We had the good fortune of connecting with Cera Marquez and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Cera, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
In the beginning it felt like there was never a right time or place to rest; the moment I shut my eyes someone else was brainstorming their next move and the uncertainty that the next move would not be made by me was not going to be an option. I have kicked my own butt the whole entire way, but as I get older and more settled in my career I do recognize that in order for me to be able to accomplish all the things I am wanting to, I must first remember to ALWAYS check in with myself. If I am not okay then nothing else that matters to me is going to go to plan. I am a priority. Everything else relies on my capability to find balance within myself. Balance looks different to everyone so I encourage all my entrepreneurs and dreamers to take a look within themselves to identify what balance in their lives might look like to them and apply.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My current position is at Intrigue Boutique in Sunnyside, Colorado helping my partner Amanda with the in’s and out’s that all come with owning a small brick and mortar.
The journey to get where I am now all began behind the reception desk of a fashion wholesale company in Los Angeles in 2012, quickly finding my way from the desk to the photo studio to merchandise the catalog shoots for new styles as they were being created, organizing the samples, then off to the sales floor, answering calls and helping small business owners across the country, traveling for trade shows, apprenticing under a fashion designer that did not speak English, and this was only the beginning of what would come to be the ride of my life.
Deeper and deeper I fell into the world of fashion and I loved being immersed in it all. As long as my job kept me learning, studying, designing, photographing, merchandising, basically whatever it may be as long as it kept me close to the clothing I was happy. It was not easy so do not be mistaken, it took a lot of long days, endless tasks lists, sleepless nights, four gallons of coffee, and being in my early twenties also helped!
Then last year, being the weird year that 2020 was, I picked up some new hobbies and interest that have manifested into a story of their own and CC Oddities was born. Herbalism and tarot caught my interest, candle making and bug preservation helped build the name to what it is today, and you can find my little bug worlds at my friend’s shop, Arcana Herbal right down the street from Intrigue Boutique!
So, my ending note here would be whatever interest or career you may have, never limit yourself to just that because you might just end up surprising yourself with just how much you are capable of!
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.
The majority of my favorite places are up in the mountains but if we are staying in the city then one of my favorite things to do is to take a walk down to Sloan’s Lake from my house, grab some coffee on the way, or depending on the time a bottle of champagne or a six pack of beer and a blanket, just sit by the lake, drink, and, also… people watching.
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 want to thank my friends and family for being an amazing support system throughout all these years, it is you guys that help fuel the drive inside me to keep going, to wake up in the morning, to follow through, to never give up, to not take no for an answer, to be unapologetically myself. I am so proud of my own self as well; and every day I want to learn, I want to grow, I want to become a better person and this is because I am constantly inspired by the people in my life. Thank you ALL SO MUCH, you know who you are.
Website: shopintrigueboutique.com arcanaherbal.com
Instagram: @
Image Credits
Michael Christopher (@wanderlustwyo) / Arcana Herbal (@arcanaherbal) CC Oddities by Cera (@ccodditiesbycera) / Intrigue Boutique (@shopintrigueboutique)