We were lucky to catch up with Ernest Ramirez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ernest, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I love talking about work ethic. I feel like it has lost it’s shine as of late. Work ethic is so important as a small business owner. I attribute my understanding and appreciation for work ethic to my father. He worked for Phillips 66 for over 27 years and retired early. I watched him get up every morning and go to work, methodically. He never took extra time off. He worked on days when he wasn’t 100%. He worked when he was sick. He always made sure to provide for us at all times. As a young boy, Dad spent time teaching me the importance of working hard, staying focused, and challenging myself to learn new skills. He taught me how to use tools, how to build, and how to investigate and problem solve. He taught me that those skills could be applied to just about anything, and the structure and discipline that come with those skills would help me in whatever career path that I chose.
That work ethic is a huge part of how I have endured and stayed afloat in the early years of having my own business. There have been plenty of times where throwing in the towel would have been easier. That foundation that my dad built for me as a young man have given me the confidence to know that if I stick with it, fight through the obstacles, problem solve, and work through it, anything is possible. I don’t know of a business owner out there that doesn’t have a strong work ethic.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I own Muertos Clothing Company, a brand focused on using my art and positive, uplifting messages on clothing and accessories. I like to use the tagline, “Modern streetwear honoring La Cultura.” People instantly think, why skulls and Dia de los Muertos for a clothing brand? My response is that Dia de los Muertos is all about honoring our loved ones and keeping them always in our hearts. To me, that sentiment is conveyed by living our best life, making our ancestors proud, and always pushing forward. Simply put, “Live Hard, Die Happy!”
The art and design have always been in my life. I have a background in retail and restaurant management, so it was an easy transition to use clothing as the vehicle for my message. I saw the need for representation for Latinos in fashion, and decided to use apparel over a traditional canvas. I design, create the collection, and produce all of the goods in house. That includes screen-printing and creating all of the leather goods myself. It gives me control of all aspects, cost, quality and creative control. When you buy from Muertos Clothing Co., you are getting something designed and made by me! We currently offer graphic tees, leather patch caps, can coolers, keychains, bandanas, and stickers. We recently started selling straw beach hats with leather patches and other accessories to deepen our collection of goods. We also added children’s tees and caps to our assortment. They are always fun and uplifting messages, remember, “Vive Fuerte, Muere Feliz!”
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
It is really difficult to limit it to just three qualities. Being a good small business owner requires good communication, taking risks, being willing to sacrifice, and having discipline & confidence. The three qualities I lean on the most are adaptability, integrity, and passion.
Adaptability in business is critical. You have to stay relevant and keep up with trends or changes in your field. You have to be able to admit when something isn’t working, get creative, and pivot to keep the business competitive. This has helped me to stay humble, evaluate my strategies and plan, and to make tough decisions to adjust and keep growing.
Integrity is everything for small businesses. Your integrity and how you conduct your business are huge in developing long term relationships from clients, peers, or vendors/contractors. I feel like people have forgotten about integrity and have focused more on the almighty dollar. Integrity will be the thing that separates you from the flock. Do everything with a sense of integrity and it will be what people will remember you by.
Passion is probably the most important of the three to me. I spent over two decades working in a career that I was really good at, but lost my passion for. Professional burnout is not pretty, but the fear of changing directions was really scary. I knew that without being passionate about my work, I would never be fulfilled. If I could be successful in a field I wasn’t passionate about, imagine what I could do in a path that I was passionate about! It took a leap of faith for me to put stock into my dream, and I couldn’t be happier for it.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Absolutely! We are at a stage of growth where we want to expand outside of the Austin/San Antonio market. We are looking for other small boutiques or retail businesses to carry our goods. Anyone looking for quality handmade clothing and accessories can connect with us by checking out the website at www.muertosclothingco.com and contacting us at [email protected]. Our Instagram is @muertosclothingco.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.muertosclothingco.com
- Instagram: @muertosclothingco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muERtosdesign1/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
