Meet Crystal Gonzales

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Crystal Gonzales. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Crystal below.

Crystal, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I think as humans this is something we all do, whether conscious of it or not. I am a true believer in that we all have special talents, and therefore a purpose here. I think for me, career wise, this is something I struggled with for many many years. I thought that being a corporate girly was what I was set out to do. Becoming a mom totally switched that mentality for me and definitely turned my life upside down. If you would’ve asked me 5 years ago if I see myself owning my own business, and a children’s clothing business at that! I wouldn’t have believed you for a second. I think life has a way of directing us towards our passions and goals and it’s up to us to work hard to achieve that for ourselves!

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I started my business in 2022 but didn’t officially launch until end of 2023. In trying to find the right designers and manufacturers to work with, I definitely made a lot of mistakes and so it did take me a good year to find the right people to work with. I wanted to create a business that allowed me to be creative and also include my children in it in some aspect. I wanted the prints and designs to feel like something they had created, and they truly do because all of my design ideas come from their hobbies, likes, and interests. I’ve been fortunate to work with wonderful designers who then bring my vision to life! At the end of 2023 I was able to officially launch and while it wasn’t an instant hit, we have consistently grown for the past year. I hope to be able to grow enough to create matching clothing for parents and their kids soon and hope that my customers continue to believe in my vision and M. & Wally!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Resilience, optimism, and a lot of hard work. It’s not always going to feel easy, especially mentally. There are slow times where the sales are just not coming in, no matter what I do. I have to just remain positive and keep on working through it.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

I think believing in myself, that I am worthy and capable is definitely something I struggle with on a daily basis. Having and growing a business is hard because it’s not always, and actually hardly ever, an overnight success story. You have to keep showing up and showing out every day whether business is good or not, and you have to do it optimistically!

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