Meet Teresa P. of Mindful Cements

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

Hi Teresa, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
As the maker of Mindful Cements, I faced moments when I felt like giving up, especially when my projects hit roadblocks or seemed doomed to fail. Once, I even had a scary mishap when cement splashed into my eye, resulting in a minor stye. Despite these challenges, I refused to give up. Instead, I tackled each problem head-on, striving to correct every mistake and keep my ideas alive. Most importantly, the main reason I wanted to keep going is to continue to create things. I believe humans are meant to create something in any shape or form, whether its music, pottery, food, or life, etc. Creativity is a drive for me to keep going and my mind runs with ideas all the time. It’s exciting to see the journey with exploration and creation. Figuring out ways to make my ideas come to reality and to serve others with what I offer is what keeps me motivated.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Hello! I am Teresa Pante. I’m the maker and founder of Mindful Cements, a home brand studio in Los Angeles, California. I craft multi-functional concrete home decor with designs that offer a diverse palette to effortlessly elevate every home’s interior space. Before Mindful Cements, I was working from home during the Covid lockdown as a Marketing Coordinator for a food company. I felt unfulfilled while spending most of my time at home and started to collect plants as a hobby. Initially, I couldn’t find the right planters that complimented my space. I mostly found planters from Target, but they looked too plain and generic. Plus, most of the ones I came across seemed like they were massed-produced and very similar to each other. One day, I stumbled upon a Pinterest video on how to make concrete pots from home molded out of plastics and containers. I was curious to try and make my own planters and was surprised at the results of the unique concrete work in a short amount of time. After encouragement from friends and family, I gradually launched my Etsy shop and began selling wholesale and in person around 2022.

The beginning was definitely the hardest as there were challenges in finding the right ingredients, temperatures, and moisture levels for making my concrete crafts. I struggled a lot trying to prevent my pots from cracking and I learned from every mistake, whether it was during shipping or dealing with wholesalers. Although my crafts aren’t perfect, I believe dedicating the best practice and patience helped my visions come to life.

What makes Mindful Cements unique compared to others is that it has a distinctive approach: our crafted home decor pieces are designed for seamless mixing and matching with neutral palette tones to elevate any interior space. Every single piece is made with intention and multi-function. In addition, We’re passionate about giving back to the community by donating our pieces to a good cause and supporting local and small businesses.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
What I like about LA is the diverse culture and niche towns within the city. If my best friend was visiting, I’d take them to different places that we both like. First, we’d start in Little Tokyo for some amazing sushi, explore cute shops like Kinokuniya, and introduce my favorite dessert, Matcha Soft Serve from Tea Master. Then, we can stroll around Hollywood Blvd to shop at cool and thrifty vintage & 2nd hand shops, and eat gelato ice cream. If he/she likes hiking, we’d head to Griffith Park Observatory or a hike in the Hollywood Hills for the breathtaking views of LA and Hollywood sign. Next stop, we’d walk along Abbot Kinney Blvd near Venice Beach for some chill vibes, visiting artisan shops, and delicious coffee & food trucks. Throughout the week, we’d hit up local cafes for brunch, visit local artisan markets on weekends, and soak up the best of LA’s diverse culture and vibrant atmosphere.

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?
My close friends and family have a great impact on how my business started. Although friends and family may not be my ideal customer, they have been my main supporters through all the struggles, so I’m very thankful to have them. I’m also grateful for the makers who I’ve met and befriended at marketplaces. I’m glad I’m part of a community where we can all gather, support one another, and navigate through our shared struggles, challenges, and joys. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals who understand and empathize with each other makes this journey incredibly enriching and fulfilling.

Website: www.mindfulcements.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindfulcements

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mindfulcements

Other: Tiktok: mindfulcements

Image Credits
Studio Shots: IG @faces.portraiture Pop-up Shots: IG @hi_dakin_photography