Meet Ana Mari Ortega | Small business owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ana Mari Ortega and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ana Mari, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up, I loved having lemonade stands and I would always be concocting some kind of business to sell things to my classmates at school. That being said, when I started making jewelry as a way to unwind my senior year of college, I had no intention of starting a business. Eventually, people started buying what I was making and it just sort of happened! I studied international relations in at GW and while I loved being in Washington, DC, I knew I would settle back in my hometown of Miami and I knew I wanted flexibility in my career. I realized if I could make this business work, I could attain those goals.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Being a small business owner is a crash course in management, accounting, logistics, etc. I have made too many mistakes to count. I have made bad decisions. I have made the wrong call. I have messed up more times than I can count. The takeaway from mistakes is that they are always a learning experience. It may not feel good at the time, but every mistake has made me better in some way. I think we live in a world where social media makes everything look perfect and effortless, and oftentimes I have felt like other people have it all together and I don’t. But the truth is, we don’t always see the back end. I have to remind myself of that constantly. I try to be as authentic as possible because the truth is, no one has it all figured out!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Go to Bal Harbour for Makoto (one of my favorites) and the people watching. The Design District for more people watching then eat at Boia De.
For first timers, you have to hit Miami classics like Versailles and Joe’s Stone Crab.
The great thing about Miami is that there are so many interesting and diverse neighborhoods with their own identity and plenty to do. The Grove is full of great bars and restaurants and is so lively. Coral Gables has also made huge strides with great restaurants opening up. Having grown up in Miami, seeing Wynwood and the Design District develop has been incredible to watch. You used to have to go to Miami Beach for restaurants and nightlife but I rarely cross the bridge to go to the beach any more.

Things to do in Miami:
Explore different neighborhoods.
Explore by boat. Whenever I see the city from the vantage point of being on a boat in the bay I am blown away. It has changed so much and it really is such a beautiful city and vibrant place to be living right now.
Take in Miami’s cultural institutions:
NuDeco Ensemble is one of my favorite homegrown Miami cultural institutions. Part of Miami growing and becoming a world class city is seeing some of our local institutions gain national prominence. NuDeco is a Miami based orchestra that celebrates classic and new composers and creates new bodies of work (look up their Dr. Dre and Daft punk suites!).

List of restaurants I love:
Luca Osteria
Kojin
Makoto
The Restaurant at the Surf Club
Calista
Leku
Fiola
Mandolin

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?
My customers. When the business first started, I knew 100% of my customers personally. The people who bought something in the early days are the reason the business began and thrived. I have had women that bought things at my first trunk show who are still buying from me today. I am really grateful for each and every single order. I also absolutely love engaging with customers via Instagram, it truly brings me joy. I love hearing about special moments and events in their lives that they are looking to celebrate and wear a piece of jewelry from me. I joke that “words of affirmation” are my love language but it is true! Every kind and positive message I get is incredibly special to me.

Website: www.anamariortega.com

Instagram: @anamariortega

Image Credits
Headshot: Christian Arevalo Lifestyle Shots: Jeanne Canto