We had the good fortune of connecting with Genevieve Martin Del Campo and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Genevieve, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson I’ve learned with starting a business is that, you will fail at some point. I know this is something many have heard before, but prior to starting my business, I never actually believed it (naïve of me right?). It wasn’t until things started to slow down and customer reactions were not what I was expecting that it finally hit me, the saying is true. I felt like a failure and I felt lost; like maybe this wasn’t what I was “supposed” to be doing. That’s when I decided to take a step back and re-evaluate what I really wanted. It has taken me longer than expected but I finally know what direction I want to go in and am taking the steps, as little as they may be, to get there. I am not completely where I would like to be with my business yet but hey, that’s life right? I just know that whenever you fail, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to the grind.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When this idea first came into my head, my first thought was, “I need to be unique. I need to be different.” Although this is a great idea, it’s definitely a challenge. There are so many mom shirts out there with funny and creative sayings/quotes and the thought of competing with all of them was intimidating. But, I got to work! The one I am most proud of right now is my La Chancla Gang shirt. It is a shirt that has received so many positive reactions and has put a smile on a lot of people’s faces, and is the shirt that I believe sets me apart. Professionally, I am not at the place I want to be but that is to be expected. With two little ones, a full time job, and school, things are taking a bit longer to get going. It has definitely not been easy getting to this place. I thought I knew the right method for making these shirts, but that has proven to be wrong. However, it has taught me that change is OK and sometimes, the right thing to do. What I want people to know about me is that I will not stop building this brand no matter how many setbacks I have. I want this brand to celebrate and inspire mamas while making them feel confident and comfortable in their own skin.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite spots to hang out and enjoy beautiful weather is the Estrella Star Tower in Goodyear. It has a beautiful creek to enjoy, walking paths, and at night the Star Tower lights up to display a beautiful structure covered in stars. This is not a bad spot to take photographers either as they will come out with some gorgeous pictures. Then we could head over to Twisted Riddles for an escape room race, followed by a lunch or dinner at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen; all of which are also located in Goodyear (are you seeing a theme here?). Since this is a friend I am showing around, I know he/she would LOVE Target. That will no doubt be a stop on our City tour for a much needed shopping trip and Starbucks stop. Going to the movies is another favorite of mine so we’d also stop at the Harkins in Goodyear and maybe grab a drink at the bar before going into our theater. If we didn’t already eat at Harkins, we’d then stop at Wildflower Bread Company because their pastas are delicious! For a fun night out, I’d have to venture out of Goodyear to go to Cobra Bar and Arcade located downtown. It’s a favorite of mine because you can play old school games for only $0.25 all while enjoying a cocktail or beer. We’d have to finish off the trip with a relaxing day at Arizona Beauty Co. and get ourselves some facials followed by a spray tan!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my husband, Jose. He is always so supportive in anything and everything I want to do and try. When I came to him with the idea of starting my own business of making shirts to celebrate and inspire mamas, he was all for it! He has helped me with researching which products are best, which methods would work better, and has been the main person I bounce my ideas off of. Most importantly though, he is always there when I need to vent (which is a lot sometimes). This dedication wouldn’t be complete however, if I didn’t mention my family. Their love and support with everything I do definitely does not go unnoticed. Whether it be modeling and telling friends and even strangers about my shirts, showing up to vendor events, or even just sharing my posts on social media, my family is always there to have my back.
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