Meet Jessica Romero | Founder of Xula Handmade

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

Hi Jessica, how did you come up with the idea for your business?

Back in 2019, I was longing for a way to create connections and opportunities for Mexican Artisans, particularly women, and reconnect back with my Mexican roots. It wasn’t until I visited a Mexican textile market, filled with fun artisanal accessories that the idea of Xula Handmade was born.

I knew that I wanted to develop relationships with women artisans, learn about their weaving techniques, their traditions, and their stories. In January 2020, I traveled to Chiapas, Mexico, and connected with a group of amazing indigenous artisan women and the rest is history!

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?
Xula Handmade was created to empower indigenous women artisans in Mexico and help create a self-sustaining form of living through fair trade via beautifully artisanal accessories.

My mother owned a Mexican ceramic handcraft store and I loved going on sourcing trips with her to meet the artisans and learn about the different techniques, depending on the region in Mexico. After quitting my corporate 9-5 at the end of 2019, I knew that I wanted to start a business that followed the same model where I was able to empower artisans and curate beautiful embroidered textile accessories that I would wear and use myself.

Was it easy? No. One of my biggest challenges was (and still is) communicating with the artisans, considering that they are in remote locations and they don’t have access to the internet or a good quality phone. Coordinating shipments and curating new products via Whatsapp is difficult, especially during a pandemic, let alone supply chain issues. However, because of these challenges, I was able to establish a great relationship with the artisans and most importantly, I was able to earn their trust.

Starting a business right before a pandemic was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. I had to be very consistent, diligent, and creative to stand out among a sea of other businesses. I’m very proud of myself as my business was able to survive a pandemic. If I could do that, then I can do anything.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Running an online business can get extremely lonely. You lack the comradery of co-workers in a traditional work environment. Luckily, I have connected with lots of female entrepreneurs via Instagram and the amazing community, We Are Women Owned, where we cheer each other on and share experiences and tips on how to better our business. That alone gives me the energy and inspiration to keep on going!

Finally, the artisans in Mexico. They’re my main driving force and why I created this business in the first place. It pushes me to be better and continue to support them, especially given that COVID hit their small towns hard since tourism was basically non-existent and their multiple streams of income drastically decreased. By creating more awareness of Xula Handmade, I’m able to better support the group of artisans in Mexico and help provide a sustainable form of income, while keeping their culture and traditions alive.

Website: www.xulahandmade.com

Instagram: instagram.com/xulahandmade

Facebook: facebook.com/xulahandmade