I met Eva whilst dropping our children at school.
I don’t spend much socializing with other parents, but as I said on this other entry, like attracts like, and wild women recognize each other without even sharing a word, so conversations flowed naturally whilst waiting for the kids to go in or out of school.
Soon I learned that after dropping her youngest son to school she was going to open the shop she had just taken over during Corona Virus. I admired the fact that she just took over a business and she was still shocked she had gone for such an opportunity. I found it so brave to be vulnerable about it that I instantly thought of interviewing her sooner or later for this interview. Because wild people are real and genuine. They don’t need to fake success or confidence. They just have the guts to go for what they want.
Like many wild heroines, she happened to have raised her first son almost entirely on her own. Like many wild heroines I know she survived the experience. But overall, she was left with the shared mortgage of her flat on her name and ir order to make it she had to work daily Monday monday mornings to Saturday evenings to raise their son financially all by herself. Luckily she had a job and she was no stranger to work as she has been working and financing herself ever since she was 17.
If that fact alone doesn’t make this lady a wild woman and a wild heroine… I don’t know what does. And yet, like many of us, wild women that work and have children, Eva feels a bit bad for not being able to spend more time with her sons, for forgetting this thing here or this thing there, for not getting herself more involved in school activities or in her youngest son’s school progress. But I honestly feel single mums have too much on our plate as it is to as well meet all the mental load and expectations society puts on mothers, single mothers have twice that work and let alone single mums that raise children on their own whilst running their own business.
Luckily these days she’s not entirely alone raising her second child, but she doesn’t want to lose her hard fought independence and her dream business. She knows she has to work hard for the money and her financial independence if she doesn’t want to see herself in such a situation she saw herself in, struggling to make ends meet all by herself when she broke up with the father of her eldest son a few years ago.
All in all I just find her admirable, and the way she looks and carries herself. Simply flawless. Pictures talk for themselves. Such an elegant lady. One would think I just hired a professional model for this photoshoot instead of her being the actual owner of the shop that sells such fashion garments.
So here is the story of yet another woman that took the role of saviour of her own life.
So…. Eva, tell me all about that moment in which such a business opportunity arrived. How long did you have to make up your mind?
I was talking a lot with my neighbours during Corona Virus quarantine period as I was unemployed and my neighbours were thinking of passing the shop to someone else. And they told me “If you want the shop, this is what I ask for it. You have a week to think it through”. I accepted it and they handed me the keys on the 1st of July, 2020.
Were you not afraid to fail? What made you think you could succeed at taking over someone else’s business?
Yes, I was afraid.
But it always had been my dream to open my own business back where I used to live, in Albolote. But I never found the drive to go for it, until this opportunity came to me and bearing in mind how hard it would be for me to find a job in such circumstances, I saw it clear and accepted it. As I thought it would be better to have my own business than to find a job elsewhere. I had also gathered 15 years of customer service experience working in retail shops and I thought I could do it. With all the fear that making mistakes when it comes to choosing articles to sell or chosing the wrong providers, etc., but daring to go ahead regardless.
What makes Blueberry stand out? Besides you being unable to sell items that don’t look good on people.
I focus mostly on my customer’s needs. Even though I would much prefer to sell young fashion garments, I pay attention to what my walk-in customers say, ask me for or say they would like to find. Another reason perhaps is that I am really willing to assist my customers as much as I can. Most of my customers are senior people who find it difficult to bend over to try shoes on and I literally have no issues whatsoever in helping them try their shoes without them having to bend over, I just put them on them. I just love helping them, listening to what they have to say, hearing their stories and just engage in conversation with them.
She does listen to her customers and potential customers indeed, once I told her I liked a pair of boots I saw on her instagram or facebook account but I mentioned I barely had the time to go shopping. And she offered to bring them to school so I could try them on. That was impressive indeed.
How do you manage to look so well put together, look so good, dress so well and stay always motivated to keep posting new stuff?
Thank you very much. Is not always what it looks like from the outside. I have a lot of insecurities and fears but I always do my best to just focus on the things I can control daily. I love to put make up, never leave the house without eyeliner on for example, and I just love to dress well, look and be my best for myself, for my partner, my sons and my customers. I try to be positive and always have a smile for everyone that finds me, I like passing out joy and positive vibes to anyone I come in contact with.
But how do you stay on shape. Do you go to the gym or practice any sport activities?
Truth is that I barely have any time. Not even to go to the gym, I’ve been meaning to join for four months and haven’t managed yet. But on Tusday the 3rd I’m most defInitely going to join in. Mostly to stay toned.
Well, if you would rather save yourself the money and the time you could try my ongoing body challenge for losing weight and stay toned with only 5 to 15 mins a day. I’m going to start it on the 1st of January, but it could be started any day!!
And to finish the interview off. Any advice you could share with anyone reading this that may be considering starting their own business?
To go for it, even if they’re afraid, that they should believe in their dreams and ability to carry them out always staying positive about it. That they visualize themselves being successful at it and that they don’t let themselves feel down if they have a couple of days of little business activity. Of course, always being mindful of their financial possibilities, keeping their feet on the ground yet not letting themselves be influenced negatively by a couple of bad selling days.
Well, thank you very much Eva for your time to carry out this interview. I hope it helps other people reading this to stay positive and motivated to dare to follow their dreams and make them come true.
Truth be told, even though Eva and I didn’t know each other at all, it’s clear to see she also followed most of the steps I recommend here to make your dreams come true.
Down here Eva posing in the holiday room I have to rent, one of the latest dreams I made come true.
If you also need a photoshoot to advertise your latest merchandise, your latest business activities or services, please, go ahead and make the most of this offer too.
Find other empowering and inspiring wild dreamer stories here.
And if you happen to live near Armilla, Granada, be sure to visit her shop. She has of the most tempting shoe models. I barely like shoes and yet I liked quite a lot of the ones I saw in her shop. Also, we can help this brave woman make a living and continue to provide great service with something she’s really passionate about.