Owner of Spider Lunch
Christopher Hernadez, Owner and Chief Organizer of Chaos at Spider Lunch, used the skills he learned in RMMFI’s Business Launch Boot Camp to build a business and a life he’s proud of.
When Christopher was first introduced to RMMFI in 2016, he was launching Made Wild, a lifestyle brand that sold local retail goods at markets. Eventually, he built one of his most successful products into another company called Catacomb Matcha. Now, he owns an agency that builds optimized, user-friendly websites for clients across Colorado and Texas.
It was a big transition, but Christopher credits his pivot towards consulting to the pandemic. Out of a need to support himself and his partner, Christopher honed his own digital marketing. As it turns out, he has a knack for web design, so he started doing it for other people, and his second business was born.
The Role of Identity in Business
Christopher prides himself on working with business owners instead of for them to establish their brand identity. He and his team provide web development, SEO, logo design, and print services – a collection of deliverables Christopher has nicknamed “business therapy.”
“There’s an aspect of building a website and a brand that turns into business therapy.” He says, “We talk about the struggles in your business; what’s working and what’s not. The number of times I’ve cried with a client on the phone or they’ve cried with me?! It ends up making you feel good.”
Just as clients’ identities are front-and-center, he finds his own identity as a queer person gets a considerable amount of attention. Christopher says it’s taxing to feel like one’s livelihood is at stake because of his queerness.
“My queer identity has been difficult in business for me because I’m always afraid of how people are going to handle it. I basically have to come out every time I have a new client.”
He points to three things that help him stay sane under the pressure: community, self-care, and redefining success.
Flipping the Script of Success as a Consultant
Although Christopher deals in the world of business, his success is not defined by a dollar amount. Over the last two years, he’s changed the way he prices services and retail goods to be more accessible to smaller businesses.
“I don’t need to take a bigger piece of the pie than I need. You can more easily decide how you want to participate in capitalism when you own your own business,“ Christopher says.
Website projects can cost anywhere from $10,000 – $15,000, which is out of range for many of the people that Christopher chooses to work with. By lowering prices, Christopher can create a high-quality asset for businesses that need one.
Business ownership affords Christopher the freedom to choose what businesses he supports so that he can better align his work with his values.
Come Cry with Christopher
How can you stay connected with Christopher? Schedule a meeting with him! His first session with prospective clients dives deep into business identity and defining success.
“Tell people to come and cry with me, they can, and it’s free! It’s 30 minutes, let’s chat.”
If crying on the phone with a stranger isn’t your thing, there are still plenty of ways to support Christopher’s work. Most delicious? Buy matcha from his second business venture. Most impactful? Follow his queer business directory (coming soon) to find products that create more wealth among LGBTQ+ identifying folks.