Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Vargas.
Hi Stephanie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Emily’s Marvels first started out as a necessity. My father had fallen ill in 2017/2018 and I was preparing myself for the worst. I needed money quickly, and I knew my strong suit was sales. My thought process at the time was if I have it listed somewhere online, then surely someone will buy it. I have this friend/nerdy mentor in New Jersey, where I’m originally from, and he guided me on some basics on how to run an online store. At the time I was using eBay and had no idea what I was doing. It went so well for me within the first half-year or so that I realized this is something I can really do. Pop culture fans are always looking for apparel/accessories at a reasonable price. 1 year later I tried my hand at being a vendor at a convention and that first experience of being on the other side of the table was amazing. I fell even more in love with what I was doing. Then…the pandemic hit. It was not easy for me, well obviously it wasn’t easy for a lot of us. Especially with me being pregnant with my second child. The pandemic was a bad time all around (with the exception of the birth of my second child). I had to put a hard stop to Emily’s Marvels for a while, I was just so defeated. 2022 was coming quickly and I made a promise to myself to bring it back to life. My company is named after my first born and it’s important for me that she sees how much hard work I’ve been putting into this. Not only am I doing this for myself and my family, but it’s also in the hopes that I can one day spark inspiration into my children; that they can for sure can do whatever they want if they want it bad enough and work hard. I want them to know they too can overcome and prevail. Even if it’s just for themselves.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, in the beginning, it was a little difficult because I truly had no idea what I was doing. However, the pandemic was a huge hurdle with an unforeseen end. I was fortunate to do one last convention before it happened in 2019 and I was a few months pregnant with my second child. Once the pandemic was here, I had to shift how things were done. Instead of being able to attend these events, I had to reintroduce myself to online sales only. Once my son was born, I had to stop things completely for a while so that I could focus on my family. It’s not easy adjusting to a now family of 4, with a newborn, and running a business. I had taken the time to figure out what I really wanted to do and if it was going to be good for my mental health. Luckily, I didn’t suffer from postpartum depression and had a partner who tried his best to help me in any way he could.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Emily’s Marvels sells pop culture merchandise for big kids at heart. Everything is fairly priced and officially licensed. When you catch me at a convention, there will always be a deal or 2 going on. I am proud to be one of the few Latina lead pop culture businesses in the state of Florida. All inventory is always family-friendly and sometimes there will even be freebies for kiddos, like stickers. Even though “Marvel” is in the name, you will always be able to find other franchises such as DC Comics, Harry Potter, and a few anime titles. I absolutely appreciate feedback. If there is a character/theme that isn’t currently available through Emily’s Marvels, please feel free to contact me and I’ll try my best to add it to my current stock.
What are your plans for the future?
Emily’s Marvels will have a website by the end of 2022. There are events happening all summer long, throughout Orlando and maybe Ocala, Florida that EM will be at this year. There will always be an update of merchandise, so be sure to keep an eye out. One of my biggest goals is to work up the nerve to apply for MegaCon Orlando. It’s one of the biggest conventions in Central Florida and it’s been a dream to be a part of it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilysmarvels/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilysMarvelsShop
