Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mariam Martinez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mariam, 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?
Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a long journey of self love and self acceptance. Growing up as a Latina in a society that often imposes social expectations and places you in a box, you have to have the confidence to break free from it to truly find yourself. The first challenge I recall growing up was learning English, which became a large part of my identity and who I have become. Learning a new language required a lot of confidence and belief in myself to overcome the stages where people would laugh at my accent and where I needed to work harder than my peers to pass my classes which continued until I went to college. Being raised in Mexico then moving to the U.S at the age of 7 I was challenged with navigating a different culture and often felt the need to assimilate to fit in. I had to learn to become my biggest cheerleader and support system. I had to love the parts of myself that did not fit the “mold” and looked different than others. Today, as I start this new journey as an entrepreneur it requires a lot of confidence, self love and self trust to build a business from the ground up. Going against the “norm” of working for someone else and getting a high paying job, especially as a first-generation Latina who has to carry her family’s expectations of success on her shoulders, takes a lot of courage. I am learning to continue to trust and love myself in this new journey where challenges are expected and have the confidence to work through them to be able to make my vision into reality.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Mariam Martinez, owner and founder of Fruteria Diosa: Cultivando La Cultura, a juicing business that aims to make 100% natural cold pressed juices. Inspired by my Mexican culture, our mission is to create a multifunctional juice bar that serves as a third space where wellness and community intersect. Our focus is to assist BIPOC communities, especially the Latinx community, who want to make connections and have access to healthier and affordable products. Our aim is to provide them with fresh juices and an inclusive wellness based space that allows them to nurture their body and mind while building a stronger community.
Thinking of “self care” practices in my community, which commonly prioritize work, is a privilege that many do not have. My future aspiration is to develop a space where people from all walks of life can practice self care, through hosting dance classes, yoga, sound healing meditation and community building events. This is important to me knowing that brown and black communities experience higher rates of diabetes in the United States due to the lack of access to healthy foods and other disparities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes for the Latino population is 12.8% and for the Black population is 13.2% compared to other ethnicities, which is alarming. My hope is that Fruteria Diosa can build an inclusive space that can help bridge that gap.
Growing up in Jalisco Mexico for part of my life, I was able to walk to my local fruteria and get fresh juice and fruit as a snack. Generationally, we have enjoyed aguas frescas, fruit juices and fruit cups from street vendors and local businesses. Being “health conscious” has been part of our culture and in our traditional foods. Fruteria Diosa aims to amplify that and continue affordability, accessibility, and healthy options, while also building community. Despite the fact that we do not have a physical space we have been able to collaborate with Zumba classes, Latino running clubs and women events to bring healthy juices and people together. We have also created “Diosa’s Study Hub” and hosted it at our local library to create an empowering space where women can work on their dreams and aspirations whether that be running a business, planning out their week or getting homework done. My hope is that Fruteria Diosa will create its own wellness events and continue to authentically cultivate wellness and community within our culture.
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?
Three areas of knowledge that were the most important when starting my journey were being afraid and doing it anyway, believing in myself and not being afraid to ask for help. The key to any successful story is to do things with fear. Fear will always be present in every aspect of life. It is an emotion that is always fleeing and we have to learn to acknowledge it and keep pushing through it. The beautiful thing about fear and the fear of failing is that even if we fail we are building momentum towards something. Our biggest lessons usually come from failure and not our wins because we get to find truth and knowledge on the other side of fear and failure.
Believing in myself has been an essential part in my journey. I had to take a bet on myself and go against people’s doubts and my own limiting beliefs to turn an idea into reality. I had to continue to remember my why when confronted with challenges and when feeling alone on this journey. The reality is that we are the only ones that can speak life into our own dreams. Sometimes we have to be delusional to make things happen and many might not understand that.
Finally, not being afraid to ask for help has sped up the process of starting my business. Sometimes asking for help puts us in a space of vulnerability and it can be difficult. However, I would have never been able to start my business without the help of my community. They have connected me with financial advisors, how to get the permits I needed, how to apply for grants and help me make connections with the right people. There are many resources out there that I didn’t know about and it wasn’t until I started looking into my own community that I received the guidance I needed. The saying, “closed mouths don’t get fed” has remained as a guiding force for me when I need to speak about my needs and desires. The culture of individualism remains strong in the United States and I believe that there is so much power in creating community and circles of support. I am extremely thankful for every single person who has guided me throughout this journey. I advise that we get out of our comfort zones and start asking about the resources available to us because they are people who would like to support and see you win.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
As I meet a new part of myself as an entrepreneur, I have discovered that it is sometimes hard to say no to things and to not overwork myself. Becoming wrapped up in my business has been a challenge. Despite my passions and desires to make my business grow I have to continue to remind myself that nothing can happen if I do not take periods of rest and that taking them does not mean I am not productive, but are essential to my welling-being and my business. Finding the balance between a full time job, running a business and making time for self care can be challenging. However, I am working on intentionally setting time aside to do things that bring me joy like my dancing in heels classes, connecting with nature or simply hanging out with friends and family. At the end of the day there is not a business without you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: fruteria_diosa
- Facebook: Fruteria Diosa
Image Credits
@_.tiempo._, @rudyrruizphoto, @sonomavalleyrunners
