay home as long as possible being “homeschooled” until COVID-19 calms down and I feel more comfortable with them going to school. It doesn’t matter how hard or stressful some days are. I’ll wake up the next day, ready to learn and implement new ideas to see what works best for each business.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Sweatpants Hair Tied story. Tell us more about the business.
I started off by opening “MoonChildJewels,” www.moonchildjewels.com, a website dedicated to providing and educating its audience of Crystal Healing, while offering a variety of Crystal Jewelry, Candles and other crystal home goods. In its first month, MoonChildJewels was able to sell almost $1000 in revenue, which isn’t common in e-commerce; statistically, it can take months for a store to even make a single sale!
I then decided to open up a second store, one that I put a little more of “me” into, or who I’ve been growing into. One thing I noticed of myself and women, in general, is that when you’re unhappy and in a “dark place,” it’s really difficult to empower other women, and in return, it’s even more difficult to grow into the woman you were put here to be. In life, I noticed the more happier and the more fulfilled I felt, the easier it was to show other women just how great I thought they were.
I created “Sweatpants Hair Tied,” yes after the line in the Drake song, “sweatpants hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on, that’s when you’re the prettiest, I hope that you don’t take it wrong…” because so many women think that they “NEED” makeup or a certain”look” to feel beautiful, but in fact, in one way or another, every woman IS beautiful and is valuable in her own right. Our target audience is any women wanting or needing to feel empowered, and/or show off the empowerment she already feels. We are in the process of expanding our collections to include loungewear, streetwear and activewear with a goal to diminish the stigma that a woman has to look or dress a certain way to be successful. ALL of my sites were built with me in my living room, hair tied, no makeup, in my favorite loungewear and I felt amazing everyday because I was working toward my dream.
I then wanted to try out “aquiring” an e-commerce business, so after research, I purchased a business by the name of Aurum Jewellery and changed the name to Aurum Jewels. Their target audience is women, and those looking to gift jewelry to women in the US and Europe. I wasn’t a fan of the current web design so I gave it a “facelift” and started promoting on Google ads, Facebook, IG, working on TicTok ads as we speak!
One of my favorite quotes posted on IG by my mentor Channelle Ashli @themillionairemomsclub, “Reminder: Your kids can’t inherit your job is”. Which brings me to my 4th site, and my personal favorite because its concept came 100% from my four-year-old daughter Mariella. Ella Pie Boutique, Mariella came up with everything from the color scheme, to the logo design, she sat next to me at my laptop while I controlled the mouse and she directed me! We’re in the process of coming up with a plan to execute a Subscription Box for little girls. My goal is for her to never HAVE TO work FOR anyone. My son, Marcello “Cellos” website, is next to come but at this moment, we only have the domain name, so keep a lookout for CellosArtCellar.com!
In addition, I am also working alongside my boyfriend on a project called Star Power Promotionz, where we assist businesses in their marketing and advertising. This is an early venture but we hope to lead people like us toward true freedom. Anyone looking to open their own E-Commerce site, looking for help with web design, feel free to contact me for competitive pricing! kcellc.tx@gmail.com
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I believe as a result of COVID-19 a lot of companies are going to start to realize how much they don’t “NEED” their physical locations to make sales and more and more retail companies will start to become more like Amazon in the sense that they’ll figure out how to get shipments out to people with quick turnarounds, I think e-commerce is the future so I’m going to learn how to perfect my skill set and learn the most effective methods to prepare and build something great for my children and me.
Pricing:
- Each site contains products as low as Free + Shipping, to around $50.
- Services include: Web Design starting at $350 with package options including SEO optimization, advertising and marketing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sweatpantshairtied.com, www.ellapie.com, www.moonchildjewels.com, www.aurumjewels.co
- Phone: 8324860138
- Email: kcellc.tx@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sweatpantshairtied_, @ellapie_girlprenuer, @themoonchildjewels, @aurumjewelsofficial, @billionairelifestylehacks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweatpantsHairTied.ChillinWithNoMakeup; https://www.facebook.com/Ella-Pie-105172284594914; https://www.facebook.com/MoonChildJewels; https://www.facebook.com/aurumjewelsofficial
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