Meet Trailblazer Andrea Sanchez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Sanchez.

Andrea, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey in creating my brand really started back in 2012 when I got my first retail job at Plato’s Closet Scottsdale. For those unfamiliar with Plato’s Closet, it’s a cash-for-clothes secondhand clothing store, very similar to Buffalo Exchange. During my time there, 2012-2014, I developed an interest curating a secondhand wardrobe. While at Plato’s, it was especially easy because we only took in items that were relevant in style, so unlike a most secondhand store, at Plato’s you don’t have to sift through outdated inventory. It was easy to spot things I liked as I was organizing racks and clearing out dressing rooms and then go back to buy them after my shift. I started to take a lot more pride and consideration into everything I wore so I started to showcase it on Instagram. At the time, I don’t remember there being as big of hype, let alone an entire Instagram community, that was centered around thrift shopping. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about thrfiting is that thrift stores have something for everyone. Regardless of your style, with a bit of luck and patience, you will find something. I’ve thrifted entire outfits for everyday wear and even put together costumes out of thrifted finds.

Once I left Plato’s Closet, I ended up working another retail job that required uniforms and this affected that part of me that liked sharing my “thrifted style”, but it also opened me up to sharing other things such as my favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and having an emphasis on local businesses. In 2017, after finishing school and getting a full-time job (that didn’t require uniforms), I finally regained the time, freedom, and creativity that I enjoyed putting towards how I express myself through what I wear and that’s when Sip and Thrift were born. I don’t have a blog, I solely stick to Instagram and I share everything from outfits of the day, coffee shops, local restaurants, and local events. One thing I try to make very clear through my account is my love for my state and the city of Phoenix. That’s why I like to share things to do and places to try out because I want everyone to love this community as much as I do.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Is it ever a smooth road?! One thing that I’ve also been self-conscious about is feeling like my content has no value. I personally get a thrill out of thrift shopping, finding things that I want to add to my closet, and styling them to show on Instagram, but does anyone else find it interesting or engaging? Like I previously mentioned, when I first started in 2012-2014, there didn’t seem to be much of a thrifting community on Instagram, but when I “came back” in 2017, I found so many other accounts like mine that I wanted to engage with. Finding those individuals and seeing what they were doing has been comforting and inspiring.

When it comes to the other aspects I like to cover (coffee, food, events), that’s been more of a financial balancing act. I would LOVE to be able to eat out every day and attend every fun event that pops-up, but that’s not financially possible. One way that I’ve found has been helpful in getting involved, particularly with events, is by volunteering. Sometimes events, especially food festivals, will have volunteer opportunists. In the past, I’ve volunteered for the Devour Culinary Classic, Food Truck Festival, and the Taco Festival. These opportunities have all had the perk of free admission for volunteers.

The advice I have for anyone starting out is to just put yourself out there, but be authentic about it. If you don’t know where to start, I think a great question to ask yourself is: What is it that I truly have a passion for and/or have extensive knowledge or personal experience with? Talk about that. To a certain degree, everyone has self-doubt and fear, you just can’t let it stop you. I still remind myself of this constantly.

We’d love to hear more about Sip and Thrift.
My “real” work is a 9-5 for a non-profit that is very near and dear to my heart. One thing that I’ve observed when it comes to the industry of blogging is that the goals seem to be to leave the 9-5. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that because if there is an aspect of your life that you’re unhappy with then you should take action, but for me personally, that’s not what I’m looking for when doing all of this. I’m happy with my full-time job and I love getting to be creative on my own and sharing it on social media. My goal for this experience of being a blogger/influence/content creator is to not ruin it for myself. I don’t want it to turn into something that I hate and dread, I want to always keep it fun and as an outlet for whatever ideas are brewing in my head.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
Immerse yourself in both social and educational opportunities. It’s fun and helpful to meet others who are at different stages of their blogging journey. On creative group that comes to mind is Hustle Hunnies (IG: @hustlehunniesaz), it’s pretty new and was started by Cheyenne Wendt (IG: @wendtsomewhere) who is a blogger and photographer. They host monthly events and also post about workshop opportunities around the valley that are hosted by other groups.

Contact Info:

• Email: sipandthrift@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sipandthrift/
• Other: https://poshmark.com/closet/sipandthrift

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.