Who put the "eri" in "be extraordineri"?!

Hi Starshine!

My name is Erika, I am the founder and CEO of be extraordineri. Beyond the fancy titles, I am a first-generation Salvadoran-American woman, a big sister, an eldest daughter, and a visionary. Known affectionately as Eri, a childhood nickname given to me by my beautiful mother, I am also an aspiring author, artist, and imaginative soul from NYC, Brooklyn born and raised!

Ever since I can remember, I've dreamed of being a children's book author. In first grade, when asked the classic question "What do you want to be when you grow up?", my answer was always "I want to write children's books!" This response was understandably met with tilted heads and confused smiles from teachers who recognized the irony of a child wanting to write for other children.

Though I never let go of this dream into adulthood, life happened, so it was placed on the back-burner. For years, this lifelong aspiration resided solely in my imagination, seemingly too complicated and scary to pursue.

How does one transform fear into courage? Funnily enough, I had found my answer in a dog, specifically my late childhood dog. Her name was Estrellita, which means "star" in Spanish. That little one sure knew how to push through life, even in the face of all the scary illnesses she had acquired due to old age. Estrellita's legacy is the inspiration behind our logo, a symbol of the pure, boundless love and bravery that be extraordineri aims to inspire in everyone who comes across our story.

And that, my loves, is how be extraordineri was born—a culmination of a childhood dream, a longing to inspire others, the legacy of a tiny but mighty dog, and the tender nickname from a loving mother. As a form of parting words, take our motto "imagine more. dream big. be extraordineri." as a reminder to spice up the ordinary with a sprinkle of you.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Hope to see you stay a while.

With love,
Eri <3