We recently connected with Leslie Marmol and have shared our conversation below.
Leslie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
I worked for a Fortune 500 company for over a decade. I am a creative person and felt that I needed to give myself the opportunity to go after what I desired for so many years: to own my own business that allows me to tap into my creative side. At first the idea was to do both but during my maternity leave I decided it was all or nothing. I owed it to myself to put in all the hours that I could to start and grow my business. I resigned from my position and have been working on Virago Swim ever since. There are many sleepless nights and countless hours that you put in as a founder. This was a major risk that I decided to take, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am the founder of Virago Swim, a luxury swimwear label inspired by women. After many failed attempts at shopping for swimsuits and feeling bad about myself, I decided it was time to create a swimwear line that helps women embrace their bodies and feel like the Goddesses they are. It was imperative for me that I name my brand something that would convey how strong and powerful we are. The term Virago defines a strong, resilient, heroic female warrior. I named my business Virago Swim and with every collection my vision is to create designs that will make every woman feel empowered, elegant, and sexy. I create limited exclusive collections that are crafted with clean lines, bold striking colors, and flattering cuts. My goal is to have anyone who wears Virago Swim exude a powerful look that is hard to forget.
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
I had a clear vision of what I wanted my business to look like and how I wanted it to work. I did not know how I would bring my ideas to fruition when I first started. I did a lot of research and watched many videos to help me along the way. I decided to test out my self-taught skills and created www.viragoswim.com on my own. The major pro for me in having my own ecommerce website is that I can share and showcase the essence of Virago Swim via design. A con in having your own ecommerce website is that you must work harder to build customer trust and loyalty organically. Customers typically have a blind trust in platforms like Amazon, Etsy, etc. I still wouldn’t have it any other way because I am able to portray Virago Swim the way that I want.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I have many years of customer service experience that has helped me gain confidence and apply it to every facet of my life. I understand where the other person is coming from, and I know how to prioritize and communicate empathy when needed. I incorporate this way of thinking with everything that I do from how I design my pieces to how I work with my customers, models, photographers etc. People can feel authenticity and are drawn towards that. I build real relationships with everyone I encounter, and I am very proud of that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://viragoswim.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viragoswim
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Viragoswim/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/viragoswim
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSj2ek1K26uRIJcleZKkpTQ