Did you know that not only is Hiptipico owned and operated by a woman, but, all of Hiptipico’s employees are also female?! Hiptipico’s founding principals revolve around equality, empowerment and authenticity. Here at Hiptipico, we lift each other up daily in the office while working to give a strong platform to the female artisans we work with.
Sharing our artisan partners’ incredible stories of motherhood, fashion evolution, cultural preservation and design innovation is what brings us together. Spreading the word about strong Maya women who are juggling daily tasks like you and I, whilst fighting a constant battle with discrimination, poverty and modernization of their culture. These women we share our time with are an even brighter example of why we are proud to be female!
Get to know the Hiptipico team a little better:
Ligia
Ligia is originally from Xela, aka Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. She is Hiptipico’s local expert, customer service extraordinaire, product support and is our go-to virtuoso on the tradition and history behind the craft of all of our handmade items. Ligia is an independent, forward-thinking young woman who enjoys working at Hiptipico because it aligns with her passion to empower Maya communities. Also of Maya descent, Ligia has always been passionate about sharing the beautiful culture of her people.
Fave quote: “Always be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle.”
Spirit animal: A rabbit (her Maya symbol)
Can’t live a day without: Coffee
Biggest guilty pleasure: Fairy tale movies
Favorite hobby: Photography
Biggest pet peeve: Anywhere crowded
Dream travel destination: India
Favorite thing about living in Pana: The weather
Famous woman in history you’d love to get dinner with: Malala Yousafzai
Nadia
Nadia (aka Nadz) hails from Houston, Texas, though she is proudly half Iranian, half Filipino. Nadia is Hiptipico’s expert multi-tasker-- taking on bits of everything, including outreach and lots of visual storytelling, launching Hiptipico’s new site and overall branding. Nadia is passionate about working with Hiptipico because she appreciates the authenticity of the craft and the importance of preserving Maya culture because of her own strong ties to cultural roots. She believes in Hiptipico’s mission to alleviate poverty in a way that is both socially and environmentally sustainable, and that also empowers and honors the communities we work with.
Fave quote: “Always do the right thing, even if the sky falls in.”
Spirit animal: A quokka
Can’t live a day without: Singing a song from “Singin in the Rain”
Biggest guilty pleasure: Trolling on Tinder and Britney Spears’ Circus album
Favorite hobby: Photography and reading
Biggest pet peeve: When people chew with their mouths open
Dream travel destination: Volcano surfing in Nicaragua
Favorite thing about living in Pana: The weather
Famous woman in history you’d love to get dinner with: Audrey Hepburn
Haley (that’s me!)
I’m originally from North Carolina, though I have a love and passion for seeing the world meeting people from all walks of life. I am the office newbie and a travel blogger. Currently I run our social media and outreach, though I'm still learning anything and everything Hiptipico-related. I came to work with Hiptipico because it represents a crossroads of so many things I care about: empowering women and families, supporting artisans preserving an ancient craft, and sharing that art with the world.
Fave quote: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” -- Nelson Mandela
Spirit animal: Red pandas playing in the snow
Can’t live a day without: COFFEE
Biggest guilty pleasure: Pitbull
Biggest pet peeve: The question “but where do you get your protein?!” because I’m vegetarian
Dream travel destination: India and Sri Lanka
Fave thing about Pana: The weather and the coffee
Favorite hobby: Traveling, writing, binge reading anything and everything
Famous woman in history you’d love to get dinner with: Maya Angelou
Alyssa
Alyssa is the Hiptipico founder and boss lady, originally all the way from New Jersey. She founded Hiptipico 4 years ago and takes charge of all the big ideas and happenings in the office. She manages strategy plans, business development, seasonal buying, artisan relations, evaluates impact, and oversees all other major projects. Her main goal in starting Hiptipico was to give Maya artisans a voice and global platform to sell their handmade goods.
Fave quote: “I could tell you my adventures-- beginning from this morning… but it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” -- Lewis Carrol, from Alice in Wonderland
Spirit animal: A lion
Can’t live a day without: Talking to her fiance, DJ
Biggest guilty pleasure: Snow foam coffee
Favorite hobby: Watching the sunset with Ixi (her rescue pup)
Biggest pet peeve: When people chew loudly and chipped nail polish
Dream travel destination: Ethiopia
Favorite thing about living in Pana: Pana is so animal-friendly, you can take your dog anywhere!
Famous woman in history you’d love to get dinner with: Amelia Earhart
The Hiptipico gals are tied together by a love for coffee, fashion and rescue puppies, but also the day-to-day joys and trials of living in Guatemala. We’re united as women with a passion for empowering other women around the world. We care about preserving culture, creativity, ingenuity-- but mostly about helping people in impoverished communities lift themselves out of poverty.
≫ Follow along LIVE from Guatemala and browse more of our fair trade products on Instagram (@hiptipico).
♡ See our female founder's daily posts featuring other ethical fashion brands and collaborations (@alyssaya).
≫ Be sure to like Hiptipico on Facebook for global news, travel and women's empowerment.
