The pandemic forced Danya Benítez to bring out all her creativity and create a business creating personalized items for all types of occasions.
“When the office I worked for closed, I said I have to do something; and I always wanted to be my own boss to have time for my children, because there is nothing like having your own business,” says Danya, who although she started her business when Covid-19 broke out, just a year ago she registered it as XpresArte Artisanal Boutique.
For this Father’s Day, he had the original idea of creating puzzles with the image of dads with their children.
Danya Benítez is a Mexican immigrant born in Nayarit, Mexico, who came to live in Los Angeles almost 11 years ago. She is the mother of three children, ages 13 and 9, and a seven-month-old baby; and she lives with her family in the city of Maywood.
When the pandemic hit in March 2020, and Danya found herself unemployed, and also alone with two children because she had divorced a year earlier, she began to look for ways to generate income.
“In Mexico, I graduated as a preschool teacher, and I really like crafts. So I started making headbands and bows to sell.”
But at the same time, he began taking course after course on sales, and creation.
“I talked to my sister who lives in Querétaro to help me contact artisans in Mexico and sell their products in the United States. That’s how she was born XpresArte, Artisanal Boutique”.
However, he says that he felt that something was missing. “I wanted to sell something special that I created with my own hands and that left something of me in those products.”
After taking the Women and Money course in January, she gained the momentum to get her sales permits for her business and register it.
“At the same time I already had a new partner, a baby and was studying for citizenship. I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it all, but my boy Oliver was born with his cake.”
On the other hand, she says that the organization that gave her the Women and Money course helped her throughout the process of establishing her small business.
“I started investing and taking more courses. Before that, it was impossible for me to have a business that could make a profit.”
Danya shares that when an important date is coming up, she always thinks about creating something innovative.
“Giving a gift to a man is more difficult for me, but I thought of something dynamic for Father’s Day; and I said, how about I make some sublimated puzzles with the image of the father with his children.
He details that to make the puzzles he needs the photo of the father with his son or children, which he turns into painting with the help of an application.
“When I draw it, the photo takes on color and the image becomes more vivid, and I remove the background so that only the father is left with the son; and also to the phrase like Best Dad (The Best Dad), I’ll put the photo in.”
He says that he had the idea of designing a good packaging for the puzzles, and decided to take it apart, and put it in a jar that also has the image of the father with his children.
“When I announced them on social media, I received quite a few messages with requests; “And I wanted a gift for parents, in which they could interact with their children, and my puzzles meet that objective.”
Give moments
Danya says the goal of her personalized items business is to give special moments.
“I make cups with their packaging, book dividers, bottles, arrangements and souvenirs for all types of celebrations.”
He has also created t-shirts with phrases from the popular domain or even his own creation that make people smile when they see them.
“I made some t-shirts that said: “He who does wrong, his tamale rots”; and for my partner, I made one that says: “Tighten your elbows, I am your smell of cinnamon temptation.”
She recently started making candy boxes for birthdays.
“I have the team to do everything, from the design until the product is finished.”
He adds that he makes table decorations for parties, and even balloon lamps that work and can last for years with good care.
“I make custom arrangements for any celebration. You can customize anything and with any material.”
Is your business already making money?
“This whole first year has been pure investing and investing, but a year ago I registered my business, I said I have to go all out, I’m not going to see profits at the beginning, but I’m not going to give up.”
In addition to selling online through their social networks, Danya goes to fairs to sell their handmade products and creations.
He reveals that one of his biggest dreams is to create a foundation to help the children of Tijuana with food, clothing and artistic education.
“I would like all those children of immigrants who are close to the line to be able to go somewhere to prepare to have a better future than their parents.”
She says that she lived for two years in Tijuana, and observed the need that exists on that border.
“That’s why when I came to Los Angeles and saw such an abundance of clothes and food, I started bringing donations to the children of Tijuana with the help of good people who also brought me clothes to take to them. And I always have it in my head to create a foundation for children.”
You can find and order products from Danya Benítez from her XpresArte Artisanal Boutiqueon Facebook, XpresArte and on Instagram, @xpresarte_boutique.