Meet Lisa Gutierrez Martinez | Founder/Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Gutierrez Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When thinking about starting my business, I took time to consider all the intersections of my life and reflect. And, fortunately as a late bloomer, I pulled from the experiences under my belt, many of which were interesting and enriching. But there were also elements that made see what the future might look like if I didn’t take control—such as not seeing joy in the eyes of my co-workers, working only for a paycheck, and having a life that only existed outside of office hours. I wanted to something more; I wanted to create an interesting and charming life/lifestyle and share it with others.

I started to formulate what that would look like. I created and presented a business plan to anyone who would listen. Then, after some crushing misses with traditional business operations & processes, I had an epiphany. I could marry my favorite work experience, producing still photography shoots, with my love for food, wine, fashion & design. I could set my own path and hone my skillset through repetition. I came up with a practice: do, reflect, refine, do again—and still follow it to this day.

Over the years I have learned that action that creates opportunity, persistence pays, and the key is collaboration.

What should our readers know about your business?
We curate well styled pop-up communal dinner parties for curious + adventurous people who love food, wine, fashion & design. What makes us unique is we are “talent forward”. Meaning, we are a crew of evolving creatives inviting you to share a curated dining experience with us. We have changed the hierarchy of dining room to make it an even playing field. Metaphorically, everyone is eating at the dining table. And having creative control keeps the fire burning in each of us. We are constantly thinking outside of the box but in a way that is not overly designed. We like to be real & raw and embrace the beauty of imperfection. Creating perfectly imperfect moments is so refreshing. It allows people to let their guard down, be themselves, and easily connect with others. We do some deep dives on our collaborators and do our best to highlight what we find amazing about them. Our early larks had us working harder, not smarter and reflecting on this experience led us to lean heavier on being creative and being okay with less structured control. We have learned that accepting the way each lark unfolds is where the magic happens. Oh, and we are inclusive which means, if you see or hear of a lark, you are invited.

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.
This could be done a day, but some people might prefer a week. There are plenty of little places to discover in-between or perhaps engage as a person of leisure. We would start by grabbing a hot beverage at Freelance Coffee in Costa Mesa and then take a little jaunt through Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar. Then pop over for a gander at Pirates Cove to see the boats enter and exit Newport Harbor. Hop back on the road to Laguna Beach for the amazing coastal views and a healthy treat at Active Culture. Since we are close and it’s (arbitrarily) required, we would stop in at Jim O’Larte’s Studio to ooh & ahh at his latest beach comber designs. We would then head North to stop in at Crystal Cove for retro cottages + tide pools. We would bypass the shuttle for the hike out because Sugarfish is on the way home and we need to work up an appetite!

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?
With lark, we are always looking for ways to lift people up and that includes everyone in our orbit. We have intentionally become a platform for people to express what they are passionate about in life. Along with gratitude comes credit with our content. Meaning we like to name names! We always are always looking out for opportunities, and we never hesitate to refer. It’s amazing and fulfilling to keep the door open and bring everyone along on our adventure.

We attribute our success to the YES people. The ones who heard about lark and contributed by sharing their talents…stirring thing up Chefs: Kristen Trinh, Kyle Powers, Jim Sullivan, Lena Ksanti, Alex Bolar, Taylor Elam, Bryan Barnes, Matthew Roberts…opening their doors, Locations: The Salt Horse, Cleobella, Urban Americana, Isles Interiors, Laura Brophy Interiors, Sean Woolsey Studio, Lorraine Pennington Atelier (to only name a few)….sharing their style, Stylists: Mason Hauck, Christina Peterson & Johanna Pate Wilson… and love for botanicals, Florist: Sussanna Davidson…gorgeous handmade ceramics, Artist: Andrea Luna Reece…. dreaming up poems/illustrations, Artists: Nick Banning, Emily Boelsems, Emily Musgrove & Tammy Fluech….when it’s time to pour, Sommeliers: Tyler Rodriguez, Billy O’Connell, Mariana Larsen, Eric Kassel, Robin Pajaro & Phil Zamarripa… capturing the moment, Photographers: Mitch Maher, Kathryn Colby, Missy Coyle, Jon Ramirez, Kailee Walters & Candace Rock Mendes….and, of course, right hands, Producers: Monique Schulfer, Alissa Travers & Christina Peterson. There are so many more (our guests!!!), it’s impossible to name them all, but our gratitude goes out to each and every one.

Website: https://www.larkaratisanmarket.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamartinez1/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsgoonalark

Other: https://substack.com/@letsgoonalark

Image Credits
Missy Coyle, Candace Rock Mendez, Mitch Maher, Jon Ramirez