Small business can change the world (and this is how) with Casa Bonita
Live Chat with Liliana Bravo from Casa Bonita
Today I'm chatting with Liliana, from Casa Bonita. Lili runs a social enterprise that helps to empower migrant women and has a beautiful online store showcasing handcrafted goods from her native Columbia.
During this episode, Lili and I discuss:
The importance of making a profit to do good in the world
How being a migrant woman has shaped Liliana’s business
The far-reaching impact of social impact businesses
You can connect with Casa Bonita through these links: Website – Instagram – Facebook
Audio
Transcript
Fiona Johnston 00:00
It's Fi on your feed again. And tonight I'm going to be talking with the amazing Lili from Casa Bonita. I can't wait for y'all to meet her. This is part of my content series called small business can change the world. And I'm going to be talking to Lili tonight about how she is using her business to change the world. So I'm just seeing really soon, I think. How is everybody? averaging a lot, Melvin? Oh, hi, Lauren from Middle child. And hi, Brianna. Welcome.
Liliana Bravo 00:30
Hola. Hola to everyone.
Fiona Johnston 00:47
It's so nice to see your face.
Liliana Bravo 00:49
It's so nice to see you again.
Fiona Johnston 00:54
Yesterday, and again today. Twice in one week.
Liliana Bravo 01:01
Amazing.
Fiona Johnston 01:02
Hello to everybody joining so nice to see some faces, especially people we know. So feel free to drop some comments in there if you want to ask us anything. But essentially, I want to just tell people a little bit about you. And so you're Liliana from Casa Bonita, you have an amazing social enterprise, which I can't wait for you to tell everybody about. You are one of my clients. And that is how we are connected. We're also in each other's local community. So it's really great to get to meet you physically, and you know, in a client sort of sense. So would you like to share with everybody a little bit about Casa Bonita, and just how you got here.
Liliana Bravo 01:46
Thank you, for you, thank you for this great opportunity. It is really an honor to be part of the interface or not just in a way, but you know, the community that we share is really amazing. So I am Liliana Brown. I am from Colombia have been in Australia for almost 18 years, and I am the founder of Casa Bonita lifestyle. We are an independent and Creative Social Enterprise self-funded by the wholesale of our products. And also we ethically sourced all our products from Colombia, all our products, like these beautiful earrings are handcrafted, handcrafted by artisans and indigenous women. Every product is made at their own homes. And our materials are Native South American materials. So just beautiful, delicate products. So that's Casa Bonita. And yeah, how are you started Casa Bonita, I have many reasons. After working 10 years in corporate in Australia and supply chain, I wanted to climb up the professional the corporate ladder. And it was very difficult. As a migrant woman, I didn't have the experience, I didn't have the confidence. So I wanted a job that was creative and where I could put my leadership skills, and I just couldn't find that job that was also flexible. So it was a time to for me to continue working on a project that I had in my heart for many years that I had very strong reasons to work in this project as a Bonita I wanted my daughters to feel proud of their roots. Somehow I wanted them to feel a little bit of the culture be connected to the, to the culture in Australia. And yeah, and I just wanted to I wanted them also to see the real woman who I am an entrepreneur I just wanted to be myself in a in an enviorment in corporate in a business environment where I could be myself.
Fiona Johnston 03:55
I love that so much. And you've shared with me before that. Because English is your second language sometimes you feel like you have almost two personalities. So it's the personality that you're able to showcase when you're speaking English. And then there's your real personality where you feel you be your true self which is when you're you know speaking Spanish and able to really sort of feel into your culture. So do you feel that Casa Bonita has helped you to do that?
Liliana Bravo 04:27
Yes, such a lovely I find my boys English and Spanish. So that's what usually happens when we if because in South America, we don't learn English since we are little or you know, we just have like one hour of English while we're studying even at university. So it's really foreign for us to learn English. So the time when I was able to make a joke in English that was even better than receiving any any title. It was amazing. next hour, but it still incorporate I guess it was just very difficult to be to be myself Yes, because you are under a different structure. So it was very difficult with Casa Bonita. On the other hand, it's my rules. This is how we do things, we are happy, we are joyful, we are enthusiastic about things. And also we are still professional. And we are doing something very, very with that Buddhist structure. So we can also make business. But yeah, we can be our were creative and innovative.
Fiona Johnston 05:38
I love that. And I've really seen that side of you. And it's beautiful to see you being able to express your creativity through your business and all of the activities that come with being a business owner.
