Hi Amigos!
Welcome back to another episode of the podcast!
Originally born in Mexico City, Isabella Prado moved to Miami at the age of one. In no time, the vibrant culture surrounding her propelled her into the world of fashion, a SCAD Alum, where after she landed a position with luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence. This experience would later help her as she began to create her luxury brand. While living in NYC Isabella has allowed herself to be inspired by the city and all it has to offer. Pulling inspiration from the femininity of nature Juxtaposed with the Masculine surroundings of NYC Isabella has been able to create a line that is just that; masculine and feminine, catering to both sides of her taste. Isabella enjoy's Horseback Riding, good music, Calming walks on the beach, and a good mezcal.
If you’re thinking of going to school for fashion or design, this episode is for you. The ins and outs of starting her own company and fashion line, to her experience attending SCAD. A lot of advice for my fellow fashionistas and designers. WE talk about being a Latina in the industry and how she is proud to use her culture in her designs. She even opened up in the conversation about how your belief is really top priority.
TAKE AWAYS:
To design properly, you have to know how to make it
Often times the unlucky moments, are the things that bring us the most exciting things to our lives
do not quit your day job until your company's making enough money, that you could also take care of yourself.
Success happens with time
You gotta love it in order to do it
Each job you have teaches you what you want to take with you and what you don’t
Every creative has felt doubt in one way or another, it’s normal! Remember your why on those days!
Give your brand all the love you have and believe in your product
whatever it is that you're doing, Believe that you are good enough. Believe that you are worthy enough because some way somehow someone else, will believe in it too.
Whatever you make, keep it true and real to who you are
If you’re just starting, don’t launch immediately, take a year, research and plan it out
Life is a banquet, don’t take the crumbs
If you dont do it, no one else is gonna do it for you
Celebrate every win!
LINKS:
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:
[00:00:00] Isa Prado: Thank you for having me. I'm super happy to be here. This is really gonna
[00:00:03] Drea: be awesome. I wanna take them to the beginning. Of your whole like fashion journey, take us back to how you even got into this space, what you studied, what was that
[00:00:15] Isa Prado: whole path for you?
definitely. as I'm a lot of people know, I grew up in Miami. I got into fashion design because I grew up horseback riding and I got a full ride to SCD. for horseback riding, I didn't really want to go, but my parents were like, this is a great school. And I had done like a little bit of classes.
[00:00:30] Isa Prado: I knew I. More of the artistic side of things, but wasn't sure what it was just yet. I had done photography. I was very much into music playing the piano and guitar. and after that, I just was good at sketching. I was good at having the ideas, but did not know how to sew, barely knew how to draw.
[00:00:48] Isa Prado: I still, I am trying to find my way into sketching, and just didn't really know much about the industry. I didn't really research it that much. I went to visit SCD. it was beautiful. It really was exactly what I wanted, the way that the classes were built and everything. So after a good four years there to.
[00:01:05] Isa Prado: Really perfect. The craft, really having really strong teachers who just focused on construction rather than conceptual design, which I think is very important because if you wanna design something, you have to know how to make it, and that's how you design properly. So I was really lucky with that and I was able to intern at Ferragamo and work there and see like how the industry really works.
[00:01:27] Isa Prado: And then after that, I moved to New York. I moved to New York during the pandemic. So I was working in sweaters and, it was like flip flop, whether or not like I had a job cuz assistant designers at the time weren't so you know, needed. so during the pandemic I got furloughed and I just, the more I got deeper into the industry, The more, I felt like I wasn't happy in design.
[00:01:50] Isa Prado: Like I really just wasn't like, I just was thinking like, what is this, is this what I want to do? So I started my brand and I released Isabella Prado. I think like I started working on it middle of 2020, like in July. , I got all my like furlough money and
[00:02:05] Isa Prado: the stimulus check and unemployment. Pulled that together and was able to invest in my company. So like the only reason I was able to make this company happen, cuz it is expensive to do. It was because I had gotten furloughed, which was so unlucky and I was so sad about it, but it brought something so exciting and brand new to me.
