{"id":188944,"date":"2026-03-03T21:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T21:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/188944\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T21:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T21:10:09","slug":"meet-two-el-paso-entrepreneurs-the-prospector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/188944\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet two El Paso entrepreneurs \u2013 The Prospector"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a city with dozens of small, local businesses, entrepreneurs like Monica Martinez of Blossom Bar and Crystal Lee of the handmade jewelry shop, Daizy Baby, success is about more than profits. It\u2019s the joy of sharing their craft, meeting new people and doing what they love every day.<\/p>\n

Blossom Bar<\/p>\n

Reaching its first anniversary in March, Martinez owner of the Blossom Bar pop-up shop, said her business began in an organic way.<\/p>\n

After struggling to find a flower bar service in El Paso for her friend\u2019s bridal party, Martinez decided to create one herself, starting with just a couple of metal buckets, a table and cloth.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe wanted it to be floral themed, like love is in bloom, something like that. So, we were looking at trends and ideas to do, and she wanted a flower bar,\u201d Martinez said. \u201cIt\u2019s like a party favor, and your guest leaves with a bouquet that they get to make and pick themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learning everything she\u2019d need to make her friend\u2019s party a unique experience; Martinez went down a rabbit hole searching for how to set up a \u2018flower bar\u2019 experience.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Monica
\n <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto courtesy of Monica Martinez.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted it to feel like a luxurious, actual experience. So, we started researching to see what we could do, and we decided to do a wood cart.<\/p>\n

We got it built in Juarez, we let him know [about] our designs, and he measured it for the buckets we used. And then I did a lot of [shopping from] Amazon and Hobby Lobby.\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n

Martinez found herself drawn to chatting with the guests, arranging flowers and watching people light up as they built their own bouquets.<\/p>\n

Turning a fun DIY project into the spark Martinez needed to build her own unique business.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom that first event, I fell in love, like, I felt the spark or the connection,\u201d Martinez said. \u201cMy husband is the one who actually pushed me. He was like, hey, \u2018you said there\u2018s no one really doing it here. Why don\u2018t you start it?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

With the support of her husband and close friends who helped her build the cart and assist at events, what started as a creative side hustle blossomed into a thriving small business that she hopes will one day turn into a full-time job.<\/p>\n

Martinez said that along with the growth came new challenges, like balancing Blossom Bar with her full-time job, marriage and motherhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think my biggest struggle right now is juggling all of the aspects of my life and still running a business,\u201d Martinez said. \u201cI want to keep my glass full in every relationship that I have. But it is super challenging to try and balance everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a new business owner, she also had to navigate unfamiliar territory. Martinez spent hours researching flower care, maintenance and marketing strategies, unsure at first what the El Paso community would expect from such a new business. Though the local floral industry proved more competitive than she initially imagined, she says the connections she builds with customers continue to make the long days\u2019 worth it.<\/p>\n

Daizy Baby<\/p>\n

Seen at dozens of market events across El Paso, the seed for Lee\u2019s hand crafted, floral themed jewelry shop, Daizy Baby, was planted during the<\/p>\n

COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Quarantine gave her the time to focus and explore her passion for creating jewelry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted to do something different. Before, in the beginning, just for fun, I would make, like, clay charms and different things like that,\u201d Lee said. \u201cAnd I was thinking about, well, what can I do to make myself different and stand out, but also something that everyone would love?\u201d<\/p>\n

The answer to that would come from nature. Pressing flowers, many of which came from her mother\u2019s plants or her friend\u2018s flower farm, into necklaces and earrings. Lee even turns other natural materials like wild strawberries into works of art.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Monica
\n <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto courtesy of Crystal Lee.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\u201cPreserving the flowers into jewelry was something different, and it\u2018s really great, because you get to actually find the different meanings from the flowers. Then for them, it creates a story, and they really connect with it. So, for me, I really just loved creating something that people would connect with,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n

For Lee, her family were some of her first supporters toward her endeavor to bring something new to the people of El Paso. Her mother, who is an entrepreneur herself, having run her own business acted as a mentor, attending all her markets and helping where she can.<\/p>\n

Then, in 2023, Daizy Baby officially transformed from a side gig beside her work at her family\u2019s restaurant to her full-time job.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been very blessed and lucky with a lot of people supporting me and wearing my jewelry and telling me that, \u2018Oh my gosh, they received so many compliments\u2019 that it\u2018s a staple, and they\u2018re building their collection, and overall for me, and I\u2018m really glad that people like and love my little creations,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n

Putting everything she earned right back into her business, Lee added that some of her biggest challenges came from handling nearly every aspect of the business herself. From production and photography to marketing and website management.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a lot of craftsmanship that goes into [running a] small businesses,\u201d Lee said. \u201cPeople like to think of costly versus expensive. Costly is the price that it is because people have taken the time to hone in on their craftsmanship, the quality, the workmanship they put towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Much like Martinez, Lee measures success in more than profit. It\u2019s the way people are excited by her products and getting the chance to build her career out of something she loves.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to fail,\u201d Lee said. \u201cI think you have to be okay with the chance that it might happen. But take calculated risks. Do a lot of research. If it doesn\u2019t work out, pivot, go into something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

While both women found success in turning their passions into businesses, they acknowledge the risks that come with entrepreneurship. They encourage other women to not to be afraid to fail and take calculated risks.<\/p>\n

Jewel Ocampo is a staff reporter and may be reached at Jnocampo<\/p>\n

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