Meet Neely Mancia

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

Hi Neely, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a young girl, I never really saw anything like my business — something that made all of Latin America feel included, cute items that would make us feel represented. As a Salvadoran-American Latina, I felt like there wasn’t representation in the way that I wanted to see it. Pieces that made you feel like you didn’t have to sacrifice your style, but at the same time still represent your ‘cultura’. When I looked at the bigger picture, I saw that there was not only no representation for El Salvador on the market, but ALL of Latin America. I decided to learn embroidery since I felt it really made pieces look elegant and timeless. From there on, I had just quit my job at the time and decided I would follow my passion, to make other Latinas like myself feel seen.

What should our readers know about your business?
Latina Dreamer Designs is a lifestyle brand focused on empowering EVERY Latina by amplifying representation. We create empowering minimalistic apparel and stationery that will represent women with latin roots of every latin country, including mixed & afro Latinas. Regardless if you speak the language or not, our mission is to bring Latinas together by first empowering them.

Latina Dreamer Designs was created about 1 year and a 1/2 ago as an homage to my roots. From a young age I always saw the pride that my family had for being Salvadoran. The pride that reflected in everything they did, the food we ate, the mannerisms we had. And growing up going to El Salvador, I saw a side of myself I was proud showing, regardless if I was born in U.S. I knew this wasn’t just a feeling I held, but so many other Latinas as well.

In the beginning, I felt like it was time to do something I had never done before and build something myself. No one in my family had ever started a business, but I told myself — there’s a first time for everything. I felt like I never saw anything on the market that really focused on making Latinas feel empowered in the way i’d like. For example, minimalistic apparel that can be worn day to day and not having to sacrifice style. I also wanted to create a brand that was inclusive, by representing all of Latin America, adding the element of customizable pieces for mixed Latinas, and building the community of Latinas by also letting them know they didn’t have to be excluded if they didn’t fully know the language.

We started out going viral on Tiktok for our ‘País Hoodies’ which were customizable for EVERY Latina. We have a ‘Made In USA’ one for Latinas born in the U.S or ‘Hecha En’ which is for the Latinas that were born in their motherland. Ever since — we’ve been posting on social media to show other Latinas that there is representation for all of us.

Now we sell online and at pop-ups in the DFW area. We normally focus on events targeted to the Latine community and are always so excited to be able to hear from Latinas whether it be in person or online on how we have impacted them. We get so many women that come up to us and thank us for being that representation they’ve never had. That to me means the world, because at the end of the day, making them feel seen is what we strive for.

And of course, every day does not look the same. One of the biggest lessons I learned was consistency is key, as long as you’re taking small, or even baby steps towards your goal, that’s what truly matters. I didn’t know how to create a business, I never went to college for business, I didn’t have friends or family in business, and I didn’t come from wealth, so everything I did, I learned. Remember, just because you don’t know it, doesn’t mean you can’t learn it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Omg, I love this question! Since I love supporting local businesses so this would be my itinerary.

Coffee & Brunch? Xamán Café in Oak Cliff, I love their Chorizo Panini w/ the house salad, plus I love their Strawberry Horchata Matcha!

Walk around town? Best place i’d say is Bishop Arts. So many small businesses with unique foods and once every month on Sunday’s they host ‘Bishop Bazaar’, a local market with vendors from around DFW.

Want to go Hiking? – Cedar Ridge Preserve, choose from different trails and good to visit early morning until sun down especially on summer days.

Want to visit downtown? In the morning visit Olmo Market – check out their horchatas, coffee, PLUS they have so many items from different small businesses and really cultivate community within their space. After that, visit Downtown Dallas and park at Klyde Warren Park, you get a view of the city and are walking distance from the Dallas Museum of Art. Once you’ve visited the museum, for lunch, get some fresh sushi from ‘Blue Sushi Sake Grill’ about a couple minutes away. After that, get on the FREE trolley that takes you around the city which drops you back off at Klyde Warren Park, where you started. End the night with food from ‘San Martin’ a Guatemalan bakery/restaurant where you can enjoy dinner and dessert.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this to my parents, my family — everything I do is in homage to my roots, my cultura, my family that sacrificed everything to be in this country.

Website: https://www.latinadreamerdesigns.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinadreamerdesigns

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelymancia/