I Turned My Product Into A Subscription Box

My name is Flavia Gabriel. I’m an immigrant from Brazil that quit everything to come to America and live her dream. As a kid, I was always obsessed with American movies and TV shows and especially California. I would always tell my mom that one day I would live in the City of Angels. Of course, no one ever believed me. Coming from a middle-class family in the small town of Sao Paulo, I could only dream of traveling internationally. I knew the chance was very small, but hey, dreaming is free, right?!

I was also obsessed with fashion and arts from a small age but never thought about following these passions as my career. Eventually, life got in the way of my dreams and I ended up graduating with a degree in Business and Marketing. Soon after finishing my masters in Marketing, I found myself feeling unhappy with my life even though I had a great job making really good money. Something was missing and I never felt so out of place in my life. That’s when I took a vacation to visit Los Angeles for the first time and I felt HOME! I can’t even describe the feeling, but it was a no-brainer when I decided to quit my promising job and leave everything behind to chase the life I had always dreamed of. I went back home, saved a bunch of money, and came back to California in 2013 to study fashion and improve my English. Soon after that, I met my husband and have been here ever since.

Then, in 2015, The Fabulous Planner was born in a completely unexpected way. I bought myself a Louis Vuitton planner and searched all over for inserts that I liked visually and that suited my needs… nothing caught my eye or made me want to use this new planner. Since I’ve always been a DIY girl, I decided to create the inserts I was imagining in my mind and they turned out great! After that first design, I thought to myself, “Maybe others would like this, too!”

I listed that design on Etsy with zero expectations, yet the orders started coming in on the first day. I couldn’t believe it! So, I kept creating new designs and putting more products out there!

Three years after opening my Etsy shop, I felt safe enough to quit my job and turn my then “side gig” into my full-time job and I’ve never looked back! Next, I created my very own website and started The Fabulous Planner Box which is a monthly subscription box.

Being an entrepreneur is hard as you end up working WAY MORE than a regular 9-5 job but the fulfillment you get from it is priceless to me! I really don’t mind working 14-16 hours every day because I’m obsessed with what I do and it doesn’t even feel like working most of the time. But I also learned my limitations and the importance of self-care, rest, and meditation to keep my mind clear.

Starting a Subscription Box Service

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