The WAGS Work Series aims to show our readers that we are more than the stereotypes you might be familiar with--we're creative, hard-working, driven, and willing to do whatever it takes to make this lifestyle work. We also hope to inspire women in all walks of life to get creative and think outside the box when it comes to working and creating the lives of their dreams. Please reach out to the women featured in this series if you have questions or want to learn more about what they do.

TELL US WHO YOU ARE, HOW YOU GOT INTO THE BASEBALL WORLD, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND.

My name is Natalia E. Nieves Otero. I am 25 years old, and I live in Florida, Puerto Rico. I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a vocational education certification. I currently work as an artisan, which gives me the time and flexibility to travel to see my husband play.

I came to the world of baseball thanks to my father, who at that time was a pitcher in the Puerto Rican amateur league. Since then, I have been in the parks and watching ball games. Then years go by, and I meet my husband Roy when he was finishing college. It was like welcoming a new era in baseball. It was so different in so many ways, the excitement, the parks, the people; all. I fell even more in love with the ball. Even more so for the people I have met over the years.

My husband and I (Roy y. Morales Rivera) have been together for 4 years now. We live in the countryside in the northern part of the island (Puerto Rico) with our little baby Luka (pug) and our small farm. What makes us leave our island every year to the different places where Roy is sent to play. During these 4 years we have been very blessed. We started in the independent league and little by little we have risen, until last year when we were in triple a playing for the Saint Paul Saints team. Baseball has been the best adventure of our relationship to this day. Right now, we are waiting for a team to sign Roy and see where the road takes us this year and continue this amazing adventure.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU/HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

My sister Zahira inspired me when I was little. She even took classes to learn how to make jewelry and macramé, and then she would come to the house to teach me everything she had learned. We started the garment business, but then she came to college and gave me everything to continue the business. Since then, I have been creating so many different things like earrings, macramé, bracelets, headbands, bandanas, necklaces, rings, bags, and tops; but that's not all, last year I added crochet. So now different types of woven accessories such as: clothes, garments, bedspreads, home decorations, hats, bandanas and more. If it hadn't been for my sister, none of this would have been true.

TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR JOB, WHAT DO YOU DO, AND HOW LONG YOU’VE BEEN WERKIN’ IT.

I have been working in my small business since 2014 and since then I have created so many things that I can't even remember. Each piece that I make always try to be unique, so it will be very difficult to find 2 or more pieces of the same. I like to treat each person as unique, make them feel special with each of my products.

As I said before, I dedicate myself to handmade jewelry with different materials (some are natural, from my garden), crochet (bags, hats, clothes, scarf...), bandanas, accessories for pets, decoration for the house…

WAS YOUR SUCCESS IMMEDIATE OR DID IT TAKE TIME?

The process has been a roller coaster. At first it was prosperous, since I was at school and my classmates spent most of their time buying screens and bracelets for me to wear at school. The business continued to thrive until my senior year of college. Well, after this there was no one who needed or wanted to buy jewelry so often. So, my business sales decreased. Also, the audience of people had changed; so, I had to change and make different accessories to meet people's needs. Another thing was the pandemic, people stopped buying for fear of being contaminated by the packages. Because of this I had no sales for two years. Not to mention, many places closed their doors to me, so I had nowhere to go to sell my stuff other than social media.

WHAT OBSTACLES HAVE YOU FACED AND HOW DID YOU PERSEVERE IN HARD TIMES?

During this trajectory I have had the misfortune of facing many obstacles as I mentioned before. Such as:

• the change of public

• the pandemic

• many places closed their doors to me

• high costs to be able to set up my table

• event cancellations

• they did not give me the opportunity to sell my products, because others had the same

• materials went up in price

• people do not want to pay the value of the work of a craftsman

During difficult times I am one of those who does not give up easily. I always try to keep a positive mind and let nothing influence that. Something good will always happen regardless of the situation or circumstance. The important thing is to see the positive side, believe and have faith and the certainty that everything you want and long for will come true. Money comes and goes, but life doesn't. So, among all the situations and/or circumstances that life confronts us, I try to enjoy every moment with my loved ones and achieve each of my dreams.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE RUNNING A BUSINESS AND LIVING THE BASEBALL LIFE?

