#GIRLBOSS SPOTLIGHT: ASHANTA SMITH
Written by: Kabrea Thomas
Meet Ashanta Smith, an artisan designer who handcrafts mirrors, mugs, phone cases, and more. Each piece is brought to life with affirmations and her signature touch of sparkle and creativity. Self love starts from within, and Ashanta is enhancing self love one mirror at a time. Read all bout how this #GirlBoss embodies self love with her brand, and how that journey started with her.
Kabrea Thomas: Your brand embodies selfcare, self love, and all-around self-esteem. What inspired you to create Espejo Mirrors? Did you originally start designing mirrors? What made you choose mirrors specifically as the centerpiece of your products?
Ashanta Smith: My journey didn’t start with confidence. It actually started with low self-esteem. As a teenager and even into my early and late twenties, I struggled with how I saw myself. The thoughts I had about myself were often negative, and without even realizing it, I was creating a life that reflected those beliefs. In my early twenties, around 22 or 23 years old, I began reading more personal development books. One book that truly shifted my perspective was The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. What stood out to me about the book was how simple the message was. It explained that our thoughts, our words, and our actions create the world we experience. The message wasn’t complicated or filled with big words—it was plain and direct. And in that moment, I realized something powerful. If I had been creating my world in a negative way, then I also had the power to create it in a positive way. The ideas in the book also reminded me of many of the same principles we hear in the Bible about speaking life and believing in what we cannot yet see. But at that point in my life, the way the message was explained helped me truly understand my own power. Once I realized that my thoughts, words, and actions create my world, I knew it was time for me to get to work. If I wanted my life to change, I had to change how I was thinking so I could change the words coming out of my mouth, and eventually change my actions. So I started doing something simple but powerful. Every day I stood in front of the mirror and began speaking affirmations over myself. My very first affirmation was: “I am abundance.” Not long after that, another affirmation became a part of my daily mirror practice: “You are enough.” I said those words to myself every single day. And when I say years, I truly mean years. Even during the times when I didn’t fully believe it yet, I kept speaking life over myself. Slowly but surely, something began to shift. The woman I saw in the mirror started changing—not just on the outside, but on the inside. My confidence grew. My mindset grew. My belief in myself grew. Then one day it hit me. I had always wanted to start my own business, and I realized something important: if I had struggled with self-worth and confidence, there had to be other women going through the same thing. So I decided that I didn’t want to keep my journey to myself. I wanted to share it. I wanted to create something that would help other women see themselves differently—the same way I was learning to see myself differently. That realization eventually led me to create Espejo Mirror, a brand centered around reflection, affirmations, and self-worth. Through my work, my mission is to help women look at themselves with new eyes. Because the truth is, the life you desire begins with the relationship you have with the woman you see in the mirror.
KT: What does self-love mean to you personally?
AS: Self-love means taking care of myself mentally, physically, and emotionally. It means having standards for the way I live my life and the way I allow others to treat me. It means being intentional about the choices I make every single day. Self-love, for me, looks like taking care of my body. That means eating my fruits and vegetables, drinking my water, taking my vitamins, and making sure that I move my body and work out in some way. I believe that our bodies are a gift, and taking care of them is a form of respect for ourselves. Self-love also means protecting my mind and my emotions. It means being mindful of the thoughts I allow to live in my head and the words I speak over my life. And it also means being intentional about the relationships I keep around me. The people in my life should be loving, uplifting, and bringing value into my life, just as I strive to do the same for them. But self-love also means understanding that I am human. It means knowing that I am not perfect—and being okay with that. Some days I will have bad days. Some days I may not feel my best. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not enough, and it doesn’t mean that I’m not worthy. For me, those moments are lessons. They are opportunities to ask myself, “What can I learn from this?” Because growth doesn’t happen when everything is easy. Just like a flower cannot grow without being planted in darkness first, sometimes we have to go through difficult moments in order to bloom. For me, self-love is not just something you say. It is something you practice, honor, and grow into every single day.
KT: Your brand focuses on self-love and positivity. Why was it important for you to incorporate those values into your work?
AS: For a long time, I always knew that I wanted to own my own business and create my own brand. But I didn’t just want a business, I wanted something that truly reflected who I am and what I believe in. Self-love and positivity are values that transformed my life, so it was important for me to build a business that empowers not only myself but also other women. I wanted my work to be something that gives back to the world in a meaningful way. For me, this work is bigger than just a business. It’s about showing the people around me and especially my children, that when you believe in yourself and walk in your purpose, you can create a life that is both fulfilling and impactful.
