Entrepreneur Jezabel Careaga On Defying Creative Categorization

On today’s episode of Creative Space, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jezabel Careaga. She’s an entrepreneur, designer, chef and maker from Jujuy Argentina, who moved to Philadelphia in 2010 to open her cafe, Jezabel’s, in Fitler Square. Over the last 12 years, her empanadas, alfajores and other Argentine delicacies have become a staple in Philly. In 2019, she relocated to a larger space in Spruce Hill where she expanded her offerings to include cooking classes and special events. Her latest venture is L’Atelier, her collection of custom furniture and artisan home goods. 

Jezabel defies categories as an entrepreneur and creative, having started out as a chef and cafe owner and now making the transition into a career as a furniture designer with L’Atelier.

If you’re a creative with a lot of different interests, Jezabel has a lot of sound advice and perspective on making it all work.

For more information on Jezabel, follow her on Instagram @jezabelcareaga.

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SHOW NOTES:

0:00—Introduction

1:35—How we met

2:34—There’s no greater equalizer than being human

4:38—Having a lot of creative outlets

5:09—Time is finite, so be economical 

6:14—Growing up in Jujuy, Argentina

7:00—How being the oldest sibling affected her

8:42—The education system in Argentina

9:47—Looking up to her father

11:45—Crafts at school and cooking with Julia

13:25—If you want to do something, just get it done

16:05—Be loving but also have boundaries

17:27—What is creativity?

19:30—When she first wanted to be a business owner

20:30—Opening her first cafe at 26

21:00—What brought Jezabel to Philly

21:40—How to choose between ideas

23:38—Her greatest challenge as an entrepreneur

26:48—The inspiration behind L’Atelier

29:00—What’s next? A career in design

31:00—How architects inspire Jezabel’s furniture designs

32:25—How to make time for many creative outlets

Transcript

Jennifer Logue: 0:12

Hello everyone and welcome to creative space, a Podcast where we explore, learn and grow and creativity together. On today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jezebel kariega. She's an entrepreneur, designer, Chef and maker from Hanoi, Argentina, who moved to Philadelphia in 2010 to open her Cafe Jezza bells and filler square. Over the last 12 years, her empanadas of the holidays, and other Argentine delicacies have become a staple in Philly. In 2019, she relocated to a larger space in spruce hill, where she expanded her offerings to include cooking classes and special events. Her latest venture, which we're going to talk about today is let's tell you her collection of custom furniture and artisan home goods. She's a woman of many talents. Welcome to Creative Space. Jerseyville.

Jezabel Careaga: 1:06

Thank you for having me.

Jennifer Logue: 1:08

My pleasure. I have to start this off by Do you remember how we met originally?

Jezabel Careaga: 1:15

I think I think you came over to 26 some time. Yeah, I think it was even like a rainy morning, or something like that. I want to say I remember being gray ish, which is yeah,

Jennifer Logue: 1:29

I remember vividly, I think it was for a metro story.

Jezabel Careaga: 1:32

Yes, that's the right. That's right. Yes.

Jennifer Logue: 1:36

And I think you sent me home with the most amazing upper holidays I've ever had in my life. And I like remember them in a little bag. They're just so beautiful, so delicious. And like, you put so much love into everything you create. So I'm so excited to have you on space.

Jezabel Careaga: 1:53

Yeah, I'm excited to be here. I love to talk about creativity and what drives the human being to, you know, the pursuit of always putting something together. So I'm happy to be here.

Jennifer Logue: 2:05

Yes. And on your website, I think I saw you have these lines, human being human doing human loving human dreaming? Do you want to talk about that a little bit?