At first it was quite an uphill battle trying to balance running my business and living the baseball life, since before I couldn't carry all my jewelry materials everywhere. So, I had to manage and depend on social networks at that time. Then I had the idea of taking the finished garments with me so that I could sell them wherever I went, especially to the players' partners or even to themselves. In this way, I was able to sell in different places while Roy was in the park. Then the pandemic came and unfortunately, I spent two years without selling anything and without being able to set a table anywhere due to the restrictions of the health department at that time.

Already last year it got so much better for me, my business and Roy's career. For my part, I managed to take my business to different states and ballparks, I was able to integrate my new crochet line, which was wonderful. Since wherever I go, I can take my crochet kit, threads or better still buy them in the places I visit. In addition, I must mention that in all the places I visited and set a table, they never put obstacles or buts for me. On the contrary, they gave me all the dates and materials I needed... I always try to find a way to take my business with me wherever I go and enjoy the baseball life with Roy by my side.

HOW DID STARTING A BUSINESS IMPACT YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY, AND FOR THE TWO OF YOU?

Starting my business impacted my life in a completely positive way. I found something that makes me extremely happy, from making the garment or accessory to delivering it to the customer. It's a nice thing, creating something from scratch with a lot of love, affection, and care. See how far my mind and creativity go. Not only that, traveling the world taking my art and leaving bits of it everywhere fills me with pride and joy. That's not counting the help my partner has given me since day one. Although at first, he felt a bit lost, since his whole life was based on baseball and he did not know how to work with finance and marketing; now he is my right hand in the business. He is my best apprentice and helper, from knowing nothing to knitting, making promotions, bracelets, necklaces, taking photos and videos to promote and setting up the worktable alone. We became the best work team, both in my business and in his professional career.

We have had the great blessing of being able to work the business and lead the life of a baseball player without problems both in Puerto Rico and outside of it.

WHAT’S A TYPICAL WORK DAY FOR YOU IN THE SEASON? IN THE OFF-SEASON?

A typical workday for me during the season with Roy would be: get up at 9 am, go to the gym, eat at 12 pm, work, cook at 4 pm, get ready for the game at 5:30 pm and go to see the game at 7 pm. I must add that I always carry my bundle of knitting with me, so I take my knitting kit with my threads to continue working in the park while I watch my husband play and not waste any minute.

Now, a normal workday for me during the season without Roy (in Puerto Rico) would be: get up at 8 am, check and work in my garden and small farm, go to the gym around 11 am, eat at 1 pm, work, cook at 6 pm and sit down to enjoy the game at 7 pm while still working on my business.

On the other hand, during the off-season it is a little different; since Roy plays the winter league in Puerto Rico and it starts the first week of November until the third week of January. So, it's less the time I can spend working on the business; because we find ourselves traveling to different parks every day. But that's not all, the Caribbean series follows, and if Roy is called to play, we must get ready to travel again. We don't have many days off, we always stay active working wherever we are; be it baseball or with the business to the different activities in which I have the privilege of being able to participate.

WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST PART SO FAR? WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST?

The most difficult part of all this is keeping the accounts up to date, since not every month the same profits are obtained. In addition, to find a place to set up the worktable and sell. Instead, the best part is spending hours creating art with my hands and seeing the faces of my customers when they buy the products and give me their reviews.

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON AND WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Right now, I am working on the spring and summer collections. I'm so excited to finish it and see everyone's reaction and feedback. That's not counting the pieces of jewelry that I managed to make over time.

As soon as I'm done with these collections, I look forward to starting the next phase of the business. Something I have dreamed of for a long time and I hope to see it come true soon.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER WAGS WHO HOPE TO START A BUSINESS?

If you would love to start a business, if it has been one of your most cherished dreams as well as mine. Don't think about it too much, go ahead and find all the tools you need. You will never know what can happen if you don't risk doing it. Believe in yourself and in what you can do, only you can make it happen. Don't let obstacles and negative words from others discourage you from continuing with your dreams. No one knows the circumstances you had to go through to get where you are today. You can do it and if you ever doubt yourself, I am here to help you in any way I can.