Weaving Isolation into Opportunity and Community
Jessica Cue, owner of Macrame by Jess. Photo by Tar Macias, JEFAS Magazine
By Samantha Mesa, JEFAS Magazine
When Jessica Cue felt isolated and struggled to find community in Des Moines, she turned to an unexpected source of comfort: macrame. What started as a random YouTube tutorial and a spontaneous trip to Hobby Lobby in 2020 blossomed into Macrame by Jess, a thriving business that’s helped the Mexico native weave herself into Iowa’s creative and entrepreneurial fabric.
Building Community Through Creativity
For Cue, building her macrame business became a pathway to belonging. “I wanted to be part of a community and find friendships with like-minded, creative people,” she explains. “At the time, I was in a stage of life where it felt hard to meet new people, so I turned to macrame as a creative outlet.”
Cue creates handmade macrame pieces and other gift items, ranging from wall hangings and plant hangers to car accessories and smaller items, including bookmarks, keychains and earrings. Each piece is crafted to bring joy and warmth to people’s spaces. Cue also teaches macrame workshops, showing others how to make their own plant hangers. All of her products are made from 100% recycled cotton cord, adhering to her sustainable approach.
Her journey to this point wasn’t always smooth. “It’s given me a unique perspective, a deep sense of resilience and a strong connection to culture and community,” she reflects. “There have definitely been moments where I’ve felt like I didn’t quite belong, especially as a woman of color in certain spaces. But over time, I’ve learned to own who I am and what I bring to the table. I’m incredibly grateful for the people who have embraced me, supported me and reminded me that my culture is something to celebrate, not hide.”
Her path to starting a business began with an unexpected catalyst. Being a full-time chiropractic assistant for a small business opened her eyes to entrepreneurship. The chiropractic job offered three-day workweeks, so her weekends were free. She laughed, recalling how her husband had encouraged her to find a hobby. That’s when she watched a macrame plant hanger tutorial on YouTube, went to Hobby Lobby and purchased the necessary materials. “I followed a YouTube video and was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I just nailed it.”
That first success sparked curiosity and deeper exploration. She researched other macrame creators and discovered that the woven material and the process of weaving became a source of comfort, with endless designs and possibilities.
The Power of Rituals and Self-Care
Building confidence as an entrepreneur wasn’t instantaneous. Like many Latina entrepreneurs starting out, overcoming impostor syndrome can be hard on mental health. “I think sometimes it comes from the color of our skin; going to vendor events and I don’t see anybody else there like me.”
Fortunately, she had a strong support system. Her husband quickly squashed that self-doubt. “I would talk to him and express how I felt, and he would support me.” She leaned into self-talk, reflecting on everything she’d accomplished. “It can be scary, but what’s the worst thing that’s going to happen?”
Social media presented another hurdle. Cue realized she had to stop comparing herself to other macrame designers online. “It’s going to eat me up,” she says. “I’m unsure how to create a post or caption. How do I gain followers? How do I connect with businesses? Will people think I’m cringe?”
To better navigate her anxiety, she and her husband developed rituals like staying physically active, which makes a big difference in her mental wellness. When she’s having a bad day, her husband reminds her to get out of her head and into nature, to take a rest day and enjoy a walk. She bikes and runs, and recently completed her first 5K while training for a half marathon.
Through it all, she returns to her core values. “I come back to myself and say, ‘I know what I’m doing.’ I have a good heart; I’m a good human being. I’m just trying to go for it.”
When doubt creeps in, Cue reminds herself of the driving force behind starting her business: her desire to offer creativity to the community.
When she first began teaching others how to make their own macrame, Cue went all in. More than 20 people came to her first workshop. Her experience speaking at chiropractic conferences helped her guide her class. “Telling somebody how to move their fingers and what to do … I thought, ‘Okay, I think I can do this.’”
Now, four years in, she says starting a business has made Iowa feel more like home. “I realized I didn’t have to know it all at once. I just had to be willing to learn. Iowa has such a growing creative energy. There’s a strong sense of community here, and people truly value handmade, local goods.”
Maintaining stability has been key to her success, and Cue feels blessed to work full time in a chiropractic office while building her business. “It’s a good work-life balance,” she says.
Jessica Cue, owner of Macrame by Jess. Photo by Tar Macias, JEFAS Magazine
Advice for Aspiring Latina Entrepreneurs
Now that she feels more comfortable as an entrepreneur, she has sound advice for Latinas who are undecided about taking the entrepreneurial leap. Cue says to go for it. “We all start somewhere, and there’s room for all of us to succeed. If you have a question, you shouldn’t be afraid to just ask. Find other people who are like-minded and you’ll form new friendships.”
Most importantly, Cue encourages others to see being Latina as a gift. “Being Hispanic empowers me, especially when I don’t feel like I belong,” she says. “I do belong; being brown and proud and moving forward.” For this creative CEO, bringing pride to family and serving the community is woven into every knot she creates.
