Author’s note: I have known Laura for many years and in those years, I have watched her graduate, get married, leave her job, and start her own business. I met with Laura for an inside look on how she manages it all.
Tell me about yourself.
I’m a 34-year-old Latina woman, originally born in El Paso, TX, but currently live in Corpus Christi with my husband and our 2 well-behaved (40% of the time) adopted dogs. I would describe myself as creative, open-minded, resourceful and in the most recent years, quite a good cook. I also like to dance, even if my go-to move is a knee popping twerk.
And your career?
About 2 years ago, I started a small business called TopDog Bandanas. I get to create and make bandanas for your loveable pets.
How did you get started?
I started out in the medical field, but after almost a decade, I had been so frustrated with the management of my company and by our broken health care system, that I left the field completely. I distinctly remember being at Ross when the business idea came to me. I rushed home to start researching. The first thing I had to learn was how to sew. I had never even touched a sewing machine and they can be quite intimidating. That was just the beginning of my new journey. It was about 6-8 months in the works before I decided to launch. Coming from such a stressful work environment prior, I wanted this next chapter to be all about me and what made me happy. There was this newfound gratification from completing a bandana and putting it on my own dog. I thought, “If this simple accessory brings me so much joy, could I pull a Marie Kondo and ‘spark joy’ in others?” I quickly realized that I definitely could.
How do you watch out for your self-care?
To me, self-care revolves around my own happiness and staying healthy. First and foremost, food is life. I love food, but as I get older, it starts to become obvious that what I eat plays a role in just about everything. So, I started to cook more at home and making my meals more balanced throughout the week has made such a difference. I love me some chicken strips, but man do I suffer as a bloated penguin after. It’s not a cute look. No hate to the penguins. Other forms of self-care for me include sleeping, doing some form of exercise (still working on this one), managing my social media use, consumption of alcohol and reading. I love to read and it’s how I wind down every night. Also, flossing. After wearing braces for years, you better believe I’m taking care of my teeth.
If you could wine & dine any woman of the past or present, who would it be? What course are you eating & what are you eating? What would you talk about?
Julia Child. She started the cooking show movement and taught a generation of foodies that cooking can be easy and entertaining. What she brought to television was endless recipes and a sense of humor. We’d have to be eating one of her signature dishes; Coq au vin. With her experiences and my love for cooking, I would like to think we’d talk food, advice on cooking, recommendations, her life. I would eat it all up. No pun intended.
Tell me about a woman who had a positive impact on your life.
My Aunt Maria, but I call her Aunt Cuca. She has dealt with more tragedy than any one person should have to go through, with losing her husband and son in the same year, at 81 years old, she continues to travel a path of growth, laughter and love. Despite all her loss, she remains to be such a bright light, not only in my life, but any life she touches. I think what amazes me the most is that she surpasses the common misconception about her generation, which is often referred to as “stubborn” and “resistant to change.” She is constantly adapting to her environment, our society and always listening to the different dynamics of conversations. She is the most inspiring woman I have ever known.
What do you admire about the women in your life?
I have been lucky enough to connect, and stay connected, with many different women in my life. Having moved around Texas a bit, I’ve had countless opportunities to meet women through school, sports, jobs, vacations, and surprisingly, the wives of my husbands’ co-workers. Sometimes, you just click. Most women I know are mothers and that’s something I admire right off the bat, especially if they have multiple children. Raising humans to become functioning members of society is an immense responsibility that doesn’t allow for many mistakes. I admire women who I’ve seen overcome challenges, break generational trauma, who continue to learn, grow and become a better mother, friend, partner. I admire those who follow their own personal journey, who accept accountability for their mistakes and actively make choices to be a better human being. As the quote goes, “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”
What myth would you like to clear up about women?
It’s the falsehood I always hear, which is women are unable to make sound decisions due to their emotions and/or period. The idea is to make women seem less capable, weak, unreliable, when in fact, that is far from the truth. Have you ever seen a man try a period simulator? I’ve never seen a man fall to his knees faster. Such feeble motherf*ckers.
Do you have a mantra or life rule for yourself?
It’s okay to have different thoughts or opinions from your loved ones, but I will not argue on what is healthy for me. My peace comes first.♥
