Ep. 39 - Marisa De Lecce - Do you dread buying a swimsuit? Like many women, Marisa De Lecce and Tiffany Rivers wanted to find stylish swimwear that made them feel beautiful without showing too much skin. At the time, it was difficult to find, fashionable options were often too revealing and expensive, while more conservative brands were often too young, frumpy, dated, or dull. Marisa and Tiffany wanted an alternative. Marisa’s primary motivation for establishing Hermoza was to produce a line of swimwear that honors and complements a woman’s intrinsic elegance. One of their swimsuits was featured in Oprah Magazine! Marisa takes us on a journey from a career in healthcare to starting a new online clothing business, Hermosa Swim. With Columbian and Mexican parents, her family went from rags to riches through hard work. She worked on the non-profit, Rivers of Hope, owned by Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers and his wife Tiffany. She went on to partner with Tiffany Rivers to form the new company manufacturing and selling comfortable and chic swimwear in vibrant colors. In this episode, Marisa talks about the leap she made from healthcare to starting a successful business. Listen in to learn about the challenges of a new business and how to be resilient to overcome them. You will also learn the importance of being confident in who you are and what your business stands for, to be successful.
Key Takeaways:
- The importance of giving children a family and resources to help them move ahead
- How to be confident in who you are and not care what others think
- How to be strong by understanding who you are and not being afraid of it
"Don't take yourself too seriously, but always stick to your principles." -Marisa De Lecce
In this episode you’ll discover:
Marisa explains how her family greatly influenced her hardworking nature [1:34]
The circumstances that led her to become passionate about the healthcare system [3:42]
How the Hermoza swimwear was born as a way of embracing a woman’s body [7:47]
The challenges they experienced before finding what works for them in business [9:42]
The career and personal moments that became big for Marissa [12:45]
How she met her husband plus the words she’d tell her younger self [15:07]
The future of Hermoza as a brand plus the perks of being a direct-to-consumer business [17:22]
How Hermoza got into Oprah magazine and the impact that had on the business [20:14]
Marissa advises younger people not to take themselves too seriously and to have principles [20:43]
As a result of a distinctive start to a career in fashion, Marisa’s preference for taste and style is dignified and refined. She has an international business degree from SDSU and she began her career managing the Rivers of Hope foundation. Marisa transitioned to a career in healthcare and recently received her executive master's degree in hospital administration from USC. Marisa’s primary motivation for establishing Hermoza was to produce a line of swimwear that honors and complements a woman’s intrinsic elegance.
When asked where she gets her inspiration, she says, “My love of all things fashion came from my grandmothers, Cecilia and Genevieve. The epitome of class, they are the most stylish, and well-dressed women I’ve ever known. Their elegance and sophistication were always complimented by their strength and courage as Latin women.”