Vanessa Hazelwood

Owner of Mia Astella

Share with us your background & how you got started in the fashion business.

I was born in Panama and raised in New York by a hardworking single mom who came to America to give her children a better life. I’m a mom of three girls and a grandma to a beautiful granddaughter. I have worked with senior and autistic children for years. I love cooking, traveling, and most of all fashion and shopping.

My passion for shopping is where my entrepreneurial dreams came from. I had a strong desire to be my own boss. Helping women feel beautiful and confident and helping to find the right outfit for the right occasion is my passion.

I attended many trade shows and fashion events and, speaking with other vendors helped me learn the latest trends. With God, my love for shopping and my love for fashion has made for a successful business. I am so thankful to have my best friend and my daughter join me in this venture.

What was your biggest challenge?

Covid was my biggest challenge. Five days before our grand opening Covid-19 shut us down. Having spent so much time and money building the store and have it shut down suddenly was hard. The fashion industry stopped, no products were being exported, fashion shows were cancelled so there were no trends to follow and no events or malls to sell from.

Where is your business located now?

I was blessed to have met Daniel and Tylor Summers who were a step ahead of the game and opened Local Niche in Mission Valley, an outdoor mall allowing vendors and local artists to stay open. Then I met the owner of Adore Boutique and joined that collective team.

Advice to other moms?

Follow your passion it easy to want to be a boss babe making money but you can get burned out and lose interest. It’s so easy to stay motivated when you’re following your passion or dream.  Don’t over think it, know you may have challenges, just don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to get help and also help others. Remember family, team work really makes the dream work!

Call to Action:

Listen:

https://momstown-inc-25ead185.simplecast.com/episodes/vanessa-hazelwood-mia-astella