Jezabel Careaga: 2:18

Oh, my God, it's funny. Yes, I would love to talk about it. I just had that conversation also, with some friends over here at the Atelier last Friday, because, you know, we're talking about thing, we live in a society that likes to put you in boxes. And we am all about like, what are we right? Like, usually you meet someone and you're like, what do you do? What are you who are you and then it's like, I'm a human being doing lobbying training. And I think those are like, the bursts are the actions that I associate the most. You know, I'm also thinking, but it's kind of like dreaming this kind of like loving someone, that's what you could for them, right? I don't know, that means like also doing and I just want to be human, I want to do things as a human. And I think it just breaks the boxes of who are you? What do you do, we're all humans, right? I think if there is no bigger equalizer to say like, whether you are if you become a physician, or you treat patients or you are a lawyer, or you are an architect, or you are a cook, I mean, we're all just humans, so I decided to kind of push a little bit the envelope. I didn't say like, you know, when people ask me, What are you I'm a human being doing lobbying training. Then any other title, you know, we decide to have, you know, that are added titles that kind of define who you are being an entrepreneur and maker like Cook, Chef, founder, all of those things. I think they come second. But the main core is being that human was dreaming, being doing and I'm loving

Jennifer Logue: 4:08

it. I know I struggled to creative sometimes when I have all these different outlets, and some people don't have many outlets, they focus on one thing. And I love this philosophy you have just about being human in general, because it opens everything up and gets us out of those boxes. So we can create and be and do and love and that's so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Yeah,

Jezabel Careaga: 4:33

of course. Yeah, I don't know. I think like I'm very much in like, I have this constant reminder that time is so finished, right? And I'm constantly deciding how many words I want to use. I don't want to use an extra word, but I have to I don't want to make an extra step that I don't have to like, consider myself extremely economical in the sense of like that I take the steps that I need to take but I don't as and extra energy on projects on things that I don't want to do feel that things that they don't feel right on people that I don't want to be with. You know, and I think being human, it kind of like also opens the door to whatever you're going through. Because we're all going through something. Yes, we're through some insecurity, it stars, sickness, whatever, like everybody's going through some kind of something. And I think it just opens, you lowers the shield? Yeah, to kind of be human.

Jennifer Logue: 5:37

Yes, we're all on a journey to grow and to become who were meant to become on this planet. So. So let's start at the very beginning of your journey. What was it like growing up in Hawaii? Argentina?

Jezabel Careaga: 5:52

Oh, my goodness, I haven't had that question in a long time.

Jennifer Logue: 5:57

I'm glad I asked it. Yeah.

Jezabel Careaga: 6:01

I think there were many things that I they're very ideally, in a way, you know, I grew up on a smaller town feeling even though there were 50,000 or 50,000 people in that town. But more of like, in a small town feeling surrounded by close knit relatives, family, grandmas around life revolve pretty much around family. You know, I'm the oldest of four. And I think that's a title that I was born into. Right. And I think part of that, it's always I always been, like, I always had, like, drive on my own, like, you know, I'm a self starter, I think I think a lot of things in my personality, they come from that corner, you know, for one side than the other one, like being a leader. You know, my siblings are like, six 813 years younger than me. So, you know, I was always the older the one that is like, kind of seeing how things go for, and things like that. So it's a mix of things. And I think just having that role in my life at six, because that's when my sister is born. Definitely has influenced who I am. And the way that I will eat, you know, and someone asked me not that long ago on an interview, if you were to be an animal, or a plant, why would you be and then I said a lioness, you know, and what the lion is that is just to text, her calves and her partner, like, nothing can happen to them, right? Like, and if you are in my corner, that's who I am. And I am that person with my team. I am that person with my friends. I am that person with my family. So I don't know, it's getting mixed up here. But I think part of like, a lot of those things, getting steel as a child, like being a self starter, being the leader of the pack. very loving, very open. Really good progressive education. I mean, I this is one thing that I always remember I was in sixth grade when I learned about climate change. Oh, wow, this is 919 93. So when sometimes I have questions about I start talking about climate change on eel, like wind energy and all of these things. To me, it seems weird that we're still trying to think about like, Oh, we're going through climate change. Now. We're going through climate collapse. We have known this since the 70s. Why are we trying to take action on these 50 years later? So I had like really good progressive education, very open minded. I love to work with my hands. I like to cook I like to work with woods. I was always kind of moving my hands around the house. So I guess that relates also fast forward to making food making furniture today,

Jennifer Logue: 9:17

right? So were your parents creative for the entrepreneurs?

