We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariela Perez Calderon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariela, how do you think about risk?
I always knew risk was a big part of becoming an entrepreneur, but is not something that ever scared me. The way I see it, you can take the risk and maybe be successful or fail. At the end of the day you may find fulfillment or have to simply start over from zero. I rather not risk not knowing what could’ve been if I never took the leap.

What should our readers know about your business?
When I decided I wanted to start a business, I had no idea how to start or how exactly to do it (a degree in Human Biology didn’t necessarily prepare me for this). So, I took about a year to learn as much as I could about online marketing. I knew I had a good idea, I just had to figure out how to get it in front of as many people as possible. Starting a small business with no funding meant I could not hire a marketing team, so I invested on an education for myself to learn about marketing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m still fairly new to the city of Atlanta, so I would take my best friend to the amazing places I have discovered; The Beltline, Ponce City Market, Skyline View, Piedmont Park, Atlanta Zoo. I’m still a tourist myself!

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?
I would always shoutout my brothers (Jose and Mario) for encouraging me to follow the path I’ve chosen. We grew up in a household where college education and “a secure job” were the only definitions of success. After I finished my Undergraduate Degree, I decided not to continue on to the medical field. I wanted to become an entrepreneur, content creator, and actor, which sounded crazy to my family at first, but my brothers always had my back.

Website: www.Percalnaturals.com

Instagram: @MarielaPerCal and @PerCalNaturals

Youtube: Mariela PerCal

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.