[00:02:25] Isa Prado: So through there I was lucky to have worked with,myself sewing and another factory in New York that was very patient with me. And they were very much open to showing me the ropes behind, like how to properly launch your line, how to talk to the factories, how to, get that experience that like the companies I was working at, I wasn't getting, after that, I moved, I kept promoting the company.
[00:02:46] Isa Prado: I've noticed, like I've learned a lot of things through having your own company. I think it's exciting. I worked after again in New York and I started really focusing on my company. So I said, I got, Quit design I'm miserable. I don't wanna work for anyone else. This is not, fun for me. And I just want to do my own thing.
[00:03:04] Isa Prado: Like the more I thought about it, the more I was angry at my current job that I couldn't get to my like, dream passion. So how was I gonna do that? So I thought, and this, I wouldn't suggest anyone who's in this situation to really listen to this experience carefully because it happens to everyone.
[00:03:20] Isa Prado: But, so I ended. I quit. My job that was paying me like pretty well to, as a designer end up quitting and I didn't have any other jobs. And I was like, I'm gonna work at a restaurant. I'm gonna work at a bar and I'm gonna use that money to funnel into my company. Don't quit your job. Do not quit your day job.
[00:03:37] Isa Prado: If you're starting something, use that paycheck. I ended up having $1,500 in my bank account for that entire month, not for the company, but just for myself. And, I just realized that. If you don't have that base, that cushion, if you aren't lucky to have investors. Cause I didn't wanna do that. do not quit your day job until you can, until your company's making enough money, that you could also live yourself and take care of yourself.
[00:04:03] Isa Prado: Cause I know we get especially creatives, we get caught up in like such excitement and let's do it now. Let's do it now. I wanna do it. Now. Success happens over, like it doesn't happen overnight. It happens with time. And experience and things backfiring. So after that, I was doing random jobs, odd jobs around the city and ended up coming back and working at the real reel.
[00:04:26] Isa Prado: So now I do that, my sales job, which allows me to have enough funding for my company, but at the same time, I'm not designing for anyone else. I have, my creativity is mine now, which is really nice. but apart from that, like that's how I got here through just. Loving it having to love it. You gotta love it in order to do it.
[00:04:46] Isa Prado: Yeah.
[00:04:46] Drea: I was gonna say, you definitely have to love and have a passion for something that requires so much of your energy and cuz it's not just energy to keep it afloat, but also to create from a place that you feel is authentic to you and from your heart. and it's, and I like that you said, you know that you couldn't have started it if you had.
[00:05:08] Drea: Lost your job or gotten furloughed because that's a great way to see an opportunity when, it can be seen as oh my goodness, I lost my job, especially in the middle of a pandemic, which is so scary. The same thing happened to me with the pandemic. I got furloughed and it ended up being a great blessing cuz I was able to start freelancing for someone and it just started growing my clientele and that's what I still do today.
[00:05:31] Drea: And so it was that same kind. Thinking of as an opportunity, seeing it as something that worked for you instead of against you?
[00:05:38] Isa Prado: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. it was a hard time because going home and I'm pretty sure a lot of people go through this. You go home after not being there since you're 18 there's rules, there's things.
[00:05:49] Isa Prado: There's a bunch of people in the house. Cause I have siblings and my parents are together. So it's everyone's there. Plus the stress of getting furloughed and your parents being like, what are you gonna do? What's your game plan? And you're just like, I don't know what I wanna do. I wanna start my company.
[00:06:02] Isa Prado: And it is the fear of, a lot of things with starting your line and pushing yourself out of, the safety net. That is another company that is your daytime job. It's just experience. It really is. I would recommend doing like a year working for someone, but if you really feel so passionate about it and you're gonna hustle for it, you are going to learn so much by doing your own thing.
[00:06:23] Isa Prado: Like you do have real the lows are lows, but the highs are highs. So it's exciting.
