Ojaláb is a retail innovation lab for Latin American designers, shaping the global market with cutting-edge experiences tailored to the intentional buyer. We bring the heart of Latin American design to New York City through a transformative six-month journey, culminating in an experiential event that connects ethical and emerging Latin American designers with U.S. boutiques, press, influencers, and consumers who value intentional style

As Co-Founder and Service Designer at OjaLab, I design and optimize end-to-end service experiences that connect Latin American brands with U.S. retailers. I lead the development of digital and physical touchpoints, leveraging user research, data analysis, and iterative prototyping to refine our offerings. From shaping business models to designing future software solutions, I integrate systems thinking and service design to create scalable, impactful experiences. My role spans strategic partnerships, operational design, and cross-functional collaboration, ensuring OjaLab evolves as a retail innovation platform that bridges cultures and empowers emerging brands.

About OjaLáb

Becoming 'global' is the goal of many local brands and boutiques around the world. However, after speaking with over 30 Latin brands and boutique owners in the US, we’ve found key challenges that create an opportunity gap and the potential for exceptional win-win partnerships.

The key challenges include:

Context

Brainstorming and Facilitation Sessions:

I facilitated cross-functional brainstorming sessions where team members collaborated on potential solutions. These sessions allowed us to align on the best approaches, ensuring creativity while maintaining focus on practical implementation. We used tools such as Crazy-8, 5 Whys, and other ideation techniques to explore ideas, cluster them into categories, and prioritize them. After clustering, we conducted voting sessions to identify the most promising solutions, which we then developed further into actionable plans.

Business models & Service Design

Mapped out the value propositions for each stakeholder, ensuring that our solutions delivered clear and measurable benefits to both boutiques and brands. This step was essential for creating win-win partnerships.

We worked on refining and validating OjaLab’s business model, considering revenue streams, customer segments, and key partnerships. This stage helped ensure the business would be scalable and aligned with our long-term vision.

Value flow

Unit cost

Website & Software Development

Directed the ideation, design, and development of OjaLab’s website, ensuring alignment with business objectives and user needs.

Made sure the website is scalable using a CMS, balancing between creating the final product and developing MVPs with a clear release timeline.

Leading the development of software solutions to automate connections between brands and buyers, simplify workflows, and scale operations.

Significant milestones

September '24

First Version of OjaLáb MarketFest

We planned & hosted OjaLab MarketFest during Market Week to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through fashion in New York City, showcasing ethical Latin American designers. Guests explored an interactive fashion gallery, bringing each creation’s story to life. The event featured two panels on ethical fashion and Latin American brands' global potential.

October '24

OjaLáb Shop

Following the event’s success and high demand, we launched OjaLab Shop for online shopping. This not only boosted sales but also provided valuable metrics and engagement data to showcase to boutiques and buyers.

https://www.oja-lab.com/category/all-products

Outcome & impact

1. .25+ brands from Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama trust and collaborate with us.

2. Social media followers increased across platforms, with 240K+ impressions and high engagement during campaigns.

3. Established team structures and operational processes to streamline collaboration and improve productivity.

4. Secured key partnerships with boutiques, schools (Parsons), press, and influencers, scaling brand visibility and growth.

5. Executed two successful events and are actively planning a third pop-up. Through pop-ups and retailer/customer activations, we offer opportunities to experience products firsthand, fostering real connections and building buyer confidence.