Empowering Women to Find Their Inner Confidence and Beauty With Carliz Sotelo Moore
How we feel about ourselves can be a big part of how confident we feel. Like it or not, things in our appearance like our hair make a difference in our inner confidence. Today’s guest has not only found a way to empower women when they need it the most, but she has built a solid business around it. Caliz Sotelo Moore co-founded Wigs.com in 1999. She was exploring online niches and was fortunate and wise enough to stumble onto the wig niche.
When she realized that there was a need to help people with alternative hair and how empowering it could be, she made this business her sole focus. Things paid off and Wigs.com is the world’s largest online wig retailer. She now focuses on education and building a team that is empowered and passionate about their work. She has partnered with BreastCancer.org, and she has a huge soft spot for children’s charities. Carliz works passionately to make the world a better place one life at a time.
Show Notes:
- [03:25] Carliz started Wigs.com in 1999. She has been entrepreneurial since she was a kid.
- [03:50] She was helping write business plans and noticed that niche markets online were wide open.
- [04:16] Her goal was to get 10 online platforms with products shipped from the manufacturer to the consumer. The wig market was wide open. It was also very needed and educational aspect was very important.
- [04:49] Alternative hair ended up being the only thing that they focused on. There was such a need.
- [05:34] Her parents and grandparents were entrepreneurs and it just was in her DNA to become an entrepreneur.
- [06:14] As an entrepreneur, you can make the necessary improvements you want.
- [07:07] When you empower your team they have exponentially more passion.
- [08:18] Passion is the personality trait that Carliz looks for. Team members get ownership of what they do.
- [09:44] Everyone has passion, we just need to figure out what sparks it.
- [10:45] It's important to push yourself out of your comfort zone and keep improving.
- [12:30] Alopecia is on a scary rise. Hair loss in general is up for women.
- [13:15] We lose 80 to 90 hairs a day. Hair production goes down in our 30s.
- [14:14] New wig technology is so beautiful and well made.
- [15:29] Quality is great now. Wigs are like human hair. Wigs are fun to experiment with.
- [17:22] There is a medical need for alternative hair, but it's also a fun way to express yourself without added chemicals, time and expense.
- [18:23] With a wig you can have perfect hair in an instant.
- [18:28] Their biggest partner is BreastCancer.org. Anyone who purchases on Wigs.com has the opportunity to give to BreastCancer.org.
- [18:54] They also help with educational videos and answering questions women don't know about wigs.
- [19:05] Carliz loves charities related to kids.
- [21:17] What skills do you need to get noticed? Be of value and put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to be unique. Find value and be yourself.
- [23:53] Carliz has surprised herself with her ability to stick to it. She had a gypsy spirit, but fell in love with the client base that she serves.
- [26:29] Four or five years ago, they put out a survey and decided that they needed to listen to the client. Without listening to the client you will miss some things.
- [28:53] Women in business have different challenges. Women manage differently than men. Women seem to have a higher EQ. It's positive but can be draining. Women need to get out there and do it.
- [33:49] Carliz has a great group of people that she bounces ideas off. We do need a network.
- [34:55] Find a group to connect with peers. Look for networking groups like EO or Vistage of other peer groups.
- [36:32] There is always someone who can share a unique perspective.
- [37:14] Carliz learns from clients and any related resources that she can find.
- [38:22] She loves engaging in all aspects of her company. There are different things every day, and she is thankful for her amazing team.
- [40:25] Follow your gut and listen to your instincts. Never give up and make a difference. You are successful if you are passionate about what you are doing and getting paid for it.
- [42:11] Don't settle. Find the right team and find a job where you can make a difference.
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