[00:06:29] Drea: What do you feel like you learned in school, like in SCD versus your time with Faragamo when you were in Florence?
[00:06:38] Isa Prado: At school, they teach you. and I do think it's important. They teach you all the basics, the construction, how to use the sewing machine. What type of fabrics is what, how things are made. I was really lucky that Skad focuses on construction. Like I said before, they focus on pattern, making how to create your design from conception all the way to the end, to create a line.
[00:06:58] Isa Prado: That was something that is so important to learn. But they just didn't teach you, they taught you that so hard and so well, but they didn't teach you the business aspect of things, which is it's 90% of everything, Faragamo taught me a lot of the way industry works the way. a lot of times in schools, they won't teach you how to do tech packs, which is like the whole package of this, measurements, how to sew it, the pattern, like all these things that you're supposed to send to factories.
[00:07:28] Isa Prado: It's what you learn. that's what I learned, like how to communicate, how it works in the time of like seasons and how fashion shows are curated. So that's something big that I learned at work. Also just like the networking at work was great. Also at the school, I'm still very close to all the friends and every different designer photographer.
[00:07:47] Isa Prado: Fine. So all of those are definitely pluses, but I would say the most, the thing that I would've wanted so hard from school to learn about was business a little bit more of the business side of fashion, just cause it's, it is ever changing and there is different ways to do it, but you need that base.
[00:08:08] Drea: I don't think we've ever talked about this on the podcast, but to keep your. It's nice or like wise to keep your job as like your angel investor, like someone that doesn't know that is investing in your project, but you take a part of your paycheck to help you start that dream or start that side hustle that you really wanted.
[00:08:27] Drea: To make your dream job, So I think it's really cool that you said that because it's true. Like some people really start like that, they don't quit their day job and they do keep it as something that helps them move forward, their job, their dream job, their passion, and also using all of that knowledge.
[00:08:48] Drea: An internship or a job to help you become the best version of yourself to start that thing that you wanna start. And I think that's correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like that's what you did with Faragamo.
[00:08:59] Isa Prado: Yeah, I was able to, and like all the other places I did work out to, they did create every job that I went to.
[00:09:07] Isa Prado: I learned a little bit more about myself as one leader, as a designer. And the things I wanted and didn't want to take with me moving forward. so yeah, no, it's, it definitely is important to do that for a little bit. Do
[00:09:20] Drea: you feel that now you're in this nice rhythm where you have your job and you're at the same time building.
[00:09:28] Isa Prado: Yeah, definitely. There's times where, sometimes you give your day job a little bit more love or other times it's never really gonna be 50 50 cuz the day just varies. But I do think that I am in a nice rhythm will hopefully moving towards. Where I don't have to be doing my day job anymore.
[00:09:44] Isa Prado: No offense. . What would you say
[00:09:46] Drea: to someone that maybe is in the same position as you, where they have a job and they're also at the same time working, which is a lot of people, myself included, at the same time is working up to their dream job, their passionate, what they wanna do for the rest of their life or more so than their actual job, their nine to five.
[00:10:02] Drea: What would you say to those people that maybe have. Rough days, where they don't really see the vision, they lose that sight of why am I even doing this? Why do I have this side hustle? Why do I have to have this job? What would you say to someone that kind of thinks like that? Or has those moments.
[00:10:20] Isa Prado: So I would tell them genuinely it happens to everyone. Every creative I have spoken to, whether it's music, photography, videos, whatever fashion we all have, those days, you are going to feel that way. And it's normal. And it's important to sit through those days and, think like, why am I doing this?
[00:10:38] Isa Prado: And think of the reason you're doing it, a lot of things I always say, have a plan, have a year plan, like what you're gonna do each month when you're gonna focus on, because it's easy to get. And it happens to me all the time. I'm not the most organized person on planet earth. So it's like days happen.
[00:10:53] Isa Prado: All these things happen. Just have your plan. So you could like, at that end of the month, you could check off and be like, I did this, that's another, goal towards my bigger goal. As for, the days and the strong days was I think about this every day. She spoke at our graduation.
