Founder, Casa Naranjo
www.casanaranja.com

When was the last time that sexy strains of Latin guitar welcomed you home?

That’s exactly what greets visitors to Casa Naranja, launched by Elizabeth Mateo to connect accomplished, affluent Latin women who love to live life with passion. Casa Naranja houses advice on everything from beauty products and lingerie to the best dishes at Lucy’s Latin Kitchen in New York.

Elizabeth has lots of nice things to say below about Ladies Who Launch, but don’t mistake this for an ad. Hey, can we help it if Ladies Who Launch Incubators are becoming so successful that some featured ladies have stories about how the workshops helped them along the way?

Living in Two Different Worlds

“It’s fulfilling and satisfying to work on Wall Street and be surrounded by incredible geniuses, financial whizzes, and then come home, visit my grandmother and talk about what is going on with the ‘novelas’ she watches. I can go from lunch at Per Se to having rice and beans for dinner and it’s wonderful. I’m not unique in this, which is why we have to launch this company. Most of (our target audience) is bilingual and completely assimilated in the U.S., but with close ties to their homeland. The core of Casa Naranja is bringing together these incredible women who otherwise might not have the opportunity to meet.”

Keeping Her Day Job

“I have a fulfilling job with a premier investment bank and securities firm in commodities research, but I felt there was a void in my life. I go to many events and get excited when I meet fellow Latin women at these events – many Latin women from different walks of life. I thought, ‘There has to be a way we can bring all of these women together – the common denominator is that we’re all passionate.’”

Pleasure and Profits

“I launched my business through the Ladies Who Launch Incubator after asking myself, ‘What kind of business could I launch that would bring me immense pleasure and where I could make oodles of money?’ It would have to be something where I could spend time with my friends, network, make a difference, have cocktails, visit spas and connect with people.”

Dream It, Then Do It

“I took the Ladies Who Launch Incubator in February of 2005, and I developed my idea for my business by the second week of the workshop. My fellow (women in the workshop) said, ‘Set a date for your first event,’ and I said, ‘I need to do some research, finalize a business plan. I can’t do an event yet – I’m not ready.’ The group said, ‘Set a date.’ So I set a date, worked around that and here I am. I’m proving that it is possible… if you dream it, you can do it.”

First Event – Beauty Bash

“My first event was June 18th of 2005, and we had over 250 people attend. Since then, our mailing list has grown to upwards of 1000 people and this is all via word of mouth. It was a beauty bash. We had it at an upscale Latin restaurant in the hub of the Dominican community, with a masseuse, manicurist, fabulous cocktails, and a slew of raffles that represented what we were all about… we gave away an iPod and Jimmy Choo shoes.”

Getting the Word Out

“We have members who approach us, wanting to work with us… creative directors from ad agencies, associate editors from publishing houses, a lot of powerful Latin women who want to network. We’re approaching sponsors saying, ‘Do you want to place your product in front of this audience of engaged women?’ It sounds so simplistic, but it has worked so far.”

Landing First Sponsor: Finlandia Vodka

“As you put your idea out there, the universe conspires with you each step of way. Before our first event, I had gone to an event where a Finlandia-vodka cocktail was served. I was thinking about it the next morning, and decided, ‘I’m going to give someone a ring.’ I sent an e-mail to someone in Finland who forwarded it to their multicultural marketing manager, and they said, ‘Sure, we’re going to sponsor your first event.’ It was an incredible feeling, and since then, everything has fallen into place the same exact way.”

Landing Posh Locale

“In December we were launching a book for two Latina authors. I had driven by The National Arts Club, a really high-brow club in Gramercy park in New York and decided to pitch them on hosting the book launch event. The events coordinator was a Latin woman – she loved the concept and donated the space for the event. That’s how everything happens for us.”

No Business Model? No Problem.

“My business model right now is the fire in my belly. It’s really ironic that I work in finance. We have a business model, but if we were to sit and focus on the model, logic will tell you the business will not work. Instinct and intuition tells me it does and it will.”

How She Juggles Her Day Job and Her Business

“With careful balance and with help. My two cousins, my sister and my best friend are fully involved (in Casa Naranja). We all have full-time jobs, but because the vision is so clear and the passion is so deep, we make it work. The beauty of it is that I’m not sacrificing my personal time – the business is reflective of who we are, there’s no sacrifice whatsoever.”

Greatest Challenge

“Our greatest challenge is growing who we are, expanding to cities within the United States and Latin America and becoming the global brand that we intend. Naranja (Spanish for ‘orange) stands for vitality, passion and energy and that is exactly what Latinas are.”

Favorite Business Resource

“Helloooo? Ladies Who Launch. I would recommend coaching with (Ladies Who Launch co-founder Beth Schoenfeldt). I was sort of waffling a bit on my business idea and she set me straight. I have met many other women through Ladies Who Launch, like (bestselling author) Karen Salmansohn. She’s so inspiring. This is what it takes to be an entrepreneur – you’ve got to have the right resources and network.

“If there’s any question in my mind about any business issue, any doubts in my mind, any needs that I have, I can e,mail out to this database of women (within Ladies Who Launch) and someone gets back to me. It’s a community of encouraging women who are so generous in helping other women.”

Words of Advice

“Tap into everyone you know – do not think that they might not be relevant to what you’re doing.”

“Take every ‘No’ as a slow ‘Yes.’”

Entrepreneurial Influences

“I’m an anomaly in my neighborhood. I grew up in Washington Heights, which is a primarily Dominican neighborhood. My father was a banquet manager at the Hilton in New York. My parents were humble, but hard-working people and always encouraged us to definitely move in the direction of our dreams, without knowing they were quoting (Henry David Thoreau).”

Got 5 Seconds? Get Motivated with Her Favorite Quotes

“Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.” – Charles Kettering

“All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” – Victor Hugo

“Fake it ’til you make it.” – Liz Mateo