Erin Schmidt is Making Her Mark in Beauty and Media

Interview by Ashkan Tabibnia with Erin Schmidt

Photography by Stephen Shadrach

April 4, 2024

Erin Schmidt is celebrating 5 years of her company Bella Vida Santa Barbara and overcoming obstacles that would have taken most entrepreneurs out of the game. Her story of surmounting devastating losses and finding joy and a truly “Bella Vida, Beautiful Life” in spite of it has been an inspiration to many fellow entrepreneurs.

Ashkan: “Please tell us about your upbringing and the significant meaning behind your name. How did your parents shape who you are today, serving as your inspirations and mentors?”

Erin:  “My parents were both very spiritual people and I was raised Catholic with a very strong belief in God. My parents were very dedicated to our church and my mom sang in our church choir for over 30 years. Both my parents had actually been in the Catholic ministry before they left, met and fell in love later. And because my family has very strong Irish ancestry on both sides, my mom wanted to name me Erin, which means “peace” and is also used as another name for Ireland. “Erin Go Bragh” is often used at Saint Patrick’s day and means “Ireland Forever,” but after so many years of bloodshed in Ireland, it is fitting that it could also mean “Peace Forever.” I began forming my company, Bella Vida Santa Barbara in November, 2018, and in the middle of preparing to launch, my father died very tragically, which set my world into a tailspin. I was very close with my dad and he and I had a special bond and relationship, so I was truly devastated by his loss. However, instead of letting this tragedy stop me, I used it to fuel my passion to create not just a company, but a movement called “Bella Vida” which means “beautiful life.” My mission and motto were “beauty begins inside” and that we have always been about more than skincare. I always wanted to help people to love themselves on the inside and outside. My vision and mission are now coming to life with the launch in 2024 of Bella Vida Global., Bella Vida Magazine and my podcast, Living a Bella Vida.”

Ashkan: “How would you describe yourself today? Are you entrepreneurial? What are your ideals and the most important priorities in your life currently?”

Erin:  “I suppose I would describe myself as a serial entrepreneur and multifaceted in the many industries I have education and expertise in. I have a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology, have been an Investment Adviser and Financial Advisor, CEO and Organic Skincare Formulator. I have found a way to juggle all of this while being a mom to a daughter with moderate Autism. So yes, I guess I do consider myself an entrepreneur. It is sort of a funny term because there is no official school for entrepreneurship, that I know of, accept a business degree, but that does not make you an entrepreneur. You can only truly be an entrepreneur if you start your own brand and company. I have been starting and running businesses since early in the history of the internet. I created my first e-commerce vintage and modern fashion store on eBay in around 2005 and since then I have launched 5 other e-commerce stores, websites and social media accounts that supported those businesses. Now with Bella Vida Global we will have over 8 divisions, including our own Foundation to give back to children and families with special needs, which has been a passion of mine since 1995. I take pride that I have helped hundreds of children and teens with special needs in my career.”

To read full article, please buy a digital copy at issuu.com/bellavidamagazine