[00:11:07] Isa Prado: I forgot what her name was, but she said she's very famous. She did a million dollar baby. And she talked about. How she lived in the trailer park for, I think a couple years while she was trying to get to be an actress and every day was rejection and she just showed us, success does not happen overnight.
[00:11:25] Isa Prado: Like that is something to think about every single day as a creative, because we want it so bad. And we compare to a lot of people who have different circumstances, who. some people have investors, some people don't, sometimes you're just doing it yourself. Or some people have connections and are able to get more fame.
[00:11:41] Isa Prado: Somehow. Don't look at them, look at yourself and look at your plan and look at your dream. You're gonna get there much faster if you're not so worried about how well everyone else is doing, cuz maybe they're having bad days too. And they're struggling too in different aspects. So it's just success doesn't happen overnight.
[00:11:58] Isa Prado: It will happen if you keep hustling for it and keep fighting for it.
[00:12:02] Drea: Everyone is gonna be struggling. there's no way that your path is linear. It's always gonna be scrambled. It's always gonna look like ups and downs along the way. the reason I, or one of the main reasons I wanted to start this podcast is to highlight just that, there are, there have been 51 episodes and all the guests I've had on the podcast have had different journeys, even if they are all musicians, even if they're all fashion designers, even if they all.
[00:12:27] Drea: Our actors, filmmakers, they all have different paths and it's just proof that you can be doing the same thing. You can be the same industry. You can be wanting the same goal, but doesn't mean that you're gonna get there the same way or have the same journey as someone else, because it's just different lives, different circumstances, different places you come from different everything like there's so many different.
[00:12:51] Drea: Ways it can go,For one person. So I love that you said that because it's true. You have to focus on yourself. You have to focus on becoming the best version of yourself and something I have recently just been so adamant about, which I feel like we should add in is success. Isn't necessarily like just getting there, like I think that's a huge thing to think about.
[00:13:11] Drea: It's not just about, I made. There are, there's a statistic that says once you win that trophy, win that Grammy win that award, win that, whatever it is, the next day is like the lowest day of your life. Because you're like, I just got to this moment. It's such a high, but now you want more because you weren't or not necessarily everyone, but most times you're not thinking of like the journey that got you there.
[00:13:32] Drea: Like the journey should be more fulfilling than actually getting to that moment where you win that prize or you get to that level. And I know that's not for everyone. There are people. get there and they keep going and they're super happy and they just see it as like an accomplishment, and they just keep striving. But to like really enjoy the journey there and just show up every day as the best person you can show up. As regardless of what you're doing, regardless of how many jobs you're working. Just remember. Why you're doing it, what's the purpose of your journey?
[00:14:03] Isa Prado: And giving it all the love and everything you put into your brand, all the effort and everything it's gonna pay off. There's no way that it won't. And also another thing is to believe in your product. That's another thing I will add because there are days I believe in one, one of my pieces so strongly, and I there's, I believe in another piece, not as strongly.
[00:14:22] Isa Prado: The piece I believe. And I love, and I talk about all day long, sold out the other piece, doesn't get the love. And that just goes to show like your entire entirety of your, whatever it is that you're doing, your passion believe in it. Believe that you are good enough. Believe that you are worthy enough because some way somehow someone else, maybe someone you don't even know will believe in it too.
[00:14:43] Isa Prado: And who knows what door is like, that's gonna open.
[00:14:45] Drea: Now that you brought up your brand, I would love to talk a little bit more about what that's been like, how has it been creating your line and what's that process like of, going from this vision in your head, this idea to actually executing and selling and how has that been like
[00:15:01] Isa Prado: it's hectic.
[00:15:02] Isa Prado: It is, right now it is a one woman show. It is myself. but it really. It's fun. It's fun. I do love it. I look during the situation. I'm designing at first. I get an idea, something I like, and then I design it. I'll sketch it out a couple times in different variations and pull my favorite.
