The year 2020 marked an important milestone in the path of entrepreneurs in Cuba; a before and an after. The epidemiological situation and lock down saw many people develop their skills. Camila Sabido Vivó, creator, craftswoman and founder of Elephant Hands was no exception.
Although Elephant Hands, one of the popular cold porcelain accessory stores surfing on the success of social networks, was born from that wave, it was not its initial driving force.
“I do not dedicate myself one hundred percent to handicrafts. I work in foreign trade, a crucial activity for the country, and during COVID-19 I never stopped, I didn’t even have the opportunity to telework. Evidently that left me little time to create. I do it in the evenings; but household expenses and my taste for art and fashion convinced me completely.”
Achieving combinations between wardrobe and accessories is one of Elephant Hands’ main and riskiest goals. At first it was a total disaster, Camila recounts, but over time it took shape. “I always said I wasn’t going to sell until I was able to make something that I would buy myself, and that I was going to price it at a price I would pay myself.”
The handicraft sector is of great importance today; it supports local business, contributes to imports, and helps and rewards small organizations for their effort and dedication.
“I believe that essentially it is also about the power of personalizing each piece so that it is unique and also expresses who I am, that each carries a piece of me. That even if it’s small, it’s totally different from the other products in the catalog. Imagine the pleasure of knowing that what you have chosen because it identifies you, is uniquely yours.”
For Camila, there are several keys to achieving success and the first is to work and do it well.
“In the Cuba that I live in, perseverance is the second key. I’m not saying that entrepreneurs in the rest of the world don’t need this, but I think Cubans have to put in extra effort. You cannot forget the goal; success does not come first and foremost, it is the reward of all the work on the path towards your goal. And never forget customer service; that they feel important and happy is a synonym that you are doing well. If that happens, then you will be successful forever.”
