Para leer en español, haz click aquí
Meet Cinthya Flores, Owner of Utz Threads
Successful startup founders are often hailed as superhuman, the reality is they are regular people like you and us. Meet Cinthya Flores, a proud Bay Area entrepreneur. She is the successful owner of Utz Threads in Oakland, CA. Utz Threads is named after the word good in Maya Quiché; the language spoken by the women weavers that create their product in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. Being a textile brand that's inspired by the lively colors and cultural markers of the indigenous Quiché people, Cinthya strives to connect the ancestral weaving practices to this living culture.
Cinthya is an entrepreneur driven by her passion to help Guatemalan women gain financial independence. Through her business, she has been able to create a space empowering women to tell their own stories. When you purchase from Utz Threads you are gaining an opportunity to learn the elements of everyday life in Guatemala. In return, you support the continuation of an ancestral tradition.
Cinthya joined Centro’s entrepreneurship program because she was seeking clarity on how to successfully grow her business and continue to support her Guatemalan partners. The infinite amount of possibilities was overwhelming, and her lack of accounting knowledge was intimidating. Cinthya needed direction and mentorship.
In Centro’s Advanced Entrepreneurship Program, Cinthya worked one-on-one with her MBA Advisor, collaborated with her fellow classmates and developed her business plan and presentation deck. As the program progressed, Cinthya was able to identify her business’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, she was able to focus on the areas where she lacked knowledge and became a stronger entrepreneur. Centro’s unique Business Planning App assisted her in building the foundation her business had been lacking. Throughout the 14-week program, the Centro team saw her evolve into the successful entrepreneur she is today.
Today, Cinthya has expanded her reach with more Guatemalan women/partners, has established a wholesale order and is placed in a few shops throughout Oakland. She is expected to triple her earnings next year and be placed in more stores throughout the state. Through local and national partnerships, Cinthya hopes to expand her brand recognition. Join us in congratulating Oakland’s own superhuman, Cinthya Flores.