[00:15:20] Isa Prado: One of that variation, then start thinking, where am I gonna get the fabrics from? What am I gonna do? This is, it does get crazy when you're just one person. But the minute it gets, it used to be stoned by myself. I don't do that anymore cause I, I really don't have time, but, so I'm right now with a factory in Nicaragua, they do all fair wages.
[00:15:40] Isa Prado: They do, sustainable ways of creating everything. All my fabrics are dead stock fabrics from different like high luxury brands, which is nice. Once it comes together and you see the piece like during, the fittings and stuff, you're starting to get nervous.
[00:15:55] Isa Prado: That's not gonna come out the way you want it, but the minute it gets to your house or the minute you see the final product, it is just like such a wave of excitement. And that's one of the successes you're talking about, like the little things are like monthly successes. So that is like the success to see that.
[00:16:11] Isa Prado: But once it gets to selling, That's where, I wish the school was so much more, you get the couple years of design and then you also have to get the part, like how to sell yourself, how to sell your brand, your product. And I think the best way to do that. And I've seen a lot of my friends do it right now.
[00:16:27] Isa Prado: Just staying true to yourself. Like really just if it's a brand that, one has your name like myself, or if it doesn't have it, it's something that you made and you believed in. So keep it true to you or keep it, at least if you're pinpointing to a certain customer, it's not, you keep it true.
keep it real. people like to see that right now. I have seen when it isn't true to you and it's happened to me when I design things that, oh, I feel like so and so would like it, but I don't like it. I don't end up selling it well, and I don't know how to promote it, but when it's something that you love and you're so passionate about and so yes about you're gonna be able to market it so easily.
[00:17:05] Isa Prado: You're gonna have more ideas on how to promote that because you're so passionate about this idea and know how well it's gonna work.
[00:17:11] Drea: I think that gives you the energy to keep looking for. Person you wanna work for or work with, like you were saying how you found the manufacturer in Nicaragua what was that process like?
[00:17:21] Drea: I'm sure you needed that kind of passion and energy behind you to find the right person that aligns with what
[00:17:27] Isa Prado: your vision is. It was definitely tough finding. We did go through, we had the one in New York, which was amazing. I'm so thankful for them because they were so kind to me and we worked really well together.
[00:17:38] Isa Prado: They created beautiful pieces, but it was just so expensive for us here in New York has higher prices. It was amazing. Cuz I get to go into the factory and see and be more hands on with everything. I then worked with Mexico, that's where I'm from, but the quality wasn't there and I'm very much, I don't do too many crazy fabrics.
[00:17:57] Isa Prado: I don't stray away from my cottons and wools. So I want, 'em focused that the quality and the fit of everything that I make is so worth that, cuz I'm not doing such different things every time. and through there, I wasn't too happy. The also like the payment was a little bit difficult to send.
[00:18:13] Isa Prado: It was like a whole thing, but through a family friend of mine, they're like, I know this person, they do great things. and I was like, oh, another factory. I really I'm like. It was one of those days where I was like, is this even worth it, like making this brand? I may as well, just this is so hard so I ended up talking to this factory and they are fabulous.
[00:18:32] Isa Prado: They are just super focused on fit. They really are focused on bringing, my line and my ideas and my dreams to fruition. And they've done packaging. We've worked over like proper marketing ways, like so many different things came out of this one connection that. One helping me. And it's just so I'm so happy with this.
[00:18:54] Isa Prado: This is like such a really.
[00:18:56] Drea: That must not be an easy process. I feel like with anyone that's starting something on their own, just the figuring it out of all the things, You're the person that has to go through everything, vet everything, try everything until you find the perfect match for you.
[00:19:15] Drea: I think that's something really cool for people to see that if they wanna start their own brand like you, or if they're interested in fashion in any way, there are ways that they can figure it out being a one woman show. Yeah.
[00:19:26] Isa Prado: And especially, you don't have to know so many, like you do have to know people like you do have to make connections and, cultivate those connections, but you don't have to.
