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

Hi Sherly, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking has played a big role in my life and career. I moved to NYC from Orlando when I was 23 years old by myself to pursue a career in Fashion. I had never lived anywhere else and had no idea what I was getting into. I moved with just an internship, no job lined up or anything. I had a dreams of being a businesswoman since I can remember, so for me, this was an adventure! Nine years later and I am still living here and thriving! I started my two businesses, Hause of Curls LLC and Sherly Tavarez LLC! Now I am the Founder and CEO of Hause of Curls and a Fashion Stylist and Blogger.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Hause of Curls is all about empowering people everywhere to love and embrace their natural hair. I am most proud of hearing the stories of encouragement that I have given people to be able to wear their hair natural and feel confident in it! I got to where I am today by building a community in where people feel like they have a safe space and can come and connect with other like-minded people. Hause of Curls would be nowhere if it wasn’t for the support that comes from within our own community… The Latino community! It was not easy because I had no idea what I was really doing when I first started Hause of Curls. I had never done anything like this before, so for me it was a very big learning curve. I overcame the challenges by trial and error. I would try new things, see if they worked and if they didn’t work, I would try different things. I would spend hours on my computer taking workshops and learning how to run the back end of a business, not just the pretty stuff you see on Instagram. When you first start, you are the entire team. Customer service, social media, model, everything falls on you. I want the world to know that I build this brand for myself and people like myself because I felt like I wanted to see more representation in the world of people accepting themselves just as they are. My main goal has always been to inspire the younger generation to love their curly hair. I didn’t have that growing up and I always wished I did.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, this is actually very funny, because my friends are coming into town soon and I am always the one to come up with the best itinerary because I actually love to play tourist in my own city! Since it is summer time, we love a good rooftop! Magic Hour is definitely a favorite when it comes to Rooftops. When it comes to eating, there are so many options in NYC, that its hard to choose just one. But since I live near Astoria, we normally love to go and eat at my favorite Greek Restaurant, Taverna Kyclades. For drinks we would go to a beautiful bar in Roosevelt Island with the most amazing views of the city, called The Graduate Hotel!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family has been there from the very beginning and has encouraged me to fully live out my dreams since I was a little girl. The community I have built through my social platforms have been a huge blessing as well! I have met so many amazing strangers that have turned into friends. My boyfriend has been right by my side through this my journey as an Entrepreneur and has helped me through it all, the good, the bad and the ugly! Having a partner that understands that your job is unconventional is key to your mental and emotional stability through this journey and I’m so glad that I have one that keeps me grounded and sane.

Website: https://hauseofcurls.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hauseofcurls

Image Credits
Henry Torres

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