We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mari Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mari below.

Mari, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

One of the biggest risks I have ever taken has been getting into entrepreneurship. Over the years I have invested in new business ideas, some successful ventures and others not as successful or lucrative. Making the decision to pursue a business idea often requires abandoning one idea to create new ones. There was hesitation to pivot away from what was comfortable to enter into the unknown.

Each time I decided to pursue a business idea would involve uncertainty about the future of my business as well as common concerns about what I’d do if it didn’t work out. In this process I learned that fear is just an illusion and that success is in the eye of the beholder. Regardless of the outcome of the businesses, I took a risk and made the decision to see an idea through. The odds are hardly in the favor of a new business. I’ve always promised myself that if I felt truly passionate about an idea that I’ve wanted to bring to life, I wouldn’t let odds, risk, or uncertainty dictate my decision making and desire to see an idea to completion.

During the time of operation of these businesses I learned new skills and insight. Success is achieved sometimes just by trying, learning, and growing.

Mari, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My interest in the lingerie industry began when I was invited to a lingerie party while out of town visiting friends and family. The attempt to find lingerie was so difficult that I realized in that moment that there was a need for more options that provided a variety of products in various sizes and styles at more affordable prices.

My products can be found online at www.route12lingerie.com

I am most proud of the moments where I have been able to positively impact the lives of those through interactions where you’d think selling lingerie was just a transaction but turned out to be life changing through the exchanges and relationships that were formed because of Route 12. During these moments I have been able to uplift my clients while receiving that same support in return.

In addition to my lingerie business, I have just recently completed a degree program that aligns me with the ultimate goal of being a mental health therapist. I have a passion for helping people but specifically in the psychology field where I can help to positively impact the mental health of those who need it most. Mental health is often overlooked and left to be treated as a last resort or when things are at or almost at a point of no return. It is my goal to desensitize people from the idea that mental health is taboo so that they become more open minded to considering treatment for themselves or their loved ones.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing a team of employees requires patience and dedication to understanding what works for the team. Team input and feedback can be the difference in having a unified team or one that cannot operate as efficiently as they should as a unit. Employees work on a level where they see what happens in the businesses daily operations and are usually the key identifiers of systems that would improve the company in multiple areas such as efficiency, productivity, growth, and customer satisfaction. Considering the feedback from employees is critical in the overall success of a business.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I began my journey to obtaining my degree in 2018. In 2019, my mother passed away. After the loss of my mother I was not able to maintain academic excellence and ultimately withdrew from school. My brother also passed away in 2020, followed by the passing of my father in
2022 and grandmother in 2024. During this period I pivoted from school to running a full time brick and mortar store for 2 years. The grief I was experiencing would not allow me to focus on school and the business provided me with a much needed distraction. While I enjoyed running a mall based store, I realized that my passion was truly in the psychology field and this realization brought me back to my studies in 2023.

The multiple family deaths that I and my family experienced caused great suffering and pain. Resilience, patience, and faith have played a major role in being able to overcome grief, loss, and obstacles while coming out on the other side better, wiser, and stronger with a steady positive outlook on life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://route12lingerie.com

Image Credits

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