Gladys Paraco | Hair Accessories Designer & Industrial Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gladys Paraco and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gladys, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
One of the most common advices is that i should take my project with more ease and not put too much pressure on myself. When you have your own business, you cannot let anyone turn off the passion that got you started in the first place. That passion is the force that will keep you moving forward at all times.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I design & make hair accessories for girls. What sets me apart from the average mass production retail stores is the uniqueness of our products. The handmade details that industrialized machines will never achieve. Back in Venezuela, I worked as an industrial engineer until the economic, social and political crisis in my country made my husband and I make the hard decision to move to the United States in search for a safer home for our children. When immigrating, it is time to reinvent yourself and in most cases, start from scratch as I did. When I moved to the States, I used to try to find hair bows and other accessories for my little girl that were different and stylish. However, what they offered in stores was very limited and repetitive and to be honest very low quality products. I saw the opportunity to fill that gap for many moms and little girls in the area. The first months were not easy. The steep learning curve leads to a lot of challenges and frustrations. However, I never gave up. I knew deep inside that I could do this. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my products. I took many weeks and months until I felt satisfied with what I had done, only then, I decided to start selling my bows. At that moment, I truly understood the meaning of not underestimating your abilities and skills. During the creative process, I design the collection, I think about all the details many times I take risks at times. However, if I had not taken those risks I would not be where I am now. Trusting my gut has worked out so far. Our accessories are versatile because they come in solid colors and beautiful designs with embellishments of sequins, pearls, and beads which create that magic touch that every girl loves, and there are seasonal colors to choose from that easily match their clothes! The presentation and details are essentials to me. The materials and finishes must meet my level of satisfaction in order to be use for my designs. This is what distinguishes our brand from regular stores. We started with local deliveries. Since then, our market has dramatically expanded and now we ship to the entire USA, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. With Cintirellas, I discovered a new passion. Designing and creating hair accessories is something that I enjoy every single day. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing mothers celebrate with my designs the first year of their daughters’ life, their return to school, their birth and many other special moments. These are moments that have made positive impacts in my life, as I am a small part of those beautiful life celebrations. At the beginning, it was just me, I already have people who help me with other business activities, I am happy to witness how each of the sacrifices begin to transform into small achievements that bring us closer and closer to where I want to go. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story? Personally, I want to leave a story to tell. A story that inspires other girls to believe in themselves. If they manage to transform their passion into their way of making a living, they wouldn’t be just working, but also fulfilling their dreams. Professionally, consolidate a brand that transcends time, that is capable of giving a special touch to the outfit of each girl who wears it, and that encompasses much more than hair accessories, which is her preferred option when it comes to go out and be part of your day to day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love the outdoors and Miami is the perfect place to be outdoors. When family and friends come to visit, taking them to the beach is always my first choice, with South Point Park being one of my favorite places. This place is perfect for running, biking and enjoying the beautiful beach. There are other great places that are must-haves on my list, such as the Pérez Art Museum of Miami, the Vizcaya Museum, the Miami Art Design District, and Wynwood Walls. This last spot is perfect for beautiful photos and a great spot for those of us who enjoy looking for inspiration.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that I have to thank for helping me along this journey. My parents who have always encouraged me to pursue my passion, to my husband and son for their patience, to my daughter: she is my teammate, she inspires me, she is my model for photos, she is my best friend and sometimes she is even part of the creative process.

Website: www.cintirellas.com

Instagram: cintirellas

Image Credits
Irene Torres @irenetorresphotography