Jezabel Careaga: 9:22

Ah, yes, I know my mom, deeper toes in for a little bit. But you all send her thing. And then my dad holds a position at a company that he had a fair amount of freedom. So you know, he always was able to have his job but also like grab cool projects in between. So I always learned that from him, and he was very well respected among his colleagues and the people that was working for him. So I always I try to emulate that kind of way of being a firm leader, but also flexible on some angles, right? Like, I do believe in being professional on showing up to work presentable and ready to go and you know, having a little makeup and always looking your best you know, but not everything has to be so as structure. So, you know, it's like somewhere in between. My dad was extremely professional, you will never see him go to work with the uniform from the day before, right? Like always Iran and presentable and just ready to go and you know, hair properly combed and things like that. So those are I think, like little things and little details that we, for me, they are important. And I think as you know, everything gets so relaxed with COVID. It's kind of like hard getting back to it very much

Jennifer Logue: 11:03

is. I agree. Yeah, learning how to put makeup on again. I was like, Wait, how do I do this?

Jezabel Careaga: 11:13

But here we are. Yes, exactly.

Jennifer Logue: 11:16

What was your first creative outlet growing up?

Jezabel Careaga: 11:21

We had a class at a school that it was kind of cool, like, craft, or something like that. So I was always like overdoing myself. And then I just love cooking. So whenever I had the chance to cook with my mom or my grandmother, we did that as well. So you know, I will say like cooking and just doing crafts. At some point, I assemble like a little coffee table. By the time I may have been like 15 1415. You know, I just remember my dad, like, can we please make this table and we believe me this table, so we ended up doing it?

Jennifer Logue: 12:02

Together you and your dad?

Jezabel Careaga: 12:04

Yes, yes, yes, yes. But yeah, I love just working with my hands.

Jennifer Logue: 12:10

So your dad's a woodworker, too.

Jezabel Careaga: 12:13

He was he my dad is very handy. He will like fix an outlet he will fix for said he will like, you know, fix very, very, very handy. My grandfather made furniture. In on my dad's side, he made furniture for the house. So the house that I grew up in asleep in the bed that I grew up is sleeping in as a kid, my grandfather have made it. Oh, that's beautiful. Yeah.

Jennifer Logue: 12:47

So all these inspirations, it's so interesting, and so cool to see where it's led you today. But what drove your creativity back then, as a kid? You remember?

Jezabel Careaga: 13:02

I mean, I mean, I don't know if this is the best answer. But I think lately I've been trying to I, I think a lot of my creativity is driven by or inspired by my grandmother folia. She took care of me since I was six months old when my mom went back to work until I was five and I started kindergarten. And I just play in her bag here help her make pasta, feel potatoes. And I just was like I live in la la land at all of those years, right? Like the most formative years of a child from six months to five years. Yes, I had these like, life of like Wonder and like she will take me to the grocer, the grocery shop and the baker. We will go to the bakery. And we will go to pick up meat and the butcher and all of those things. And my grandmother was come from very humble beginnings. But if she wanted the house painted, she will just go find the paint and she will paint the whole house White and I wonder why today my house and my business are all painted white. I think is a connection to if you just want to do it. You just get it done. She loves my grandfather in her early 60s, I believe. So you know most of her life. I'm gonna say 30 Yeah, like 30 years or so. The last three years of her life she spent it, you know, like just being the person that push like, carries the home. And she was always that person. So I think a lot comes from her. You know, she was very simple. On humble, but every morning she got out, she washed her face, she put a little moisturizer. She put the bobby beans, the hand was always happy and tight. And she put a little lipstick. And that was it. And it's so basic. She's ready to go. But she did it every single day. Do you right? I need just show that she was ready for the day. I don't remember not seeing her that way. So I don't know, I think a lot of my impressions come from her from just got just going around and see what she was very loving and very caring. And she didn't have she was always able to express what she wanted, how she wanted her to boundaries and like, be nice. And when we will walk around town. Everybody loved her like and when he was like, hey, they will go hurt on Yahoo. Lita, who leave that is, yeah, like it's like a little Julia. But Sonia is the term of endearment for someone who's older. You know, but they always, like, treat her with so much kindness, but she was also the person who was extremely kind to the camera. And, you know, that's what she was. And she was simple and easy and loving and caring. And I think somewhere between her and who I saw my dad become a leader and be a person who ended up running the company that he worked for for so many years is kind of where I want to end up and kind of like who I tried to emulate and use them as role models for my life.

