Leah Ortega

After facing unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Leah Ortega took lemons and made lemonade by deciding to launch her own business, Ortega Vintage Goods. By marrying her love for interior design and vintage goods, she was able to start something she was truly passionate about! 

This was no small feat, initially fearing failure Leah reflects that “I thought about selling vintage for a few months prior but wasn’t sure how it would work or if people would like my curated collection.” 

Later in the year, she also helped co-found the Mujeres Makers Market, a community market that highlights women of color. 

After attending some outreach events, she was intrigued and decided to sign up for WEV’s Spanish virtual networking event. Soon after, she enrolled in her first WEV class, Digital Marketing, and “learned the importance of marketing your business to all the different clients you may have.” She also found community: “WEV has been a great way to connect with other businesses to network, ask for advice, and learn from one another.” 

In 2022, Ortega Vintage Goods and Mujeres Makers Market celebrated their 1-year anniversary. Both have been growing and gaining traction.