Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Zuniga.
Paula, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always knew that I loved crafts and anything that had to do with it since I was a little girl, but for some reason or another, I would never complete something 100%. Not sure if it was my inner self-doubt at the time or just me being a kid.
As I got older, I put my love for crafting to the side when life came my way, and I had to adult and was busy working. It wasn’t until I got engaged in 2016 that my love for crafting came back as I was making bridesmaids gifts and bridal shower/wedding decorations. It was then when I remembered how much I loved it and missed it.
In 2017, shortly after the wedding, I started making a few things here and there for my nieces birthday and that’s when I realized that I really enjoyed making unique items for other people. I started brainstorming and writing ideas down. I asked myself what do you want to offer/make for customers that they can’t find in stores? I went back to look at everything I had bought for a wedding online that I was not able to find in stores.
My favorite online purchase for the wedding were some gold foil prints that I had ordered on Etsy all the way from Greece. I think I ordered like 10 of them. This was when I told myself I can probably make these somehow. I started doing research after research and went out and bought the supplies I needed to get started. After a lot of trial and error and late nights, I finally figured it out how to make them. I decided that I was ready to offer these to people. This was when SXPGIFTS started in late 2017.
SXP was supposed to be the original name of my business, but it was taken on IG so thats when I decided to go with SXPGIFTS. Now you probably wonder what does SXP stand for, it stands for Style x Pau. I had the vision that anything I would make would have a little bit of my style in some sort of way.
I started SXPGIFTS all on my own with no experience in designing, business, or anything related I just knew how to make foil prints at the time. I started networking and meeting a lot of women that had some sort of small business that would give me advice here and there. I started looking into pop up shops/Markets and found out that was a good way to market your brand out there to more people outside of social media.
We were able to manage to book pop up shops at least three times a month non-stop until the holidays in 2018. As time went on little by little I started adding different unique items to my shop, and now we’re here.
Has it been a smooth road?
Of course, like anyone starting their own small business, there is a lot to learn in the beginning. I am self-learner, had to teach myself how to do everything on my own. For example from learning new design programs, finding the best cost-efficient products, finding the right tools. There was a lot of trial and error, and till this day there is still some of that. Also growing your platform/customers, that has been one of the most hardest thing to do and time-consuming.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
SXPGIFTS offers a variety of unique gifts/items that you don’t normally find in stores. I specialize in foil prints, shadow boxes, t-shirts, mugs, decals, pretty much anything customized I can do.
The thing I am most proud of myself is that I do it all myself for the most part at times my husband does help with some handyman things. I think what sets me apart is that I am that person that people know they can come to with an idea and I am able to make it for them one way or another.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think any city is good to do this kind of business. I mean there are millions of people everywhere that are always looking for unique gifts/items to gift or for themselves.
Contact Info:
- Email: sxpgifts@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sxpgifts
- Facebook: facebook.com/sxpgifts
Image Credit:
BerthaTorresPhotography
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