[00:19:35] Isa Prado: Be the richest person, most famous person, most well connected person, like little by little things will come you'll research. That's another thing like if you do wanna start or interested in fashion research the industry, cuz there's so many other things other than design that you could do in it, there's so much research to go into.
[00:19:51] Isa Prado: That's how I would say like just. Research everything have your plan before starting anything? I wish I would've done this. I jumped ahead. Like feet just went the whole thing. but I think people were starting it. Think of it. Take your time. Don't launch the min the year that you started this, take a year, plan it out, plan out how you're gonna get your niche clients plan out.
[00:20:12] Isa Prado: What's gonna differentiate you from. every single other person doing whatever it is that you're doing. So that's definitely some advice I would give. How do you feel
[00:20:21] Drea: being a Latina fashion designer?
[00:20:25] Isa Prado: I love it. I love it. We get the best of both worlds. I am so Mexican. I literally, I'm Proud of who I am and that being Mexican makes me, I'm very proud to be Mexican is what I'm trying to say. so anything I can do, working with Latin America, our designs, our floors, our Flos, our ruffles, but then mixing it with this American side that I have, which is, masculine suits work.
[00:20:51] Isa Prado: It's been fun to play with both of them. And be able to create something that is me. that is what it is. I really do pull from my Mexican heritage from being a Latina from being, having all these different cultures and vibrant things around me, plus like new York's strong architecture.
[00:21:11] Isa Prado: It's so angular. It's so masculine people are in their briefcase and their suits. People wanna dress like strong and tight, but. It's been so cool to have New York and Mexico just come together and create this one. that's perfect for the Latina and American girl and I think that's
[00:21:30] Drea: so well made for the times we're in right where anything and everything can be mixed.
[00:21:35] Drea: And it's so great to be able to do that for your own brand, create something like that for so many people must be so reward.
[00:21:44] Isa Prado: No definitely. And Latin, America's just killing it with fashion and creating new creatives. What comes outta there right now with music and Columbia, fashion and colo Columbus's taking over, it's bringing so much. It's so cool to see, all these designers come together and Latin America come together and really create this like very strong army of creatives.
[00:22:05] Isa Prado: Like it, it's so cool to meet people and talk to them. You can talk to our same language and you have this sort of camaraderie together, which is really nice. Yeah. And
[00:22:14] Drea: also being. A young Latina fashion designer, which I feel you see, but is less seen than maybe someone that has already been in the industry for a while or started doing something else in fashion and decided to then create their own line or work with someone to create their own line.
[00:22:32] Drea: Whereas you're so young and you started this on your own and it's People are now being like, how cool is that? She's young and she's doing her own thing. And that's why I love highlighting these kinds of things. It's like, why can't you do that? doesn't matter your age. Why can't you decide to try this out?
[00:22:45] Drea: And maybe you could be really successful
[00:22:47] Isa Prado: at it, Yeah, definitely. And you see it a lot that people tell you like, oh, you're too young. Wait, wait till you're 30 to do, your own thing work for 10. If it's like, what happened to me that you're constantly in this office and the more you go into the field, you're trying to be in and you hate it.
[00:23:06] Isa Prado: Go do what your heart is calling you. follow the colors. Don't go to anything that's gonna make you feel beige and gray. Because one day you'll be 30. All of a sudden you're 26, then you'll be 30 and you didn't do anything. And you don't wanna be that person that says, when you're 50, oh, that could have been me like, oh, when I was younger, I would've wanted to do this.
[00:23:26] Isa Prado: That was my dream. Why not do it now? Life is, a banquet. Don't take the crumbs, take the whole thing and go for it.
[00:23:34] Drea: The podcast started. Solely for young creative entrepreneurs. And as the years, have gone by with the podcast. I've realized that it's also just highlighting people that just wanna start something, cuz it is that moment, right where you, maybe you get to be.
