We had the good fortune of connecting with Cynzia Sanchez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cynzia, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
Most important the decision(s) I have made to contribute to my success: First, not been afraid of reinventing myself and second, moving out of Atlanta.

Except for a short time during and after college, I have always being self-employed. My parents were self-employed, so I guess I saw its pros and cons and liked the pros more than the cons.

I have started a few businesses by myself or with others. These include jewelry making, closet design, moving and storage companies, art camps, portraits by commission, selling my artworks, architectural design, bed and breakfast and just this year launched a wedding venue out of the B and B.

Of all the businesses I have been part of, some have been monetarily extremely successful. But success is not measured by earnings only, loving what you do, having fun with it, is the most important part of success. Very cliché, but very true.

I will definitely categorized the businesses I am involved with at this time of my life to be the most successful ones, not only because they pay the bills, but because they bring me true happiness and joy.

Moving from Atlanta to Maxeys, a town of 228 citizens, made the absolute difference for me. This was a decision made out of wanting to do something different, using all of my knowledge and experiences in one place, under one roof.

Here in Maxeys, Edward, my partner/significant other and I opened The Gillen House Bed and Breakfast in 2019. We remodeled the 1920’s house and started an adventure of which neither one of us had any experience with. The plan was for Edward to run the b and b business and for me to paint, something I had not been able to do much of in the previous years. It worked, the house became my gallery, our guests started buying my artwork and then covid happened.

In September of 2020 I was approached by a hairdresser who had visited the b and b and had seen my design capabilities. She asked me to design a hair salon for her. Since this project, my architectural design career has become my main form of work.

Why is this combo is so successful? I work from home, which happens to be an absolute paradise, doing what I love, surrounded by our 4 cats. B and B guests have become my clients by either buying my artwork or hiring me for design work, plus they are our socialization, to the point many guests have become good friends.

I lived in Atlanta for 42 years. I went to college there, raised my children, met some amazing people, and gathered my experiences. The last 6 years in Maxeys, I have taken all those experiences, mixed them all up resulting in the most fabulous time of my life. I am very proud of my reinvention capabilities!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a portrait artist, my forte is to capture the subjects character. I have painted all of my life, I come from a family of artists. My main qualification for beign an artists is my interest in it and always wanting to get better at it. My main challenge when it comes to art, not enough time.

As a designer, my forte is that I work with the client in every step of the way. I am designing for them the palce they are going to live in. I dont design with my ego at hand, I design with my client in mind.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Maxeys GA. where I run a Bed and Breakfast. My friends come to enjoy what we offer at the b and b. Other places to visit are Athens, Madison, Washignton, GA

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Edaward Toledano, my partner in life and business. he believes in me.

I have to also tinclude my children, Esteban Urrea, Katalina Williams, Carisa Mallof and Ansley Toledano. Their input and knowledge have been instrumental in my success.

Website: www.cynziasanchez.net. (under reconstruction at the moment.) www.Thegillenhouse.com

Instagram: cynziaarts. gillenhousebandb

Facebook: Cynzia Sanchez Studio. The Gillen House B and B

Image Credits
Cynzia Sanchez Edward Toledano

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