Liliana Bravo 05:53
Yeah, yes, it is. It's one, I do this for my businesses for myself as a woman, and also for my family, and my community. But as a Samira woman, I, again, it's been an amazing opportunity, because I have come up to a high-level founder, founder, Managing Director, creating all these events, programs, social impact, doing business in a different way. And, and and yes, it is, it took me a while to, for me to believe in myself. So there has been lots of steps. Because at the beginning, I was just scared of telling what I was doing. And then and then I realized, it's actually very, very creative. That's what it is. It's just something that it because it’s new. Yeah, I took a step. But thank you to all the community who probably my amazing committee has believed in me more, more than I believed myself. And thank you. Yes, it's good, pushing me. I'm grateful as well that I had, I want the Multicultural Excellence in Business Award. And it's something that I encourage everyone to, to review these awards because it's something that recognized recognition as well. I think he gave me a big confidence. And, and I will say well, too. Well, yeah, what I'm what we're doing here is amazing. I haven't started I haven't proved assurance, mention what we do with Casa Bonita, what is all these things we talk about? That is, we work in three areas. The first one is ethical trade. So all the products that we ethically sourced from South America. The second area is purpose-driven events where we celebrate cultural diversity and women empowerment. And the third area is workshops, where I share the knowledge that I have learned through retail and through having an ethical business, and where we aim to connect more migrant women with more established businesses here in Australia.
Fiona Johnston 08:08
I love that thanks for sharing about your three amazing streams that you have in your in your business, and Ecopicnic saying customer data is doing a great job in the community. Hello from Sydney.
Liliana Bravo 08:23
Hello, Ollie. Thank you.
Fiona Johnston 08:25
So nice to see people here. I want to do something that I should have done at the start of the live. And eco picnic has just reminded me, I want to acknowledge the country that we're both on. And yeah, so this live is coming to you broadcast from the lands of the orangery, people of the Kulin nations. And I wish to acknowledge them as the traditional custodians of the water, land and place that Liliana and I are both currently sitting on and to pay respects to elders from those communities as well as any other First Nations people who might be watching this on the replay. And I believe that Lili and I both stand in solidarity with you, indeed, with indigenous community members in noting that sovereignty was never ceded.
Liliana Bravo 09:18
Thank you.
Fiona Johnston 09:21
So tell me a little bit about, you know, when you started your business, you had this idea about bringing Colombian culture into Australian homes, supporting migrant women to be able to find their personality like you have. So does it feel as though the impact you wanted to make is what's happening and how has that changed through the evolution of Casa Bonita?
Liliana Bravo 09:49
So many changes. I think the changes have started also, especially when you started the financially fit course. In that moment, you know, I knew finances and you know accounting, but where you are in a business is when you really see the need, what is happening here unique, different finances. And one of the topics, you know, that really got me was communication. And I think that was my biggest challenge because I was not communicating the impact, there was no communicating well, what, who are we because we are covered in different areas. So at the moment is come down to that summary of three areas. But that's after three years. At the beginning is a was a shop with a written shop with lots of beautiful cultural products, more cultural, but cultural products, I also wanted to inspire and share with other migrant women. So we did run a core retail program with my Migrant women when we couldn't come and rent out a smaller space, and also the events, but it was all very mixed. And what I've learned through communication, and also in the last few years is that I needed to separate those three, those three areas. And I think that is giving us clarity. And last year, in the retail shop that we had instead on, we realized that we reached full capacity full, we reach full capacity to our program, we reach full capacity to our events. And for our product as well we need we knew that they needed to expand with our product to continue providing that financial security to the makers. So it's changed a lot from being one very big area to be three separate areas. I do anyone who watches these to any migrant woman who watches this, I totally recommend her in a retail shop, because it's the best experience ever is the best push. And yeah, firstly you can have we built an amazing community, I was able to test the programs that I trained off and we just had the market validation of our products. So we are now we are at the point that we are slowly we are reducing our retail tray. And we are growing with our wholesale and with our wholesale, we are going to be available all around Australia. The same with the events, we are going to be able to the events that we are creating now events and programs, we are doing it in partnership with the amazing network, whether we were able to build in these last three years, and we are going to have a wider reach. So if events from 20 people now are gonna be minimum 50 people more families and the programs as well we aim to more than triple the reach of participants upon coming to our program.
