We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jose Ibarra. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jose below.
Hi Jose, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from within, when I was a kid and my parents got divorced I realized that I was the big guy in the family (older of 5) and I grew up faster than my classmates and became powerful. I started college and at the same time started working as a barista in a coffee shop who was the tipping point of a lot of people I met that now are key in my life. But they things that make me resilient are the smile of my mom in her face and my brothers fulfilled.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Jose Ibarra, I started my career at 22 founding the first business magazine with positive content in Guatemala City. It was Horizon Magazine and thanks to the magazine I got the chance to carve my path into Lifestyle, Wellness and Fashion. At age of 24 founded the first influencer management Agency in Central America, who gave employment to almost 125 influencers and experiences to big brands monthly during years.
As the projects where growing I saw myself doing my own tv show in Canal Antigua about fashion and currently I was traveling around the world into the most important fashion weeks as journalist – NY. PFW, ColombiaModa, CostaRica FW, Mexico & many others in the way.
At age of 27 founded with other business partners Semana de la Moda Guatemala – a platform to showcase Guatemalan design and also to bring designers from all over the world to Guatemala, this year marks the 5th year of this project and we are doing 24 runway shows, 40+ pop up brands for sale to costumer and we are bringing sustainability as our topic but also as our legacy.
At age of 29 got the chance to study Fashion Business in Miami at Istituto Marangoni Miami, and embarked my self into a new life- decided to take the risk and that risk became my biggest blessing. Now I have my businesses in Guatemala about media, branding, influencer marketing and brand development and in Miami open up a showroom for Latinamerican designers that want to break in, into American market.
The showroom name was my final project from Marangoni and the name is TAG Concept @shoptagconcept
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?
Persistent Resourceful
Excellent
Humble
My best advice is to keep showing up. This industry is not about who arrived first or who arrived last with better ideas. This industry is built up by all of us and we write the history as we keep showing up.
Never close a door to another, never be a wall to someone and the industry itself is gonna open up for you.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
We are looking for designers that are established in their countries but know that they are meant for more and that need a business consulting in the fashion industry.
Tag is a place not only for B2C but our strength is B2B to connect you with buyers, retailers and fashion PopUps for you to grow your brand.
Also my best strength is in PR and the relationships I kept over the years.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/joseibarraspecher
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-ibarra-1900a8274?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Other: My new business instagram – @shoptagconcept
Image Credits
Front photo @juanes_ayerbe Other photos @sebastianfont_
