The GUILD Academy: Meet Isaura from El Salvador
Hailing from El Salvador, Isaura Martínez joined the first batch of The GUILD Academy with a business idea rooted in one of her very own passions: handmade goods. When she noticed a gap and lack of information in the handcraft market, she decided to work on a solution that allows users to find handmade good sellers, with a special focus on female handcrafters.
She’s been an independent marketing consultant for the last few years and by the time she joined the training program in January 2020, she already had her marketing business up and running. Like many of her fellow participants in the course, she has business experience but she still wants to hone up her skills and learn what it takes to go from idea to prototype.
Firstly, even if your business is at an early stage, what can you tell us about your company?
I’m working on building a platform for female handcrafters and handmade good sellers to advertise their products and content, that also becomes a community where all of them can learn about how to attract customers consistently.
Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
I wanted to build something of my own, that made a difference in someone’s life. I’ve always pursued passion and purpose, so I’ve been trying to help women business owners through what I know, either by education or by work experience.
How do you feel about starting up your own business?
Excited, nervous, a little scared even! I’m structured and I try to make plans, but in business barely anything comes out as planned. Change is the only constant so you need to adjust your plan consistently in order to deliver something someone needs and build a sustainable business.
What is it like being an entrepreneur in El Salvador?
My country is small, one of the smallest in Latin America, but it’s full of great people trying to do great things as well. The Internet makes people feel more connected to other parts of the world like never before, which helps to know what’s going on elsewhere and how you can create your own thing.
What book do you recommend to other early-stage entrepreneurs?
There are many good books out there. Right now I’m reading “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller, and it’s AMAZING! It helps you clarify who you want to help, which problems are people facing right now, and how to create a story that helps you connect with them and to establish a trusting relationship.
What open-minding thing have you learnt recently?
In that book I mentioned, the author says that usually brands and businesses sell solutions to external problems, but customers buy to resolve internal problems. That’s how important it is to know who you want to serve through your business, which fears and limiting beliefs are driving the decision that a person makes when deciding to buy -or not- your products or services. It’s critical to know what’s under the surface, to connect with them in a way they feel understood and decide to trust you and what you offer.
What’s your biggest goal for 2020?
Launching! For now, I’m testing out my concept but by the end of this year I’d like my platform to be working and an established community of handcrafters ready to learn and sell their products online.
How’s your experience at The GUILD Academy so far?
Amazing. The connections, the AMA sessions, the content, the experts… everything is a nice blend of a wide variety of expertise and business ideas. We’re all enriched by what the other is trying to build, and the opportunity to make connections has been one of the things I value the most about this community.
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