Well, it’s official: I am now an entrepreneur.

For those of you who know me personally, this probably comes as a bit of a surprise. After all, I spent a good 12 years of my life in higher education as a student earning my master’s and doctorate in communication studies. Some of those years were spent teaching as a graduate assistant. And when I finally graduated with my doctorate (during the pandemic, no less), I settled into my job as an educator teaching public speaking as a university lecturer.

And while the past several years have been personally and professionally fulfilling, I have also felt a bit restless. Hearing about how many of my friends and colleagues pursued research agendas (I was never keen on research) or side gigs like consulting (which I never found appealing) made me realize that while I did love teaching, I needed another outlet for my creative energy and inspiration.

But what I was feeling was more than just the need to be creative. I was looking for a challenge that would be more than professionally fulfilling. I was yearning to transfer my skills (getting a room full of nervous students excited, dropping pop culture references at random) and passions into new opportunities.

Sure, this current economy likely means I will turn to consulting or professional coaching at some point in the future. But I wanted to do at least one thing for myself inspired by my love for pop culture and play. And since I was experiencing my own personal toy and collectable renaissance, I found myself gravitating towards the same pop culture toys and trinkets that brought me joy in both childhood and adulthood.

That’s when the wild idea of Bruja Brick Emporium came to me. Aside from loving vinyl figures of my favorite TV and movie characters from childhood, I was reaching more and more for toys and activities that kept me off my phone and laptop screens. I rediscovered that putting together a building block set or finishing a puzzle brought infinitely more joy than the video games I was used to occasionally playing in my free time. And I learned that there was nothing cooler than putting something together with your own two hands.

And I know what you may be thinking right about now: it doesn’t take the same skill or intricacy as knitting or woodworking. And playing with building bricks probably isn’t as refined as building from a hobby model kit. But honestly? That doesn’t matter. Doing puzzles and completing building block sets with my hands gave me a sense of accomplishment that I did not realize I wanted or needed.

So, here we are at the start of my entrepreneurial journey that still feels unexpected and unpredictable. But it also feels exciting. I am not walking away from teaching, but I know I’ve found the perfect new adventure.

By now, I’m sure you’re wondering: what exactly will you find at Bruja Brick Emporium? At launch, the shop will carry a curated selection of sealed, secondhand retired LEGO sets (yes, the ones you thought you missed your chance to build), along with a handful of other toys and collectables that made the cut.

“I was reaching more and more for toys and activities that kept me off my phone and laptop screens. I rediscovered that putting together a building block set or finishing a puzzle brought infinitely more joy than the video games I was used to occasionally playing in my free time. And I learned that there was nothing cooler than putting something together with your own two hands. ”

This blog is where I’ll share reviews and previews of what I’m stocking, plus the occasional missive about what it’s really like becoming an entrepreneur and small business owner (which still feels very weird to say). It won’t always be about me learning how to be a business gurl, but the journey is just as important as the destination.

And if you’ve ever thought about taking a leap of faith and betting on yourself, I hope following along inspires you to take that leap, too. Oh, and if you’re curious about the name? Stay tuned: “Why Bruja?” is up next.

I cannot wait to take you all along for the ride.

–The Brick Bruja

From Lecture Hall to Toy Shop: The Brick Bruja Has Entered the Chat