These Women-Led Brands Are Proof of Colombia’s Creative Power
Daniela Salcedo and sisters Laura and Marcela Garcia Caballero show how vulnerability, craft, and story can turn Colombian passion into global reach.
By Nicole Fernandez
Three Colombian founders are proving that the most powerful brands don’t start in boardrooms. They start in real life: in a garage salon, in a sisterhood, in a story you decide to tell out loud. Here’s how Daniela Salcedo and The Hair Generation turned craft, community, and conviction into businesses that are going far beyond Colombia.
Both brands have built a community among their customers. One community embraces self-expression through unique pieces of jewelry, while the other has noticed an improvement in their quality of life thanks to the hair growth achieved with “The Hair Boomer” scalp oil. These two brands are making their mark on local and national communities, as well as on the international scene, with a Colombian touch.
Daniela Salcedo, and a jewelry universe built on feeling
Daniela Salcedo founded her eponymous handmade jewelry brand in 2014, and more than a decade later, her unique pieces and brand style continue to gain popularity.
“I heart everything that I see, and I see everything that I heart,” is how Daniela describes her way of seeing things, and it’s how she has created her jewelry universe full of vibrant colors, shapes, and styles.
You can also see Daniela’s personality and fashion style on her personal Instagram, which shows the creativity she brings as a person, entrepreneur, and jewelry artist. In this way, her art takes many forms, and each ring, earring, necklace, charm, or bracelet she creates reflects her personality and unique style. Daniela defines her pieces as “Jewelry that doesn’t go unnoticed. Designed to express yourself.”
Each Daniela Salcedo collection has a story behind it, one that connects with followers, clients, and those who have just discovered her craft. Her jewelry thus becomes handmade statement pieces that symbolize love, dedication, and meaning.
The Hair Generation turned hair loss into a movement
For their part, Laura and Marcela Garcia Caballero have connected with their Gangers through their slogan, “Every hair has a story.” In their case, The Hair Generation emerged from a personal hair-loss journey. A year after launching, their brand has blossomed beyond Colombia.
The sisters have an ambitious vision for The Hair Generation, but they have two main things clear: “we don’t want to grow quickly. We want to grow well,” and “we want when someone thinks of ‘haircare with soul,’ they think of The Hair Generation.”
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, the García sisters joined forces to bring their brand to life. The Hair Generation is today a fusion of vulnerability and storytelling.
“From the beginning, we built ‘The Hair Generation’ as a brand of stories, where each product is born from a real experience and a constant conversation with our community,” they told FIERCE. “We don’t go from a laboratory to the consumer, but from the consumer to the product. But there’s also something very important: while each experience is unique, the product was developed to work.”
Three women, three definitions of fierce
Daniela, Laura, and Marcela are true examples of what it means to be a fierce woman.
They represent the real Latina, the one who has fire in her soul, love and passion for her beliefs, and is unapologetically herself. They represent the Colombian woman who isn’t bothered by whether people like her or not, because she bets on herself, no matter how many times she is told “no” or “you shouldn’t.”
These three women exemplify how resilience, vulnerability, creativity, and passion lead to successful businesses. They also reflect the importance of daring to be different, which leads to connecting and creating communities with their clients.
What building with family teaches you
Another thing these women have in common is the structure behind their brands. Daniela Salcedo, for example, works alongside her husband, Mateo Jaramillo. She admits there’s a deep appreciation for the work dynamic with her significant other, despite being opposites. While he is rational and unafraid, Daniela is more cautious.
“My husband comes in to rein me in. I’m very emotional, and he keeps me grounded. So when you combine these two extremes, you achieve a very powerful balance: vision and execution, intuition and structure.”
For their part, Laura and Marcela recognize the value of having each other’s backs and company during the adventure of building The Hair Generation. They also understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses across different aspects of running a company together.
“We are very different, and that is also a very positive thing, since we complement each other where the other has a blind spot.”
The advice they all agree on
Finally, starting a business in any city, in any country, is hard and comes with many obstacles. However, these Latina founders agree on one thing: if your heart is in it, then it’s worth it. Similarly, all three founders aligned on the importance of starting even when you’re not 100% ready and letting go of the perfection mindset.
Daniela Salcedo shared: “Never wait for everything to be perfect before starting a business. That perfection is a trap. It doesn’t exist! It’s better to take the plunge, be daring, start with what you have, and refine it along the way.”
Laura and Marcela share the sentiment: “Start before you feel ready. Perfect preparation doesn’t exist; perfection is the enemy of good, and waiting until you have it is the most elegant way to never start. Know what you’re good at and what you’re not, and surround yourself with the right people for the things you’re not good at. Your story isn’t a weakness; it’s your most powerful asset. Don’t be afraid to tell it.”
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