Jennifer Logue: 16:49

Oh, wow. wonderful role models, covering the whole gamut. So beautiful. So on the subject of creativity, how would you define it? What do you think it comes from?

Jezabel Careaga: 17:01

How do I define creativity today? I think it's like, your heart expression. That's what I call creativity. You know, at the end of the day, you can be created in so many ways. You can be creative making food, you can be creative, working with bird, you can be creative, designing a space designing experience designing your company, I think creativity is really tight with intention. Right? Just being intentional. You know, where design comes from is like the moment that you decide to make something prettier. So you're not, it doesn't only touch your life, but also touch the lives of those around you. And I read this recently had a book that I just finished. That's what he's consider designed to be right. Like the moment you decide to make something prettier for yourself or for others. So beautiful, I can definitely be applied to TVT. Yeah, yeah. And then being creative, I think is is just part of that design component to say like, I'm going to make this better for myself. And most likely, I'm hoping this will attach others to that idea of making things better making I don't have to worry is better. But I did beauty to it, add to the world, whatever that is, whether it is through a planter, a plate of food, a building, the experience that you have, when you go into a building, the way that you write a paper, there are so many ways to add beauty every day. So I think that's what I would either define creativity somewhere along those lines, the intention.

Jennifer Logue: 18:59

So did you know you want to start your own business?

Jezabel Careaga: 19:04

I knew that I you know, I guess we knew it at different points. But I remember Blaine, around five or six saying like grabbing like little leaves and stones and I will set it up on my parent's garage. And I will play that I had a grocery store. So it could come from there. And I remember having my little like bag and cross in my body and I will like make like cabra Euro papers and that was in money and that will be like my play time with my neighbors. That was one. The other one it was when I went to business school. While I'm working as a tour operator office with Sara Hill. I do the business program, and I develop the business programs for that company. But then I also told myself like, by the time I'm like 3840, an accurate category, I would like to open this restaurant, slash bakery catering type of thing. With a lot of window, a lot of light open kitchen. And that opportunity came along after being two years in Miami when I was trying to 627.

Jennifer Logue: 20:24

So it came a lot earlier for you, which is wonderful.

Jezabel Careaga: 20:27

I know. So now that I just turned 40 I'm trying to figure out what to do with my life.

Jennifer Logue: 20:33

We'll get to that part. But why did you choose Philly from Miami for Jezza bells?

Jezabel Careaga: 20:39

Do you know I'm an artist, I follow my heart. And I have met someone in Miami. That was from Philadelphia. And he had he owned the property where I originally open my cafe 26 some time. So it's like, let's move to Philly. I was like, Sure. That sounds like a great idea. You know, the beauty of being 20 something. I'm just gonna open a business.

