Jason Harris
Graciela Ayala is a medical doctor with a doctorate in medicine and a master’s degree in sports nutrition from a prestigious university in Spain, from which she received a scholarship and multiple awards in different areas. She’s also an entrepreneur, designer, writer, as well as a fashion and lifestyle content creator.
StarCentral magazine recently caught up with Graciela to discuss her journey in the industry, and here’s what went down:
When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?
It’s actually quite funny because I started as an entrepreneur by selling accessories when I was in med school.
How did your life look like before being a doctor and Fashion and Lifestyle Creator?
I had a great time in college with my friends, daydreaming about the future and writing for different academic publications.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?
Doing the next challenge and always having a new project to do that is important for me and will change something around me.
In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.
Dynamic.
I’m always moving, sealing a deal, or planning my next project.
What were your top three motivations for getting into your industry?
Love for creating.
Passion for creating something inspiring.
Being the best at everything I do and knowing that I’m unique and that no one does the same thing I can do because every person is one of a kind.
What do you put your success down to?
I am a very spiritual person, so I always think that the universe and higher power are always helping me, but also I work hard.
What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?
Most of all, you have to really love what you do. You have to be willing to risk and lose, go far from your comfort zone, and try every day to be better at your game level, improving and growing all the time.
What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business, and how did you overcome them?
Being a doctor was actually something that was an advantage but later became a disadvantage because it’s unusual to see a content creator, especially in the fashion industry who is also an MD. But I did my best – I had to overcome many fears and insecurities and thought, ‘wait, if other people can do several things simultaneously, so can I.’
Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist?
Yes, absolutely, there are many moments where you’ll feel misunderstood and that you are all by yourself, but that’s never real – you always have someone rooting for you.
As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?
You have to be extremely business-oriented, and understand that everything Is not personal, you have to endure the ups and downs in order to survive and learn that it’s never a failure, it’s always a lesson.
What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?
I hope everyone gets the chance to achieve success. Everyone works so hard, and small businesses are filled with passion and dedication, so I hope they can grow this year and realize that it Is all up to the client, especially after the pandemic. Still, it will also be always about them as a product and experience.
Jason Harris
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