Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Martinez.
Hi Sophia, 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?
I’ve always been a crafty person but it wasn’t until I got older that I realized how much I loved creating. It wasn’t until 2017 that I decided to start my little side business. At the time I had a full time job when we found out that our mom’s cancer had come back and she needed surgery. I decided I would quit working to take care of her and then my grandma was diagnosed with dementia. So took care of both of them along with my sister and husband who helped along the way. About 4 months in my grandma’s dementia progressed and I needed to find a way to keep her calm.. So I started crafting again. It started out with Fiesta halos and took off from there. So ever since then, except for Covid time, I’ve made them. It was during that time I named my business. Grandma would sit with me while I worked and I would hand her my scraps of paper to separate. And every time she would help me, she said I had the prettiest paper. And that’s when Pretty Paper by Sam was born. And Sam are actually my initials. Lol
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. With any business you will have your ups and downs. While I wasn’t working when I started this it was easier for me to work on projects non stop. But after my mom passed in 2021, I went back to a full time job. So now I have to balance my day time job with my little business. Still a work in progress.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The work I do is special to me. I create anything from party decorations, t shirts, paper flowers to almost anything you ask. I love it when a customer places an order and I bring that vision to life for them., especially children. I’m proud that some of my work has been featured on a local daytime show.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Am I a risk taker? Well normally I would say no. But I did take a risk when I walked away from my paying job to be a caregiver for my family. I’d like to think that I still would have started this little business eventually but this sped the process up sooner. And for I couldn’t be more grateful.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/prettypaperbysam
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/prettypaperbysam
