What is your name: Julissa Prado

How old do you feel: 15, life is forever a Quinceañera

Occupation: Founder and CEO of Rizos Curls

TGM: So tell us what it feels like to have a self-funded family business picked up Target?

Julissa: Seeing Rizos Curls, a self-funded family business, at Target feels great and surreal. It feels like all of my family’s hard work is being paid off, that the idea that a brand can lead with purpose and passion is worthwhile. Since our launch, I have prioritized the brand’s three C’s – Curls, Community and Culture—and many told us it’s not possible to make money based off of such strong values. Yet, it’s these core values that drive our business

TGM: Speak to us about your experience as a Latina in your industry?

Julissa: Being a Latina in my industry is tough. I am constantly put in a box as the Latina entrepreneur, and while I am insanely proud of who I am and the culture that shaped me and my hustle, mainstream outlets, retailers and entities use my culture as a single identifier and then put me and leave me in the Latina box. I am an entrepreneur (who happens to be Latina) and my brand/products are for curly hair women and men, for all curly hair types regardless of culture. Ultimately what media, retailers and entities as a whole completely forget to see is that the Latinx community is the mainstream. Latinx beauty influences so much of the larger trends yet so many times my story and brand is solely put into the Latina pillar. Our stories need to be on the mainstream pages of media outlets, our products are not just for “Latina hair”, etc. I deserve the same audience as my non-Latinx counterparts. I am a Latina in the mainstream world.

TGM: What advice would you give other latina entrepreneurs when it comes to remaining self-funded?

Julissa: Bringing on external funding whether it’s via family/friends, investors or venture capitalist is unique to each business’ needs and wants. For Rizos Curls, I prefer to remain self-funded because the interested investors that I’ve spoken to, their values don’t align with what Rizos Curls has worked so hard to build. Rizos Curls is the three C’s, curls, community, and culture, and while it would be amazing to have the extra cash flow, I won’t compromise the community or culture aspect of my brand for investors or business partners. Once you have investors or partners you lose some or a lot of your control of your business so you have to really ask yourself, do you want someone else taking the reins of your business because they are only looking at it from a profits aspects.

TGM: What are smart business practices that you can share with us?

Julissa: I have so many great business practices that I always share with other entrepreneurs or future entrepreneurs. First, makeup in creativity what you lack in marketing dollars. I don’t compromise my profits for marketing. Also, staying true to yourself and your vision is what will allow you to connect with your customers, build loyalty and ensure your success. Be incredibly creative, both in terms of content and business processes, to stay ahead of the game and don’t be afraid to reach out to your customers for help. Some of your best ideas might come from your own customers.

TGM: What part of your heritage or upbringing would you see most influenced the entrepreneurial spirit you embody?

Julissa: My neighborhood and my family have heavily influenced my entrepreneurial spirit. My father came to this country from Mexico with nothing, crawled through sewers to get here. But he worked his way through the restaurant industry and ultimately opened his own restaurant, which I grew up in. But I also have so many entrepreneurs in my own block. Many may not think that the elotero cart in a street corner is an entrepreneur, but those are the hardest working people in this country. I saw so many street vendors ultimately open up store fronts, and that also left a pretty big impact on me, on the power of hard work.

TGM: Given the current crisis from the pandemic, what are a few difficulties as a business owner you’re facing? How are you coping with it?

Julissa: There are a million difficulties and layers that this pandemic has created, because this pandemic has spared no one. For me, this pandemic affects my entire supply chain. It’s nearly impossible to function right now. Yet, I have taken this time to take a hard pivot and remind me myself that I can only focus on the items I can control. I can’t and won’t give my energy on the things I can’t control because it’s beyond me. So I’ve gone back to what it felt like when I first launched and decided to a certain extent to start over. I’m using this time to focus on product development, reading clinical studies on ingredients, talking to chemists, creating content to serve my community and more. Through this process it reminded me what I loved so much about my business, because honestly right before the pandemic I got so consumed in a high stress environment of business growth and profitably that it affected my mental health. So I’m trying to take this pandemic as a blessing in disguise – a forced pause/re-evaluation of where I need to put my time and energy.

TGM: Who do you lean on for financial advice or career advice?

Julissa: I lean mainly on my family for some advice, but honestly, I don’t have mentors or a circle of entrepreneurs that have been in my shoes. I’ve always had a “you better figure it out on your own” mentality. While my family are the biggest role models from their sheer hustle, I am self-made. I walk in a path alone especially from where I come from. I have a lot of lateral help from my family as they help support me, but I figure things out as I go. I’ve been like this my whole life. I always had to figure things out on my own from understanding what college even is to how do I start a business.

FAST ROUND:

Fav movie: Foreign Film buff especially Almovodar films, but I LOVE Selena!

Fav Follow on Insta: @badbunnypr and every travel page

Dine out or Dine in: Dine out! I love a good reason to dress up!

Pool or Beach: Beach all the way. I was a mermaid in a past life!

Biggie or 2Pac: 2Pac. I’m a Cali Girl through and through.

Best episode from any show you’re currently binging: La Casa del Papel! Show is fire!

Thoughts on the Meg Stallion and Beyoncé Mix: Never felt more seen in my life. That was the remix I didn’t know I needed. It’s like Beyoncé knows my life! Beyoncé, how did you know I was considering making Only Fan’s account for my feet! Ha Ha!

First thing you did when you found out they would sell Rizos Curls in Target: I called my Rizos Curls Team, family and loved ones!

If you loved Julissa follow her on insta!

JULISSA PRADO