Jennifer Logue: 21:06

Yeah. And then you have multiple creative pursuits. So how do you know when to actually make an idea? You must have a million ideas all the time? Like how do you know? Okay, this is something I'm going to do. I'm opening this cafe. I'm moving to spruce Hill and expanding to offer cooking classes. I

Jezabel Careaga: 21:29

say, I mean, I think and this is more, the more reflects that I have gotten through over the last few years that it comes to the connection that you have to yourself. Since I was five, and I was playing that I own a grocery store to you know, I'm planning to stay 20 years later when I open just wells. And today 15 years later, when I had a business for so long. I think one of the conversations that I have with one of my closest friends often is say you're just following your intuition. So now, do I need to follow my intuition on every single thing that he leads me? No. I think I'm very fortunate that if I have an idea, because I already have a business and a platform, I can test it for a little time. And then I can say like, well, maybe this is a great idea, but not for now. Maybe this is a great idea for later, maybe this is a great idea to become its own business down the line. And I have tried things that they have not worked, and then just put them back to sleep. You know, and you never know, to be honest, you never know. But I think that's I follow my intuition. And I follow my heart to say like, Oh, this feels fine. This makes me feel good. Let's explore that area. And the fact that I can explore and see what happens. I mean, that's a very fortunate position to be in.

Jennifer Logue: 23:09

What's the greatest challenge you've experienced as an entrepreneur so far?

Jezabel Careaga: 23:19

greatest challenge. A challenging time, I'm gonna say maybe it was when I had to move the business from 26 and pine to 45th Street. I think a lot of which is the place where you met me, right. And then you also had been to the new space as well

Jennifer Logue: 23:41

love the new spa, beautiful. Yeah,

Jezabel Careaga: 23:43

I can't wait for you to come and see the whole new expansion. But I count that as a very challenging time. Because I think for training for a long time. 26 some time was my identity. Right? That's what people knew me for. And I saw when I had to execute the move very quickly, in order for the business not to go under or things like that. It was just physically and emotionally taxing on my body. And it took me a long time to recover. You know, I made the moves. I said the business to be okay for six months, but then 2019 I ran out of money, day after day after day after day, and then 2020 came out. Oh my gosh. So, you know, I think 29 That moment that I had to move the business. I just couldn't asleep. I was with acid reflux all day long. Even if I wasn't eating much. It was it just it was an emotional shock to my system. I'm very happy that I went through it, I'm so happy that things happen the way that they happen, and you don't. And I remember telling myself that in that moment that I was going through the mouth to say, like, you don't know yet, but this is the best, like, you need to do this change. I know it sucks, but just, it's okay, get through the pain, get through it, and honestly get through all of these, like, it's gonna be okay. And I just believe either myself or I trust the universe, that everything was going to be okay. And yeah, it was just getting to the other side. And now, I couldn't be happier that things happen the way that they happen. So instead of like, fighting, and getting upset and angry at challenging times, I just decided to say like, okay, that's happening, what can you do to keep moving forward, keep putting one feet in front of the other one. And then just lead what is painful, be painful, where what is being challenging, be challenging, just kind of like these very, like tunnel vision of like, one feet in front of the other one, one feet in front of the other one, you know, you don't know what's going to happen. But I believe that I was going to be able to figure it out.

Jennifer Logue: 26:18

You are so inspiring. That is amazing advice that I'm taking for myself. Because you do come out the other side stronger, and you're more ready for new challenges, new opportunities. Now speaking of that, let's talk about Latella year. We know you always designed furniture, it sounds like from what was the inspiration behind the tiller year?

Jezabel Careaga: 26:44

I think like everything else in my life, very organic. Right? I started making furniture in 2015. Like more formally trained here in the US, and then I just like testing things out, and then I furnish my house. Why have I always focus on the gaps that you find along the way? So I think one of the things that I learned at 26 and fine, he was like, it's no, and then you have the healthcare regulation. And then you have other regulations. And then you have regulations for commercial businesses. So if at any point, you're like, considering all of the things, we're running a business, and you have to get custom made pieces, all of these things, I mean, it's extremely expensive. So I was like, maybe you can start fabricating these, and that, and this and that. And that's what I did. So that's I did a few pieces and things for 26. I'm fine. And then I was like now that I know the healthcare regulation, I want to make this space pretty for every guest that walks in here. But I also want to make this space pretty for everybody who works here. Because the employees are the ones that they spend the most time to space.

Jennifer Logue: 28:01

Yes, that's.

