Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amanda Garibay. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Amanda, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Growing up my parents did a great job of encouraging me to be the best version of myself. However in college, my classes and extracurriculars helped me develop my confidence and self esteem as an adult. I loved having a fresh start in college, I liked that no one knew me and I was able to become the person I had always wanted to be. I was in leadership positions on campus and I also took personal development classes. I started seeing myself in a new light and I gained a new form of confidence.
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’ve always known I wanted to be an entrepreneur. When I attended the University of Houston, I majored in Marketing and took several classes in social entrepreneurship. I loved those classes and felt that it was my calling. Being a content creator was always my dream job, so in college I decided to start posting on TikTok. In the beginning I was scared to post, sometimes it would take me hours to make one TikTok because I was so nervous. Eventually I found my personal style and became more comfortable. I would post anything from outfit ideas, to lifestyle and travel vlogs, to my favorite beauty products. Within a year I had gained a little over ten-thousand followers and soon began working and traveling with some of my favorite brands. It was a surreal feeling and I’ve met many amazing people along the way. I’m excited to continue growing and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
My content creation journey taught me that it’s better to start scared instead of waiting for the perfect time. With that mindset, I co-founded my fragrance business, Fragrance de Flor. Around the same time I started posting TikToks, I was offered the opportunity of working with some college friends to be a co-founder in a business startup. After 8 months of researching, designing, coding and networking, we uploaded our website. Starting a business wasn’t easy but when we published the final draft of our website, it was so fulfilling. My colleagues and I are passionate about fragrances, so being able to work with my favorite perfumes and colognes is an amazing experience. Our fragrance business, Fragrance de Flor is an independent retailer that sells fragrances for everyone, you can find us here at www.fragrancedeflor.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
What helped me in the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey was having fun through the learning phases, celebrating the “small wins” and staying true to myself.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Everyone has good days and bad days and that’s okay! I’ve learned what helps me is to take a break and do something I enjoy. Getting some fresh air, working out, reading a motivational book and listening to music are my favorite ways to clear my head.
Contact Info:
- Website: fragrancedeflor.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandagaribay_/?hl=en
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandgfa?_t=8dUC9LDZtWw&_r=1
