Meet Ana Lavariega López

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ana Lavariega López a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ana, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

For a long time the idea of having an enterprise was persistent for me, to create my own business, but always with the firm idea that in addition to generating income, I could contribute something to society. I have the idea that we should leave the world a little better than we found it, for me it is important to contribute something to the community. I was constantly looking for ways to achieve this goal, until one day, in social networks I found a Mexican product to wash clothes without rinsing and from there began the story of my entrepreneurship, Axolote Cleaning Products.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

When I first heard about this detergent, I was working full time in an office, the description of the product and what it offered caught my attention and I decided to try it, I liked it so much that I started to combine the distribution of this product with my job at that time and little by little my whole family started to get involved in the project.

Shortly after, my father passed away, it was a very hard blow for everyone and difficult to overcome. While the business continued alternately to this situation and other work activities that I was doing at that time, I found a small place available for rent in downtown Oaxaca City, I talked with my family and together we decided to rent it to install the business, which helped us to consolidate the project and at the same time helped us to overcome the difficult time we were living.

As an established business with a physical location, my boyfriend joined us to the project and we gradually included more products, giving priority and special emphasis to Mexican and even Oaxacan products, with a sustainable approach.

In Axolote cleaning products we have been dedicated to the distribution of ecological cleaning products for more than 6 years. This has allowed us to have a positive impact on the environment, since within our range of products you can find a laundry detergent that does not need rinsing, laundry soap made from coconut oil and pine tar, toilet paper made from tetrapack, among others.

Through this project, we have also had the opportunity to meet incredible people, projects and organizations that work with a focus on sustainability. For example, we participated in activities to collect cigarette butts to channel them to recycling projects and proper treatment, we also collaborated as a collection center for tetra pack and pet for an organization that builds schools with these materials and together with the community “Axoloteca” made up of our customers and friends, we made a donation to a Casa Hogar for children on the occasion of our 5th. Anniversary.

During our trajectory we have had changes of address, as well as adjustments in the dynamics of distribution and deliveries, we have gone through different stages but we always seek to reinvent ourselves and try to continue doing the best we can with the resources we have.

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?

The three qualities that I consider most important for our business are the following:

Communication. With customers, to know their needs and how we can contribute to solve them; with suppliers, to achieve the best agreements and continue working together; with the team that collaborates with the business to achieve a good job.

Resilience. In such a changing world, adapting is very important, to new places, new customers, new products and different environments, looking for a way to find a solution to every challenge that arises.

Persistence. I think it is always important to remember the objective for which the projects begin, to look for new alternatives to keep that goal firmly and work to achieve it.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most important thing my parents have done, besides always supporting me in my decisions, is to give me their example and the tools to achieve my dreams. It has been fundamental for me to have their support in all aspects of life.

Above all, through their example, something essential that they instilled in me is generosity, because that develops the ability to feel empathy, to think beyond generating a personal benefit, in what you contribute to society and those around you. For me it is very special that the Casa Hogar where we made the donation on the anniversary of the business is the same one where my father took my brother and me to share sweets and spend time with the little ones when we were children. That kind of experience with my family marked my life and I try to take those lessons to the activities I do.

I firmly believe in the idea that no one can do everything, but we can all do something and that every change, no matter how small we consider it, can make a big difference, especially raising environmental awareness, an issue that we must attend more than ever.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/axolote_oaxaca/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axolote.oaxaca