Meet Fernando Villarreal Mayer | Entrepreneur & Aspiring Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fernando Villarreal Mayer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fernando, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
At first, I was just looking for a way to make some extra money on the side. I had, for the most part, always gotten compliments on my style, especially my eyewear. Anytime I went out—to parties, clubs, or social gatherings in college—people would ask if they could borrow my glasses. It happened so often that I started to realize there might be something more to it.

I’ve always loved eyewear. My dorm room was basically a mini showroom with all kinds of styles lying around. One night I decided to bring a few spare pairs with me and see what would happen if I sold them. To my surprise, I ended up making enough money to cover my night out—and it kept happening. Every time I went out, I’d come home having spent nothing because I’d sold every pair I brought.

After a couple of months, I told my brother, Andres Villarreal, who was also at the same university. I said, “People like us. They like our energy and our style, and we have a great social presence. Why do we just start designing and selling our eyewear?
That’s exactly how the business started.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I actually just recently graduated from university, so my professional journey is just beginning. But if there’s one thing that’s stayed consistent throughout my life, it’s my creative spirit—and that’s really what led me to start this business.

Since pre-school, I’ve always been drawn to anything that lets me express myself. Whether it was building Legos, sketching boats, acting in drama productions, creating film content, or even selling Jolly Ranchers after class, I’ve always loved turning ideas into a reality. I never stuck to just one artistic path—I explored different outlets and learned a lot from each. I guess you could say I’ve always had that artistic entrepreneurial drive: experimenting, building, and never settling.

What I want people to know is that this brand wasn’t born out of a business plan—it came from passion, curiosity, and a desire to make something unique. We’re not just selling eyewear; we’re creating a culture and a story around it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting, I’d make sure they experienced New York the way I see it—through its energy, its funny people, its flavors, and its creativity. Since I’m based here, we’d spend the week exploring all over the city so they could truly feel the heartbeat of the world’s capital.

To get our steps in we’d start with early morning runs in Central Park, followed by a beef carpaccio panini from Sant Ambroeus and a pistachio kalafa dessert from Madison Fare. From there, we’d head downtown to SoHo to walk around, shop, and stop by the location where I dream of opening my eyewear store one day.

We’d do a spontaneous photoshoot somewhere in the city, asking random New Yorkers if they want to join a free photo shoot or be part of a fun TikTok interview featuring our Shpapi eyewear. It’s the kind of energy you only get in New York.

As for food of course, I’d take them to my favorite restaurants: Antonucci Café, JG Melon, Hillstone, Elios, and Mariscos Submarino—each one offering a delicious meal and vibra.

At night, we’d dive into the city’s legendary nightlife. One of the highlights would be catching a show at Comic Strip Live, my favorite comedy club where my idol Jerry Seinfeld got his start. We’d also make sure to stop by Broadway to one of the many shows there are. Certainly, every day would be different, unpredictable, and packed with moments that make you fall in love with one of the greatest cities in the world.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This business wouldn’t be where it is today without the incredible support and drive of my co-founder and brother, Andres Villarreal. While I was away for my studies, Andres stepped up and made everything official—he launched our website and brought real structure to our vision. Even though he’s my younger brother, I’ve always looked up to him. His discipline, commitment, creativity, and go-getter mindset constantly inspire me.

I also want to give a big shoutout to Abraham Robert Behar, our trusted friend and now partner in the business, who serves as our Chief Financial Officer. It was Andres who connected us, and from the beginning, Abraham has brought serious value and leadership to our team.