Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mari Leiva. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Mari thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents taught me work ethic, character, humility and courage. These things have impacted me tremendously in my professional and creative life and career. Every person I’ve worked with knows that they can 100% count on me. I’ve always proven to be a determined individual that gets the job done. I know that these things were mimicked and developed from watching my parents strive to provide for my brother and I. For them, coming to this country and being able to work here, grow a family, buy a house, was a dream that they made reality. Both my parents have taught me the value of going after what I want, working hard for it and having the satisfaction of knowing that is the one thing in life you can control and nobody can take away from you. The humility to never forget where I come from and always value my peers and those around me has been a lesson passed on by my father. My dad made it a point to remind me all the time to always be good to people, respectful and honor others. He also made sure to teach me strength and confidence in the face of intimidation and courage when it is needed. These lessons have and will continue to shape me as I grow in life and the path set out for me.
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?
I attended The Art Institute of Houston, majored in Fashion and Retail Management and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Science. My journey in regards to my desire to pursue fashion didn’t start there. I’d say it started when I was very young and didn’t like a clothing item I owned or noticed that I could “re-design” a certain item and tailor it to my liking. I’d cut up all these clothes and create something new, something I wanted. I knew then I thrived at being a creative and decided I wanted to pursue it.
After graduating from college I hit a bit of a pause. Didn’t know at the time what to do with my degree besides working in retail (not fond of that idea at all.) So a couple of years went by and blogging started trending, fashion blogging specifically. I said, why not? Let’s try it! I got a website and started blogging with a very specific focus on fashion. I then opened an online boutique and would buy clothing wholesale and re-sell it. That wasn’t such a successful venture for me I’d say but part of me was not satisfied and wanted to really focus on creating garments of my own. All of this happened while I was still growing my network through social media, blogging and influencing. I would religiously attend events, hosted some from time to time and connected with many local creatives and small business owners around Houston. I then decided to dive in and just do it! I desired to build a collection, a fashion collection. So I started putting together a fashion show showcasing my own designs. I decided to base the collection off T-Shirts. I’ve always had a thing for upcycling clothes even before it was a thing (as aforementioned to what I used to do with my clothes since young) so I thought it would be a cool concept to use t-shirts as my foundational material already and re-design them into something different and unexpected. This is where all the connections and networks I had built by being an influencer played a huge role. My show didn’t happen just cause of me, it happened because of all the great creatives and local businesses that agreed to partner with me for the show. The venue, drinks, guest favors and much more was mostly sponsored. We made something great happen! It was a success in the sense of exposure and audience… but sales were floppy and they’ve always been floppy.
One thing I’d say I have struggled with the most throughout my journey in the industry is SALES! I’m great at promoting, I will promote, promote, promote until you get tired of me but when it comes to actually selling and sealing the deal, it’s definitely not been my forte. As I have grown and continue to grow I’ve come to realize the root of this problem, not everyone is going to like what I sell or the products I provide but if I’m confident enough to believe in my product I can sell the hell out of anything. Confidence is key and it is one thing I’ve struggled with professionally and also in life. Now that I’m 30 and have professionally worked with small businesses from an administrative standpoint, I’ve built my character and have learned to find my inner confidence. And while I’ve gained more confidence, there’s still those moments where I doubt myself. Some of the things and individuals that have kept me strong however have been my husband and family that have encouraged me throughout life. You have to grab on to others beliefs sometimes until you truly learn to believe in yourself wholeheartedly. I feel it’s been a journey for me but as I get older I’ve learned to embrace it more and more and not stay stuck but strive to learn everyday and put it into action.