[00:23:48] Drea: In your fifties, sixties, and you look back and you're like, I didn't do that, but doesn't, that doesn't mean that you can't do that. like you're in your fifties and sixties, but like you're alive. You're well, hopefully, and you can continue and you can start something. Why not? Yeah. You never know. What your passion can take you to, or who the person you can become. Like you just never know. So as much as I started this with highlighting young people, which I still really wanna do and still do today, I've opened it up to, to People that are even starting something new and they're in their fifties and they're like, I'm starting again.
I'm figuring it out. It's all about that. Faith in yourself. It's all about that continuous effort that continuous showing up every day to create that journey. It's all about the journey of pursuing what it is that you love, no matter your age. And so I love that you are doing this now and have that mindset, cuz it's so important to have that example for other people.
[00:24:44] Isa Prado: Definitely cuz it is a lot of, people that are younger than me that I know they're like, oh, I wanna start my own thing, but like I'm afraid or what, this also happened to me a lot. I was thinking, what will people think? what do people think that I'm gonna start something, there's so many other people and I started getting to that mentality of there's so many other better just when you get to that point, just stop it. Like you are gonna be good. As long as you put in the love and the effort, like we said, your stuff will be great.
[00:25:10] Isa Prado: You gotta believe in it, cuz if not, no one else will.
[00:25:14] Drea: That's so true. And there's so many people out there, but really what you should care about is your own happiness. what's gonna fulfill you at the end of the day when we're gone, and you go alone. You know what I mean?
[00:25:26] Drea: So it's you might as well do what you love. Also, I feel like not, we don't, we pay attention to people like if they pay attention to us, Yeah. And they don't like people are doing their own thing. They're focused on their own life and their own journey and their own obstacles and their own, dreams that we think that there's like all this attention on us, but really.
[00:25:48] Drea: You just live your life for you, Exactly. Yeah. And there's, there's a woman named, Martha Beck. She has a book called finding your own north star, which I totally recommend. She says something in the book where she's talking about how we sometimes think, everyone's gonna think this about me or I can't because a million people will hate me or not like this, or criticize me or whatever the reason is.
[00:26:10] Drea: And then she asks you to name those people. She's who's everyone. And usually people name three people. and it's like your family, your spouse, and it's just you realize that it's only these three people and are you really not gonna do what you love because of three people where there are billions of people in the world, it doesn't make any sense, but it's just that fear.
[00:26:29] Drea: It's just that, yeah, that aspect of who am I to do this? When everyone thinks that, and everyone always starts some. I might as well start because you're gonna look back and regret it.
[00:26:40] Isa Prado: And what I always say, and I say this, so even to myself, if you don't do it, no one else is gonna do it for you.
[00:26:47] Isa Prado: So it's not gonna get done. Like with this brand, the more I waited on it, the more I waited on throwing myself into something that truly does excite me. I was like, oh my God. Oh my God, I'm good. But then. If I don't do it, no one's gonna do that dream. No, one's gonna get to that dream that I think about every single night before going to sleep.
[00:27:06] Isa Prado: No, one's gonna do it unless I get up. And I put the work in and little by little, you don't have to make a whole collection or, put out a whole album. Write a verse, write a, write the entry song or write, make a, t-shirt make one dress and promote it on your Instagram and then see how slowly you'll become so passionate about what you're doing.
[00:27:26] Isa Prado: You'll wanna be making more.
[00:27:27] Drea: I think that's great advice cuz some people also wait until everything's perfect and that doesn't exist. And we've talked about that a lot on the podcast too, where it's you might as well just start, you might as well just do it because it's never gonna be perfect.
[00:27:38] Drea: And the sooner you start, the more you can learn along the way to make it that perfect picture you have, which still doesn't exist, but it's still something, you should just start and the more you wait the longer you'll have to wait for. That outcome
[00:27:55] Isa Prado: and a lot of responsibilities come in, life takes you here and there and over there and back.
[00:28:01] Isa Prado: So it's just do it if the fire's there and then you can't go to sleep and you it's keeping you up at night and you're on your walks with your headphones in, you're thinking about it. Just do it. It's like the most as crazy as I say, it sounds. And as it really is the most rewarding, exciting.
