Karisa Lima (Entrepreneur)

What gets you excited about life?

I get very excited by the endless opportunities to learn and discover new things. I also love culture and I can’t say no to new experiences, as they always end up teaching me something.

What do you wish you spent more time doing five years ago?

I wish I could have spent more time with my family.

I came to Canada four years ago, and as an immigrant it is not easy to see them. It's easy to take these things for granted until you can't have them as readily as you once did.

What life lesson did you learn the hard way?

That time does not stop for you to figure yourself out, or literally figure out anything. Learning how to appreciate time and people were things that I had to learn the hard way, like experiencing homesickness and feeling regret for not “fully enjoying” some moments.

Enjoy the people that you love while you have them, and truly experience those moments in the present.

Be there! Life sometimes goes at such a fast pace and you can easily lose track of time. Make sure you make the most of the present, don’t be stuck in the past or only dream of the future.

What are you most grateful for?

I am most grateful for my family and friends. All the things I have experienced in life wouldn’t be the same without the people I have shared those moments with.

How has the pandemic changed your life? How did you cope?

The pandemic forced me to focus on developing my personal projects and working hard in other areas of my life that I was not able to focus on before.

I try my best to approach situations with a positive attitude, but of course it was a mental challenge to concentrate and keep working as you have no clue what will happen next.

But besides graduating from college, I was able to find a business partner and started a small business on Etsy called Owl Joy Creations. A positive of the pandemic was that we were really able to focus on making that business a reality.

When you are 80-years-old, what will matter to you the most?

That I lived my life without regrets.

Tell us something about your business/brand Owl Joy Creations? How did it start? and what inspired you to build it?

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and this is not my first experience with a small business. Before I moved to Canada, I used to run a small business in Brazil to help me raise money to pay for my schooling here.

My business partner and I started Owl Joy Creations in September of 2020. The idea is to bring joy and inspiration to people through our designs, especially in tough times.

It is nice to see someone smiling because of a funny or inspirational t-shirt.

Your business website says " Create to Inspire", what does it mean to you?

The idea behind "Create to Inspire" is to have our customers wear or carry an item that sends a message that means something to them. It's design with a purpose in mind.

This message is meant to allow people to show their personality, allowing them to express themselves through the clothing that they wear.

We want people from all aspects of life to feel proud of who they are, and wear that literally on their chest. Whether they are part of the LGBTQ+ community, are feminists, enjoy satire, or like a good pun, we want to create designs to inspire those people to be themselves.

If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?

This might sound a little cheesy, but follow your dreams! Trust who you are, trust your abilities, set goals, make a plan, and just go for it! A dream can be very overwhelming at first but think of your goals as footsteps down the path that leads to your dream. Each little goal you achieve is another step in the right direction.

This will make everything much more achievable and easier to manage. And while you're on that path, don't forget who you are and why you're walking it.

There will be people who will try to discourage you, and it will be hard to differentiate the ones with good intentions from the ones who are just there to tear you down.

When you work towards your goals you will encounter many sources of negativity and doubt (sometimes even from yourself!). Having a plan and continuing to work towards your goals will allow you to keep your efforts in perspective so you can keep making positive progress!

Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/OwlJoyCreations

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

Instagram Business: https://www.instagram.com/owljoycreations/