Today we’d like to introduce you to Karina Fernandez.
Hi Karina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The idea of Maestra&Co sparked back in 2018. As an elementary teacher, shopping for cute teacher tees was always a must! I sat in front of the computer one day in search of teacher tees to add to my collection. I remember in the middle of my search thinking, “There are literally no Spanish tees for teachers.” The more I searched, the less I seemed to find. Surely I wasn’t the only one in the market for Spanish teacher tees, right? That thought quickly turned into a question. “ Well, if there are no Spanish tees, why don’t you create them?” That question burned inside of me for a while. “If I want it, why not create it?”
At the time, I was starting my 11th year teaching and applying to begin a Master’s program. I had too much to do, too much to worry about and too many excuses. Ha! I played around with the idea of starting a small business for a while and mentioned it to several of my family members and friends. But again, it was just an idea. It wasn’t until my childhood friend said to me, “Everyone always has ideas, but very few actually get up and do something about it” Ouch, talk about a reality check. So guess what I did… I started designing Spanish tees. I launched the Maestra&Co a year later in 2019. The love and support I received from teachers across the US spread like wildfire. I was receiving emails/messages daily from Bilingual/Dual Language teachers saying, “Finally! Spanish tees for teachers!” (See, I wasn’t the only one who was looking for them) This motivated me and pushed me to work harder in the products I was creating. Not to mention, being a teacher definitely helped me know exactly what other teachers wanted and were looking for.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It’s definitely been a bumpy road, but it keeps getting smoother day by day. So many challenges that one doesn’t think about when starting a small business. My first challenge-Where do I even begin? I knew absolutely nothing about starting a business. The second challenge-Would I be able to balance my teacher life and business life? Small business owners definitely make it look easier than it really is, we just hide it with a smile. Trust me when I say this, I have only been in business for a little over a year, so I am no expert. But I have learned a lot! I’ve learned what to avoid, changes I can make and overall how to make the products better. Thankful for the challenges/experiences I have faced and overcome. It has helped me grow.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Maestra&Co is clothing to fit any educator’s teaching lifestyle. Our products are created for teachers by teachers. My vision was to create the ultimate stop & shop for educators. I mean, they have to get dressed every morning so they might as well make it fun. We all know that looking stylish can make our whole day better; that’s why I was committed to being their source for the newest teacher trends. Maestra&Co specializes in Spanish teacher tees, sweatshirts, teacher aprons and many other teacher accessories. We are proud about being one of the few online shops that offer a large variety of Spanish teacher tees whose designs are original, with most being handwritten.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something surprising that most people wouldn’t know about Maestra&Co is that the entire business is run by only one person, me. Running the website, designing new products, packing/shipping orders, answering emails/messages. It’s been hard work, but so worth it! You know the saying, “What comes easy, won’t last. What lasts, won’t come easy.” I stand by that. Hard work and dedication pays off.
A BIG thank you to my fiance, family, friends and teacher community who have been extremely supportive and have made my small business journey so sweet. Muchisimas gracias from the bottom of my heart!
Contact Info:
- Email: Maestra.co.dallas@gmail.com
- Website: www.MaestraCo.com
- Instagram: Maestra_Co
- Facebook: Maestra_co
- Twitter: Maestra_co
