Meet Lauren Barrera | Small Business Owner & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Barrera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I always dreamt of creating a business that combined my passion for creating art, with the admiration I have for my culture. Having a business rooted in my culture, not only created a deeper connection to it, but made me want to discover more about my roots. Being of mixed background I never really felt fully grounded in either. It wasn’t until opening my small business Love, Seresa is when I started to stop questioning if I was “Filipino enough.” The name of my business is named after my mom, who I get my Filipino roots from. My mom’s name is Cherry, and “seresa” in Tagalog means cherry. I always admired that entrepreneurial spirit I saw in so many small business owners. It was so apparent how much joy they had in what they did. I think everyone’s inner child waits for the day when they can live out their dreams. Instead of remaining stagnant in my own self-doubt, I finally took a chance on myself and started Love, Seresa. Almost 5 years later, and I have never once regretted my decision to become an entrepreneur. It has made me grow personally & professionally in ways I would’ve never believed was possible. Being intentional in how I create for Love, Seresa is one of my top priorities, because what I create can help others embrace their culture, community, and find relatability in those shared traditions and memories that connect us with our heritage.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I graduated with a degree in both Communication and Art from CSU Channel Islands, where I was able to hone in skills in ceramics, painting, welding, sculpture, and graphic design just to name a few. I never wanted to pigeonhole my art journey into focusing on just one skill. Continuing to learn and refine my skills is what makes the art journey so enjoyable. “Expect the unexpected” is how I would describe my own art journey. My small business actually began with me creating handmade jewelry, then it soon evolved into focusing on solely graphic design. Over the past 4+ years I have designed 64 items, from stickers, to keychains, to apparel, bags and accessories, that number continues to keep growing to this day. Creating art has always been a source of comfort for me, and at times a place of healing. I tie in humor & playfulness into all of my designs for my business, oftentimes giving a hug to you inner child. I’m never one to stray away from bold graphics and fun color combos. My Filipino-inspired designs are dedicated to the cool anaks (kids) at heart, a club we’re all a part of. Designs for the whole pamilya to tsismis about! I constantly have new designs in the works, as well as fun collabs with other small businesses. You’ll also see me involve the community in my decision-making process for my new drops too, so if you keep you’re eyes peeled on my social media you’ll be able to get sneak peeks on what’s currently in the works!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As someone who has a dedicated tab on her Notes app on her favorite things in the community, I definitely have a few ideas on my ideal day in Ventura County. Well you can’t start your day without a matcha run, so I would take my bestie over to Room Service Coffee in Ventura for a matcha, then take a short drive over to Cafe Nouveau for some breakfast. Don’t forget to ask for their maple bacon beignets for the table to share! The food tour is just beginning for the day, but for a little intermission head over to E Main Street in Ventura for some great thrifting & antique shops, an maybe a quick stop a couple streets over to Channel Islands Juice Company for one of their delicious cold-pressed juices. Now for lunch, we’ll hop in the car and head to Establos Meat Market in Camarillo for a burrito and horchata. Oh yeah can’t head home without buying some of their guac from their market section, trust me it’s sooooo good. After lunch we’ll head back to Ventura for bowling at Buena Lanes. To end the day, I’d take them to get Toppers pizza (with many sides of their delicious ranch) over by the Channel Islands Harbor for dinner with an ocean view. Now that’s a day I’d look forward to.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Any success I have in life is completely thanks to my parents. Without their love and support, I wouldn’t be half the person I am today, I wholeheartedly believe that. I’m very grateful to say that my parents also doubled as my role models. Even when I was growing up, they encouraged me to chase after my dreams, no matter how small. They saw my potential during times I didn’t believe in myself. I didn’t take hearing “I’m proud of you” for granted. Even when I failed or fell short of my goals, they were there to remind me that it’s okay to try again. So when I told my parents that I was going to pivot my career into becoming an entrepreneur and start my own business, first thing they asked was how they could support me. To say that I appreciate my parents is an understatement. I take any opportunity to cheer them on, just as they’ve cheered me on all these years. I think our parents need to hear that we’re proud of them too.

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveSeresa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveseresa/