Meet Laura Arévalo | Teacher & Sales Woman

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

Hi Laura, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from the beautiful country that is Colombia. As a culture, we are known for being extremely hard working people, we empathize with each other but like to enjoy life as well (as a country we’ve been through a lot!) It’s given us the thickest of skin but also the biggest of hearts. That’s why it’s important for me to represent my roots, it’s my way of showcasing to the world the essence of Colombia; one of both a joyous spirit and a relentless hustle.
Personally, it has been an honor to represent my country and show others the quality and designs of our extremely talented artisans. I want to show people, not only, how we as the Latino community can impact business, but also, that strong and intelligent Latin woman have skin in the game. Now more than ever, success goes beyond the margins of profit and is centered around sustainability, community and intersectionality. More love of details and less sweeping gestures.

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?
My boyfriend and I had a dream of starting our own business here in the US. We consider ourselves passionate young entrepreneurs looking to expand the Colombian handmade shoe industry in the United States. We are very proud of distributing and showing how our artisans work in every detail so that women can feel pretty and comfortable.

At the beginning, we started by distributing Colombian brands, but, with time, we noticed we wanted our own designs and brand in our shoes, so we partnered with one of the best factories in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and started to bring our own collection. This came out because I was always buying my shoes in Colombia (my city is well know as being the capital of shoes) and not in the US, since I didn’t feel comfortable or beautiful in the stores I used to visit here in the US.

Personally, for me it is a challenge to do so many things at the same time, besides our business, I also have two other jobs and although I want everything to come out perfect, I had to understand that I needed to be okay with my mind and body in order to deliver results, so, I started to prioritize more and to understand that sometimes it is better to just rest or do some work out so that I can feel good, instead of having many tasks every day that can lead me to a burnout.

Even though we are still small, the word of mouth has been incredible, and the support of our closest friends has helped us out tremendously. I believe in helping each other, so we have tried to get to know other brands as well and collaborate, I think the key to success is also to be open to talk and help other small businesses.

I want everybody to know my brand as something affordable but unique. I want people to feel good when they come to us, because we care about their needs. Also, I want them to know that we want to empower women and small businesses in Colombia as well, so that together, as a team, people start recognizing our country even more, Colombia.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots are: La tiendita (wynwood) great music and mexican food!
MANTA (peruvian restaurant)
Of course, to walk around wynwood.
Sightseeing in brickell and maybe take a walk by brickell key
Go and visit Viscaya museum
Of couuurse, go to miami beach and have some drinks and have fun at the beach

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Both my parents have always supported my decisions and my desire to adventure in my many fields. Also, my boyfriend Javier and my best friends have always been by my side along the road.

Instagram: @lalushoesmiami

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lalushoes

Other: Our catalog https://issuu.com/lalushoesmiami/docs/lalu_shoes_catalog