Fiona Johnston 13:15
I love that. So the evolution of your business, and I think there's a lot in this for other business owners to consider too is that sometimes the right thing to do is actually reduced the amount of things that you're doing, so that you can have a bigger impact in the areas that you choose to stay. And I love that you incorporated. You know, learning how to communicate, in many ways, visually in photography, in our photos and video. speaking and writing, communication is the key to making a business work. And I love that you've embraced learning this new skill of communicating what Casa Bonita is and how it works in the community. So yeah, I think there's a lot
Liliana Bravo 14:06
I need to learn about a lot about the finances that I learned with you, Fi because finances is not just the numbers, we knew finances, we work if we want to increase the price, yes, we have to increase the price. But what are we communicating? are weaker? Is that going to translate? And that's how retail was a huge factor how I learned that every product, it was my purpose from the beginning to have a photo of the maker with every product, but then I had to improve the communication. That was it wasn't just a photo we had to have, you know, there is a brand name you say there are those three keywords. And so I think that the challenge, I guess for sometimes for purpose driven businesses or socially conscious businesses because we we run on passion First, yeah, that's amazing. But we need to, to put that profit first. Because if there is no profit, then we're not gonna be able to run all this incredible impact and, and I went through a lot with you on on changing that mindset. And, and it took me yet two years of okay, now it's time.
Fiona Johnston 15:29
Thank you for sharing that really because it's actually crucial that a business that wants to make an impact on the world, or change the world or use its business as a force for good. It has to be profitable, in order for that business to have longevity, sustainability, and to be able to actually have the impact that it wants to make. I also want to ask something, you know, I hear a lot of, you know, migrant women and people with English as a Second Language saying, you know, there were things they needed to learn, there were barriers that they had to work through in order to, you know, grow and nurture a business in Australia. But I want to look at the other side, which is, what do you think that your cultural heritage and your experience and skills and personality brought to your business that perhaps an Australian person who's lived here their whole life might not be able to access?
Liliana Bravo 16:36
Well, when I when I started doing the programs, and to invite migrant women, I was like, why am I doing this? Why am I doing the core retail, I created the name what? Why me? Why no someone else. And someone very, very kind said, because that other people, they haven't lived experience that you lift my programs by your veins, the products I work with is because of my roots. And it's because I'm not selling a product. I'm here, I'm telling a story. And we are empowering women. So I think what we bring here, because we came from such different war, we bring creativity, we bring passion, we bring innovation, and and it's those businesses, the way we see businesses is very different. It's very community oriented. As you can see, Casa Bonita is perfect example. Yeah, we we don't do things alone. We like having people next to us. So when I had a retail shop, it was very big, the rent was quite high for me, straightaway, let's, let's talk to a community, what how are we gonna create a program that we can all support each other learn? So I think we bring that that aspect that is a very creative, innovative, very, very hard working in a sense that we are, we are there for the business. And yeah, for instance, Casa Bonita, for us is this is an everyday weaving, we have this heart, this weaving, we have the black clay, we cook in those products. So we are bringing in, it's almost like we're going backwards in life at the moment. So we're bringing all these techniques for us in Colombia is very normal that the maker makes our clothes, we don't buy clothes from a shop from a big chain, because it's important that in Columbus is expensive. For us, we have a lifestyle that is very ethical, very organic. And I think businesses out there that are dealing with, at least people from South America, as I know is is yeah, we bring all this, this is slow of fashion. This is slow work. That is an incredible contribution to the economy and to the lifestyle now.
Fiona Johnston 19:10
I love that. That idea of slow fashion and ethical business and community led business is so inherent in so many cultures. And I think it's really beautiful to think about what do the owners of migrant led businesses bring to the Australian business landscape, rather than just focusing on you know, the challenges because yeah, I think that your business is absolutely living out the values of your culture and your community. And it's, it's in the every it's in the every minute moments that you're that you're doing that.
