WCW: Julissa Prado of Rizos Curls Talks Business

"All the best things come from the neighborhood." - Lala Romero, BellaDonaLA

If I learned anything from talking to Julissa, it's to embrace who I am as a woman of color. Julissa Prado is the founder and CEO of Rizos Curls, a company committed to healthy hair treatment for women who know the struggle of having curly hair. Rizos' products are cruelty free, with no sulfates, silicones, or parabens. I got the chance to talk to her about not only being a woman of color in the world of business, but also about sisterhood and being a Latina.

Tell me about yourself:

I was born and raised in Los Angeles and I grew up in a very Latino-centric neighborhood. I come from a big family, and growing up I would see textured hair everywhere, but I also saw that everyone was straightening it. We'd go through great lengths just to get straight here, even putting our hair over an ironing board! I attended UCLA for my undergrad, and went on to get my Master's in Business.

How did Rizos Curls start?

When I was in high school, I would make my own concoctions using natural products. My grandmother was a curandera (healer) and she taught me a lot about using nature's ingredients when making my own hair product. I started doing hair for girls when I was young, and once I finally handed it to a professional to develop the formula, that was the launch of my business pretty much. A lot of those girls whose hair I used to do were my very first customers. I wanted them to learn how to wear their natural curls and embrace it.

Your social media reflects a real balance between business and fun, how do you manage your time?

I have to say a lot of my success has been collaborative. I've had the chance to work with other businesses who share a similar mission. I do a lot of networking with Patti (Founder of Hija De Tu Madre) and other businesses that are Latino owned. I attend workshops, networking nights, all that busy bee stuff. But when I get the chance to NOT use my brain, I don't use it! You have to find the balance and have fun; make time for it. Even when I am working, I have fun with it because positivity promotes creativity. That's why I don't work in the typical corporate world anymore.=

How do you stay motivated?

Running a business is no joke, but my customers are really important to me. It's also been of high significance to me to keep a squad - people around you who support & inspire you. You're going to encounter things that puzzle you at first, but after you figure it out, it really humbles you. I also love hearing testimonials from people who are inspired by what I do myself. We're all helping to create a solution to a problem, that being the stigma around curls. Curls are beautiful.

Who/What inspires you and why?

My two biggest inspirations are Patti (Hija De Tu Madre) & Britney (Founder of ShopLatinx). These women own businesses and make it work every day. Overall, seeing my fellow peers grow inspires me because it tells me that we're onto something very big. Together we formed Las Jefas Crew which strives to empower & educate female entrepreneurs.

What are your thoughts on the gender wage gap?

I feel like the gender wage gap isn't just a gender issue, but a race issue. A lot of these women who are trying to succeed in the corporate world don't make the money they should be making because they're women of color. This is part of why we need small, smart, from the ground-up companies that break apart what corporate culture is. Our communities are strong, and our buying power is even stronger. Big companies know this - they see us and they see dollar signs. But once we're "under" their regime, we're completely lost in the shuffle. It's time to join the movement and break away from tradition. Small businesses are giving back, we value our talent, and we're helping people in our community. The resources for us, as women, are available to us, but we need to come together to truly flourish.

How do you define sisterhood?

Collaboration and growth! I am in absolute awe of what it means to be a woman; we wear a million hats - we're hustlers. Sisterhood to me is also about love. The media tries its hardest to pin us against each other, but I've seen nothing but open arms coming my direction from my fellow woman. It may be shocking but women actually do enjoy helping other women! The stereotype of competition is wrong and outdated.

If you had one piece of advice to offer a young woman who wasn't sure what she was going to do in life, what would you say?

In school they always told us to follow our passion, but at that age I didn't know what the heck I was passionate about! I didn't find it until I stopped thinking of passion as a verb, I stopped seeing it as something specific. Your passion can be a noun and even broader than that! I took a step back and thought about everything around me, and I started to live my life with purpose. My passion was making a change. How I make that change is up to me.

Follow Julissa & Rizos Curls: @julissa_prado and @rizoscurls to follow our WCW and her amazing business!

Support Latin businesses on Instagram: @shoplatinx