KT: What was the most challenging project you’ve worked on? And why was it so challenging for you?
AS: One of the most challenging projects I’ve ever worked on was actually the project of myself. I know that may sound a little unusual when people hear it, but it’s the truth. The hardest work I’ve ever had to do is the work of changing my own mindset and becoming the woman I am today. It’s not easy to come from a negative mindset and choose to build a positive one. That kind of transformation takes real willpower and commitment. When you spend years living with self-doubt, not believing in yourself, feeling like everyone else is better than you, and being afraid to try new things, those thoughts become a pattern. For many years, those negative beliefs felt normal to me. But when I started reading personal development books and learning more about mindset, I had a moment of realization. I began to understand that I had played a role in creating the way I saw myself and the life I was living. That realization was powerful, also challenging. Because once you understand that, you also realize that changing your life means changing yourself. You have to retrain your brain, retrain your habits, and sometimes even retrain the way you speak to yourself. You have to stand firm in what you’re choosing to believe about yourself, even on the days when it still feels uncomfortable.
KT: Is there a particular mirror design that holds special meaning for you?
AS: I truly love all of my mirror designs because each one is created with intention and meaning. But if I had to choose two that are especially close to my heart, the first one that comes to mind is my Under the Sea Collection. I have always been a big fan of mermaids. I think they are beautiful, magical, and powerful. To me, mermaids represent mystery, confidence, and feminine energy. They’re also a little bit playful and a little bit bold, and I love that.
KT: Where do you draw inspiration for your designs and messages?
AS: I draw inspiration for my designs and message from several different places, many of them very personal to me. One of the biggest inspirations behind my designs is my mother. Her favorite color is purple, so you will notice that a lot of my mirrors include purple tones. For me, that color represents her. Purple also symbolizes royalty and loyalty, which are values that are very important to me and that I want my brand to reflect. Another inspiration comes from my father and my heritage. The name Espejo means “mirror” in Spanish, and I chose that intentionally because my father is Puerto Rican. I wanted my business to represent both sides of who I am, so incorporating Spanish into the name of my brand felt meaningful to me. Beyond family and culture, I also draw a lot of inspiration from the beauty around me. I absolutely love flowers, nature, and anything that feels elegant or magical. I’m inspired by things like butterflies, seashells, soft colors like pink and rose gold, and the natural beauty you see when you’re walking outside in nature. All of those elements influence the way I design my mirrors. My goal is to create pieces that feel beautiful, uplifting, and full of life. Mirrors that reflect the beauty that already exists within the person looking into them.
KT: What is your custom design process like?
AS: The first step is a conversation. I like to learn a little about the person I’m designing for—what inspires them, what colors they love, and what message they want their mirror to represent. Some people want affirmations that remind them of their worth, while others may want a design that reflects their personality, their goals, or a special theme that speaks to them. Once I understand their vision, I begin designing the mirror with those ideas in mind. I carefully choose the colors, textures, crystals, flowers, and decorative elements that will bring the design to life. Every piece is handcrafted, so I take my time making sure that each detail aligns with the overall energy and intention of the mirror. When the mirror is finished, my hope is that the person who receives it looks into it and feels inspired, empowered, and proud of the woman they see.
KT: What’s one affirmation everyone should say to themselves when they look in the mirror?
AS: If there is one affirmation that I believe everyone should say to themselves when they look in the mirror, it would be: “You are enough.” This affirmation is very special to me because it reminds us that our worth is not something we have to earn in the future—it already exists right now. Many people, especially women, tell themselves things like, “I’ll be enough when I lose weight,” or “I’ll be enough when I make more money,” or “I’ll be enough when I get married or have children.” But the truth is, those things do not define your worth. Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with having goals. It’s beautiful to want to grow, to improve yourself, and to build the life you desire. But your value is not something that begins when those goals are achieved. You are already worthy as you are today. You are enough while you are working toward becoming healthier. You are enough while you are building your dreams. You are enough while you are still figuring things out. Your worth is not waiting somewhere in the future. It exists right now, in this moment, in the person you see when you look into the mirror.
Did you love reading all about Ashanta’s journey as much as I enjoyed interviewing her? Well, now you can keep up to date with Espejo Mirror and start your self-love journey.