Liliana Bravo 19:48
It's so it's sort of organic it's, it's so it's so us. And I'm so grateful and I'm also proud that they Casa Bonita the first program oriented to migrant women we were five women. And I used to say I, we are here the Myers of Seddon. So we have someone in the back yard selling beautiful pottery, Latinas styles upstairs. And And yes, I agree with you. And we were five independent businesses under one roof. And within five months, they we all met in that space. And within five months, they started a new hub, a new empowerment hub somewhere else. The after that business summit, they also met other women, they invited more women, and now they have another beautiful community-oriented business in Docklands. So how important it is that we need to we need to see why that we can do this, and then is one or two that they start, take the risk. But then the other ones once we see it, it's it's amazing. It's possible. And for migrant women, for us, for me as Colombian, we weren't used from the 80’s and then you know for to be in the war and the all the news about Colombians was drug the and, and, and that's hurtful and that has, it has been very has created a discrimination against us Colombians. So for us as Colombians, as Latinas to see, other Colombian, Colombian Latinas on the news in the newspaper of Melbourne or in the local newspaper say saying this is a creative business. So it makes us so proud. And I think I invite any other migrant women to believe in themselves and continue working in what you're doing. Because the women that are watching us from our small communities they Yeah, it's important for them to see it.
Fiona Johnston 22:02
I love it. Thank you so much for the comments coming through to Sherry and Chrissy from that Sounds Nice, Echo Picnic. Thank you for allowing us both to see feel that this is a conversation that's bigger than just the two of us. So that feels really lovely. Lily, is there a quote or an idea or a mantra or something, a book or a quote or something that has helped you to sort of stay connected to your business and keep going when it's been hard? What has inspired you?
Liliana Bravo 22:43
Many from Michelle Obama, yes. Because she's this amazing many from Jennifer Lopez because you know, she's Latina, and I cry every time I watch her. Her, I her documentaries. But I think one that I talked a lot with my dad he's an entrepreneur as well. Coming from regional area, he didn't finish his school. And and we we know we were laughing just when I saw them in in January nice luck doesn't have can I say On my God, they have translated it and I'm thinking about how you receive good luck at 5am in the morning. That's when you receive it. So you want to be lucky you wake up in the morning or when I am a morning person so 5am in the morning is when I received my like I am clear that this is my luck good luck. Yeah, other people might be nice people so maybe you know yeah those extended hours those long hours of work is if you do it with passion is gonna pay for it.
Fiona Johnston 23:56
Jaye said… If my luck comes at 5am then that's not gonna work.
Liliana Bravo 24:04
But I love that that worked for you. It does work for me.
Fiona Johnston 24:10
So, Lili. How can my community find out more about you? How can we support you? What's what's coming up?
Liliana Bravo 24:29
To find us so at the moment we don't have a written shop anymore about we are online. Still doing some retail so find us for some beautiful products and support our social enterprise. So www.casabonita.com.au. For all-day programs and events, we have a big event coming up for harmony week. Save the date 18th of March. We're gonna release a bit Soon, a beautiful carnival Leto is going to be a celebration of our culture is going to be amazing. So just follow us on Instagram because I Bonita lifestyle or in LinkedIn, Facebook and for the programs for women empowerment, we are designing a really good program and that's gonna be released later in the year. But yeah, just continue subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Instagram or on the website. And that's how you're gonna connect with these amazing ethical community.
Fiona Johnston 25:37
That's so great. So, I think I'd like to thank again Liliana Bravo from Casa Bonita. You can find her at her website casabonita.com.au And she's on Instagram a lot. So Casa Bonita is the place to go. And I think it's quite obvious to me how Lili is using her small business to be a force for good. I think the ripples that come out from a business like Liliana is are endless. And I hope that everybody watching it takes a moment to consider how they might be able to waive some of Liliana has enthusiasm for her community and her, you know, creative flair, how they might be able to use their own talents and passions to make the world a better place to
Liliana Bravo 26:26
If I cannot Fi, you have been great part of these as well. So they work if anyone is feeling lost, or our feeling that, you know, small businesses is pretty hard at the moment or always but doing are they Financially Fit Course, which is not just in person is also online. That that was huge. So thank you for inviting me to the course I think it was just an amazing opportunity. And, and not just to, to to be part of the course. But it was how you have been so connected to my purpose. So after the course you have been my mentor as well. So this continues, but thank you Fi for all the work you're doing as well for small businesses.
Fiona Johnston 27:18
It's my absolute pleasure. And it's very easy to connect to your business purpose because it comes out of everywhere and I'm devastated. I'm not wearing my Casa Bonita earrings. They match my hair as well. I can't believe I forgot.
Liliana Bravo 27:35
But people scroll down and all the photos you are wearing them. So yes, the support.
Fiona Johnston 27:42
Thank you for being here. Let's call it a night and thanks for being part of my community.
Liliana Bravo 27:48
Thank you. And thank you everyone for the comments. We'll be in touch. Gracias, ciao.
