We were lucky to catch up with Marissa Cervantes recently and have shared our conversation below.
Marissa, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
Watching the doctor’s staff walk into our small room made my heart pound so loud. Telling me my mother’s condition at the age of eight was heart-aching. How can I lose my mom when I haven’t even accomplished anything? I don’t have a dad to take care of me, who am I going to stay with? My grandmother is bedwritten and my mom takes care of her. I’m going to have to learn how to do so many things around the house. Since my mom and I share a room I can make sure she’s breathing and take care of her too. Watching parents show up to school plays, basketball games, and school accomplishments didn’t bother me. I knew my mom needed the rest or she may be experiencing pain. Despite the few obstacles mentioned, I always cared for others. Sometimes more than myself. Instead of blaming my childhood for lacking in certain areas, I self-reflected. It brought awareness to the fact that you never know what someone is going through. So always be kind and treat others with respect.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My story involves the unexpected loss of a loved one due to Ovarian Cancer. Through the darkness of grief, my nephews were very much the light directing me back to reality. Binge-watching custom shoe videos on YouTube with my nephews gave them a bright idea. Simply by them believing in me, made me realize that I wanted to try even though I had no idea where to start. I bought all the supplies, even the ones that I didn’t know existed. Four years later I worked up the courage to attend pop-ups and markets. I took the opportunity to display my creations for others to see up close instead of online. I wanted people to see the quality and details of a self-taught artist. Shoes are my favorite canvas to work on. Yet my aspiration continues to lead me to work on various canvases.
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?
Being patient, confident, and time management. As a caretaker for my mother time management is still something I actively work on till this day. Juggling time for my mother, my partner, my creations, and myself isn’t easy. So late nights and early mornings have played a role in my journey. Pristine quality doesn’t happen over night, it takes several trials and errors. You must be willing to stay patient. Of course the confidence of overcoming fear and shining your skills as well as sharing your story. You never know who is reading it or who is inspired to try something.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My partner has been the most helpful influence on my life as a whole. When I’m overthinking if my work is good enough she reminds me that people chose me to create for them. The tremendous patients and communication skills she holds has blossomed upon me. We both have very different backgrounds yet we work together. My partner takes the time to help me prep shoes, help set up at pop-up events, and share with others how proud of me she is.
Contact Info:
- Website: dgucustoms.com
- Instagram: @dgu_customs