Jezabel Careaga: 28:04

So when I started expanding on 20s and 45th street, I was like, let's make it clearly from beginning to add for everybody. So I think that was a lot of the driver behind it. And then you know, I furnish one space I furnish a space to, and then at that point, I'm like, Well, I think I need to just have a business that is for design, and furniture, because it's something that that's my next year, I think, you know, I mean, I do a lot of reading, I exposed myself to a fair amount of art and architecture and sculpture. And I have many friends that are architects and in the design world. So these are conversations that I have on a regular basis. So okay, it's again, just following my intuition little by little, and then it takes you somewhere and then it's taking you I mean, now today to the space where I'm sitting, which is like a year.

Jennifer Logue: 29:08

I can't wait to see it. Do you have a particular piece that you've worked on, that you'd like to share story about that maybe means something to you?

Jezabel Careaga: 29:19

Oh my god, I think my desk is the one that definitely holds a little bit of a special place because, you know, I get to send emails, pay invoices, but also I get to draw and write and it's a space that I get to have conversations on. So I feel like that's a special place. They are a special place is this so far where I'm sitting on right now? Because yesterday I had a friend I came over and then it was like, let's just go to the sofa. So we close the app here and we had our coffee and our tea and just like and then it was like That said, it's awesome pleased to have to get it to just relax without a like you're sitting on a chair is a lot more formal. So I do love these fees. So yeah, I will say like, somewhere along my desk and this so far.

Jennifer Logue: 30:29

Are there particular designers who inspire you in your furniture design work?

Jezabel Careaga: 30:35

I cannot name a designer, to be honest, I don't think I follow a designer. I think I follow more architects. Okay. So Hadid, who's no longer with us, and then Frank Gehry. Yes, you know, the clean lines. Yeah, I will say somewhere along those lines, but it's that's more like grandiose baked architecture. But I look at those things. And then it's like how kind of like little pieces of pie will come together on a smaller space. So yeah, I think somewhere along those lines, yeah.

Jennifer Logue: 31:17

Cool. And how can we see your work and purchase your designs your furniture?

Jezabel Careaga: 31:22

So we're developing a website right now. So stay tuned on, I think the best way thing, the best thing to do is follow me on Instagram. Because you have a link to everything I do. Right. So we have the Joseph mills in there. You have lateral here in there. So there are a few things happening there. Yeah, but we're working on the website. Right now. We're finishing a few pieces. So yeah, this is going to be ready to go. And in the meantime, I am making furniture and a few other pieces for other people. I

Jennifer Logue: 31:54

just have a where do you find the time like, Oh, my goodness, you do everything you're Superwoman.

Jezabel Careaga: 32:01

I have a great team. So you know, I need like, I was telling a friend of ours, like, I think I'm putting myself out of my kitchen job. Training, training people during these during that okay, you step back. So you know, it's just like, Okay, this is out of my hands. Just make sure he happens. Try the food here and there. It's all good to go. So yeah, I think is just really like a stepping back where I have to, you know, I don't have to do everything. And I just need to learn to trust people to do the best they can do. And that's it. So

Jennifer Logue: 32:40

truly the mark of a great leader when you can step away, and the ship sails smoothly. Yeah, well, I think yeah, I appreciate it. Just felt thank you so much for taking the time to interview for creative space. I didn't know there's so much about your story that I didn't know about. So

Jezabel Careaga: 32:59

we can do a second part.

Jennifer Logue: 33:03

I'm going to hold you to that. And in the meantime, I'll have to go and check out your new space and give myself an upper holidays. For more on Jezebel and all of her current projects, visit her website at Jezebel kariega.com. And thank you so much for tuning in and growing in creativity with us. I'd love to know what you thought of today's episode, what you found most interesting what you find most helpful. You can reach out to me on social media at Jennifer Logue or leave review for creative space on Apple podcasts so more people can discover it. I appreciate you all so much for being here in the beginning stages of creative space. My name is Jennifer Logue and thanks for listening to this episode. Until next time,