Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Nunez.
Hi Karen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Howdy! My name is Karen Nunez & I am the creative behind Cositas, a Latina-owned business with unique handmade creations. My story starts as a young child who loved to fill all her coloring books from front to back and get lost in the process. In high school, being a part of the art program & learning from my art teacher, Ms. Tee, allowed me to grow as an artist. I continued on to college where I studied architecture. Woooo go PVAMU! During my time in college, I also worked as a freelance makeup artist which was so fun! After graduating and working in the field as a designer, I quickly realized it was not for me. This led me to question where I want to be in life & what I could do to get closer to that vision. I had the opportunity to make a change with the support of my husband, Uki, and started Cositas. Needless to say, I’ve always gravitated towards doing creative things. Working with clay as my material has opened up a whole new world for me.
A very special shoutout to my best friend, Elvira. Her love for fun quirky earrings is the reason why this business started.
My intention with Cositas is to make unique/fun jewelry and home décor items that put a smile on your face! 🙂
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There is a funny saying on the internet that is so relatable to starting a business:
“I didn’t want a 9-5 job, Now I work 24/7”
To answer your question, no it has not been a smooth road. It takes a lot of time, self-discipline, & constant work. There are many hats you wear as a business owner. Examples are content creators, investors, quality control, promoter, event scheduler, and the list goes on. Initially, I did not know where to look for markets to start selling my products. It can be intimidating with all the requirements to set up a booth but we persevered and figured it out. When in doubt, always ask for help. You would be surprised at the amount of people who are willing to share tips. It is so fulfilling to pour your heart into something that you built from the ground up. Through the uncertainty, I’ve found that all I can do is believe in my talents and keep creating things that bring me joy. If younger Karen could see what we have created, she would be so proud.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work with several mediums but I do focus on polymer clay for my earrings. Polymer clay is a great material for creating unique lightweight items. I always struggled to wear cute bold earrings which are usually heavy, but not with polymer clay. I wanted an art medium that would work for jewelry, crafts, & home décor. The versatility makes it so fun to use & the possibilities become endless. All my earrings are made with hypoallergenic and nickel-free stainless steel metals, which is great for sensitive ears. Everything in my shop is one of a kind, no two pairs are the same due to it being handmade. I also create other home décor items such as handpainted plant pots, incense holders, jewelry dishes, and more! Having a background in design really helps when it comes to the creative process, which includes selecting colors, textures, finishes, and shapes. I also used my knowledge from architecture school to create our branding. Cositas in Spanish stands for little trinkets or knick-knacks and our logo represents bowls for all your ✨Cositas✨. We are now also available at the coolest local vintage store located in Midtown, Houston: La Tienda 101 & Double Struck @ 701 W Gray St #3A, Houston, TX 77019. Come check out our display!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I would say that anyone starting their own business is a risk taker. It is uncertain where the business will take you when you start but you will never know unless you try!
Quitting my job was such a terrifying move for me. I knew I needed to take the leap of faith because my job was not bringing me joy. I saw the risk as an opportunity to start something of my own!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Cositashtx
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cositas_htx/
