Meet Trailblazer Stephanie Sinagra

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Sinagra.

Stephanie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I learned how to bead mala necklaces at an adult spiritual camp that I went to last April, in a teepee in the woods south of Seattle in the freezing cold listening to the rain patter on the tent. I was really intrigued with the concept of creating a beautiful piece of jewelry with intention and being able to wear it and feel it’s power through the day. Let’s just say that my first go at making a mala was not great. My knots were messy and I don’t think I even had the right bead count. It was so bad in fact that the necklace fell apart shortly after I got home!

I hadn’t really thought about malas after that until I had this nagging voice that kept telling me to make one in December of last year. I’m not sure why because I really was horrible at it. Even so, I went to a local bead shop and gathered all of the materials and started knotting the mala. To my surprise I realized that I was really good at it and the rest is history!

I also randomly had started the trademark on name Metro Hippie earlier that year not knowing what I would do with it and once I settled on the malas it all fell into place. I think it represents me as well as my malas so well. I’m a little metro and a little hippie and most of my pieces

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing ever is a smooth journey when it comes to business, but I really believe that every hurdle or stumbling block represents a learning opportunity. I’ve been building the foundation for my business slowly and taking my time to ensure that I have everything I need on the business side set up before I try to grow too quickly. The easy part is creating the malas; the hard part is working on the accounting, getting business licenses, working on sales tax, finding customers, etc.

I’d say that my biggest piece of advice would be to find something that you are passionate about for your business. If I weren’t passionate about making malas then I might not be as concerned with creating the strong business foundation that I have been working on. I’m definitely still learning and read a lot of books and ask as many questions as I can.

Also, surrounding yourself with like minded people is extremely important. Networking with and learning from other entrepreneurial women is powerful. Now, you can easily find groups online or through a quick google search you can also find some local networking groups.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Metro Hippie Malas – what should we know?
Since that first mala that I made back in December, I’ve added a few personal touches to my necklaces. I create each piece with intention and through intuition. I choose the stones, learn about their energy and intuitively come up with a mantra for the mala. I repeat the mantra with each knot between all 108 stones. I actually find that it’s as meditative for me to create the malas as it is for people when they’re using them. I have been told by many who have received my malas that they give a sense of peace and grounding from my energy that they’ve absorbed.

I continue to create malas that I feel are beautiful but I also do a great deal of custom work where I work with the client to discuss what they want support around which helps me choose the stones and we create a mantra together to infuse into the piece.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
I think that my biggest piece of advice would be that the leaders in the company are just normal people. I’ve had many conversations with successful business owners and CEOs and they always tell me “I’m no different than anyone else”. Say hi to the president of the company as you pass in the hallway. Ask the CEO if she/he had a good weekend when you see her/him in the break room. Most people are afraid to speak to these executives and by you showing the confidence to do so really does say a lot.

Pricing:

• Malas range from around $90-$170 (or more for specific custom work depending on materials cost)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MetroHippie.Me
• Email: Steph@MetroHippie.Me
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/stephsinagra
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/MetroHippieMalas
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/MetroHippieMalas

Image Credit:
Tommy Kern, @badkern; Stephanie Sinagra

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