Kathy Cano-Murillo, Founder of CraftyChica.com Talks Being Your Own Boss

Meet mom of two, wife, and an entrepreneur with an inspirational journey.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Ariz., Kathy Cano-Murillo is a writer, artist and founder of the award-winning site,CraftyChica.com.

Her journey to success, began with a website and long nights of blogging in her own home. Recently, she has been recognized by Cox Business as Latina Entrepreneur of the Year. 

ArizonaLatinos.com had the pleasure to interview the Crafty Chica, where she shares advice, her inspirations, as well as the success she’s been able to create through the world of blogs.

Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself, and what is CraftyChica.com?

A: CraftyChica.com is a site that I started in 2001, and at the time I was working as a newspaper reporter for the Arizona Republic. I had a craft column, it came out every Saturday in the paper all over the country through the Gannett News Service.

I decided I wanted to find a way where people could read my column and see my craft projects, for those who didn’t get the newspaper. I started Crafty Chica as a way to share the things that I made. I would take pictures of everything, and I took what I learned at the newspaper and made it into my own online magazine, CraftyChica.com.

It’s just a lifestyle site for the creative Latina. I write all of my own articles, and it is from crafting, cooking, celebrity interviews, to fashion, shopping and travel.

This was in 2001, and at the time there weren’t any other Latina-style DIY or craft sites. Once the recession hit, people started doing more crafts because it was a way to save money.

Q: What are your greatest accomplishments, what are you most proud of?

A: I got my first book deal in 2003. I had no idea that it would lead to Crafty Chica being a full-time job for me. I’ve gone on to author 9 books, 7 of them are crafts books and 2 of them are novels and the novels are paperback, e-books, audiobooks, they’ve even have been sold in Europe. They’ll be printed in other languages, and they all take place in Phoenix. They’re about creative Latinas in Phoenix, Ariz.

I also have a product line that comes out at Michael’s every year, and I do a lot of speaking engagements all over the country. I talk about blogging, the power of blogging, and how to brand your company.

Q: What is your advice to those who are looking to succeed in blogging?

A: Personally, it all started with glue and glitter. I call it, “I make a living sprinkling glitter (laughs).”

There is a lot of opportunity, probably the biggest secret to my success is going online. It’s so full circle for me because without the internet, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this and everything that I’ve built, I’ve built it through my website.

Now I go to New York, Miami, San Francisco, I speak at conferences, I teach workshops, I do all of these things, and it’s all because I have a powerful website.

Now I know all about SEO rankings, how to write a good headline, how to design a photo, I had to learn photography, video editing, marketing and merchandising. It has taught me every aspect of business and it all came because I got a website and blogged every night.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about being your own boss?

A: I really enjoy the power to reach so many people because I feel like I have a sense of purpose and that is to promote positivity through creativity. Every day when I get letters from women, from Latinas all over the country that say, ‘Wow, you really inspired me to buy a set of markers and learn how to doodle or I learned how to tie-dye from your website’ that is where I get the most satisfaction.