Meet Karina Arrezola Reyes

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Karina Arrezola Reyes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Karina with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic comes from my parents. I was born in Mexico in 1990. My dad was the first to go to the USA, followed by my mom in 96. My parents had left my brother & me back with my grandparents. They wanted to make something out of themselves. The initial goal was to “make money & go back,” but that did not happen. Three years later, I now lived in Los Angeles. I remember my parents waking up every morning at 5 am to prepare for work. My dad would leave first as my mom would prepare us for school. My parents would come back home past 6 pm. I admire them for doing that for many years. My parents worked so hard to give us our basic needs & a little more. My mother would try her best to make it to most of our school conferences, but her work wouldn’t allow her & sometimes the lack of transportation. Seeing this from my early years pushes me to work for my dreams. I want to make my parents proud, their sacrifices were worth it & I also want my children to grow up with work dedication.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I want to share why this business is so special to me. Forth Unit is so special because it has allowed me to meet & learn from so many special people. I have grown & learned so much about myself simply because I was not scared. Owning a business was not the plan for me. I had planned to go to school & work a 9-5, maybe do something else. But owning a business and operating for myself, I never saw it. Now doing it, I am proud and determined to continue growing, learning new techniques, and getting to know new customers and communities. It has given me the freedom that so many look for. When I started Forth Unit, I was not hand-making jewelry; I learned and am so proud. We also incorporated permanent jewelry & I can now say I train individuals to learn about permanent jewelry in hopes of opening a small business like mine.

The most exciting part of it all is simply talking to my customers. Seeing them wear our jewelry & return to shop for more is the best feeling.
Forth Unit means to move forward & I see how it relates to me as I continue to move forward, expanding, learning & personally growing.

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?
The three most important qualities I’ve learned as a business owner are customer satisfaction, knowledge of what you are providing to your customer & learning who your audience is. Customer satisfaction must be number one for me, as I want my customers to be happy & satisfied with my product/service. I’ve had hundreds of people tell me how excited & happy they are to support my business simply because I treat them with respect & I go above & beyond for my business.
Second, being knowledgeable about your product/service is a huge thing. Customers want to know what you are selling & if what they are spending is worth it. Learn as much as possible about your product and materials, engage with your customers & share what you know. This creates the trust that they need to continue coming back.
Last is learning your audience and who you are targeting as a shopper. Yes, we all want everyone to shop from our business, but who you attract is what matters. I make content for those who want to feel inspired; I create jewelry for those who want to feel beautiful because jewelry makes you feel a certain way about yourself & your outfits 🙂

A small tip is always to be yourself, don’t be shy, and ask the right questions. As a business owner, get to know other businesses and be inspired by everything and everyone, but always keep your OWN identity. It is easy to compare your business to others but try to block it all out. As a fellow friend of mine says TUNNEL VISION (@heavydreamla)

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I am overwhelmed, I tend to shut out everyone & take time for myself. I take social media breaks because social media itself is a monster. Getting caught up on trends and looking for what to post is easy, but it is very draining. I have given myself time to get out of the house, & ignore my socials. Going outside, catching up with friends, or simply not doing anything helps to calm my mind. What is currently happening will still be there after making sure my mental health feels better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://forthunit.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/forthunit