[00:28:17] Isa Prado: And you feel so proud of yourself for doing it after it's really follow your dreams.
[00:28:22] Drea: I agree with that. What would, what do you think, or what would you say is, has been your biggest lesson through this journey or, and also your biggest win
[00:28:30] Isa Prado: through this journey? Definitely patience. Patients patience and not giving up, like not getting lazy.
[00:28:36] Isa Prado: My win was definitely, like a month ago I was sitting by my computer and I got a notification. I got tagged by Marie Claire on their Instagram. And I was like, says spam. So I was, I look and I was on the cover of their Marie, Claire, Mexico with my, not me, but a model with my blazer. I was over the moon.
[00:28:55] Isa Prado: Like I, I think I had a panic attack I started sweating profusely called everyone. I know, but that was definitely a win, someone believed in it so much that they thought it was worthy of a cover. So that's definitely a win for this summertime.
[00:29:10] Drea: That's such a big deal.
[00:29:11] Drea: Mary Claire. How awesome is that?
[00:29:13] Isa Prado: I couldn't believe it.
[00:29:14] Drea: It's something to be proud of. Cuz you put all this effort with your product and then to be. Recognized by someone that has that many follower accounts or can give you that exposure. is in like
[00:29:26] Isa Prado: so cool. Definitely. No, it was definitely, like seven year old me could couldn't believe it.
[00:29:31] Isa Prado: I was like, oh my God. On a cover like this is, and I played it off. So chill first. Cause I was like, oh, it's just a cover. But at the same time, I was like, no celebrate. That is like a success you think about celebrate every successful moment everyone celebrate it. if it was like, You got LVMH bought you or something.
so celebrate them. Cause it'll make the game a little bit more fun. A little bit less yeah, I agree with that.
the little wins along the way, give you the energy to continue going. Definitely that's how I feel about. My own journey, too. Any little thing. And people sometimes look at me like, what, like what does that even mean?
[00:30:08] Drea: Or does, And I'm like, I don't know, but I know that it's good. Or like that just gave me some idea or gave me, that energy I need for the next step. Any little thing I think is so important to celebrate, to keep yourself going, Cause if you're on this journey alone, you're doing these things like a well woman show like you were saying, and me, even with this podcast, it.
[00:30:27] Drea: You gotta be your own best
[00:30:29] Isa Prado: cheerleader. The days that when you get like low, you gotta bring yourself up and be like, I got this podcast. People are listening to it. I got on a magazine. someone bought the jacket. Wow. Like those are things to celebrate. Those are things to get excited about because it means your journey and your dream is just on its way.
[00:30:47] Isa Prado: It's just hap it's. Becoming.
[00:30:50] Drea: to wrap this up, I wanna ask you one last question, what is your vision for Isabella Prado? what is your hopes or your dreams? What are you working towards now? Yeah. So
[00:31:00] Isa Prado: right now I'm getting my next collection out, which is very exciting. I feel very passionately about each and every one of my pieces.
[00:31:09] Isa Prado: Cause I created each one for me to just feel like over the moon over it. And my goal is to, keep getting into photo shoots, keep being able to expand and be able to put out my goal right now is to be able to put out more collections, to keep putting out until, I can have a storefront or have a runway show, but right now, That's steady to keep going, to keep creating, to keep making, to keep bringing beautiful things to life.
[00:31:35] Drea: I so see that for you. I'm so excited for your next collect. So excited. thank you so much for being on the podcast. Please let all the listeners know where they can follow you, where they can connect with.
[00:31:44] Isa Prado: I have at Isabella prado NYC on Instagram and we have the website, Isabella prado.com and my personal life it's Isabella is I don't do anything that much CR like that crazy, but , it's fun time.
[00:32:00] Isa Prado: Awesome.
thank you so much for being on the podcast.
[00:32:03] Isa Prado: Thank you. Thank you for letting me on. I'm really excited and it was really nice to talk to another creative. Oh, likewise. I love.