Side-hustles happen to those who know how to #LiveLearnPlay

María’s Collars, From Mexico to Whistler.

Written by: Emilio Lopez Reyes & Maria Martinez Camargo

We are María and Emilio, WAS students who moved from Mexico to Whistler to start a life together next to the mountain; where photographers shoot at -10°C; people ride down a mountain either on a piece of wood in the snow or with a bike jumping between massive rocks at more than 80 km/hr. Well, our story isn’t that extreme but still adventurous.

While studying the Marketing and Media Manager program at Whistler Adventure School, we felt ready to start something. Starting a business out of your country is challenging but possible. It would work best to have marketing knowledge, creativity, a good product, and a purpose. Everything started with Milo, our 11 months puppy that came into our lives to hustle and change everything. We looked for a collar that matched his personality and coat; the wearable should be original and unique.

After looking for the perfect collar, we found a company that supports Mexican artisans who make these art pieces; we told them that Canada is a market that treats dogs as kids and that people, like us, make everything for our tail-waggers. We saved some money to invest in this company with the hours we were allowed to work.

The first step is the hard one, but with determination and support (WAS and Whistler community), we are growing the business and still learning, living the dream and playing in this fantastic place.

Marketing Knowledge: Marketing & Media Manager Program at WAS. Look at the courses included here. You’ll learn photography, videography, digital marketing and social media , event planning and so much more!

Creativity: “If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.” Marc Chagall

Good Product: These artistic collars are hand-woven by Mexican artisans using Chiapaneco nylon and leather to create unique and traditional patterns. Each is an unrepeated piece of art that takes between 1-8 hours to weave, depending on the size.

Purpose: All tail-waggers are one-of-of-a-kind, and their collars should be too! Support marginated Mexican artisans.

We highly recommend WAS and Whistler if you are looking for a life-changing adventure. The vibe, the community, everything is like a dream. Are you ready to #LiveLearnPlay?

Where to buy:

Our Website: mariascollars.com

Instagram: @maria.collars

Dog Collars