During the pandemic I took a break. From everything. Blogging, Influencing, Online Boutique… I felt the weight of social media and it’s dark side dawning on me and I stopped. Stopped doing what I loved to do. Went through some mental struggles and I was lost for a second to put it bluntly but not until recently, I’ve slowly made a comeback. When I say comeback, I mean it for myself. I wanted to prove to myself that I could get out of this “dark hole” I saw myself in and although I am imperfect and have my weaknesses they don’t define me and I always come back strong. I took my break, traveled a bit, laughed, enjoyed great company, spent time with my husband, gained weight, lost weight, cried, struggled and then I decided it was time. One thing about me and fashion is this: I’ve taken many breaks on it but I have never quit. Now that I’m back with a more clear perspective, I started creating again. Creating things I’m excited about and not rushing myself or the process. I’m enjoying myself and the current phase I’m in. In the past I’ve felt so rushed to do things but I noticed that this rush came from comparing myself to others and their current phase. Acknowledging that to myself helped me understand that I was doing it wrong. Learning takes time, growth takes time. What I am trying to practice more of now is EMBRACING. I’m narrowing down my passion and going for it. I’ve always loved the concept of upcycling fashion and one thing the pandemic and low funds taught me was to work with the resources I already have because that’s when the creativity and passion really start to flow. Very recently, I continued what I had started to do years ago: upcycling fashion pieces and furniture as well. The intention is to eventually make it a stable source of income but right now I am happy just creating and am in no rush. I have my fulltime job for income stability, I’m enjoying it and I’m learning a lot from it and the people there. One thing I know for certain is that I will accomplish something great in the fashion industry eventually. For now I’m taking life in and hugging the happiness, peace and joy creating fashion and ideas on my own terms brings me.
Upcycling goes hand in hand with sustainability and I hope somehow it can bring awareness to people on how important sustainability is, especially in the fashion industry. I know for a fact I’m still researching and learning, I don’t consider myself an activist on the matter but I do value what sustainability in fashion can bring to the table and how it can truly make our world a better place. Fashion is a billion dollar industry that is constantly frowned upon because of the amount of waste and harm that comes from it. I want potential followers/clients to know that there is hope for the future of fashion. Fashion is cyclical and trends constantly shift in and out, which is why upcycling is a huge game changer. I hope to make my mark eventually and for it to mean something. As we grow older we hopefully develop the understanding that fulfillment comes when you’ve truly made a difference in your community or globally. My mind constantly revolves around many great ideas, and you’ll have to stay tuned for them.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I think most creatives are empaths. Not speaking for all but from my own perspective and the thoughts I’ve gathered from other creatives and artists, we tend to be passionate and really feel. Empathizing with people, topics, narratives that we hold dear to us pushes us to create. Artists use past and current experiences of struggle and life to turn it into a masterpiece. You don’t just create something to create something, you have to feel it deeply. To understand the mind of a creative or an artist is complex, which often times leads to many not being fully understood or misinterpreted. I find that I struggle at times to vocally express myself because there’s just so much mentally that is hard to vocalize but this is why we resort to silently creating. And by creating I mean that there’s countless ways of expression. Creating a picture, a song, a garment, a poem, a book, a film that only exists in the mind of the creator. To be able to take people to see your perspective without being vocal is truly a beautiful thing. When an artist or creative is successful in their creation it’s because they’ve truly put their heart into it. The journey as a creative is not an easy one. I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of times the term “starving artist” or have heard the story of one. It is true, and starting from an educational perspective, it is extremely hard. Education that focuses in the arts tends to be very expensive and the pathway to becoming successful and living off of your craft is one of the toughest. Appreciate a creative soul when you encounter one, they most likely brightened your day by adding a canvas that gave a pop of color to your office or gave you that energy pump you needed for your workout because of the song you were listening to. They gave you an appreciation for other cultures because of the way the dish you ate was presented and flavored or they may have also given you the confidence you needed one day because of the outfit you wore. All eyes on you because you wore something that caught the worlds attention and that something was created with intention.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Most definitely. We live in a time that we have so many resources at the literal tip of our fingers. Self-Help or Improvement books have been a monumental way of keeping myself grounded and focused. Books like “The subtle art of not giving a f***”, “Think and Grow Rich”, “21 Laws of Leadership”, “How to win friends and influence people” all the way to the bible! I mean it doesn’t get better than Jesus’s teachings, hence where most self-help books in my opinion derive their foundation from. I’m Christian so I tend to listen to a lot of preachings, especially on the days I’ve felt low, conflicted or empty. Lastly I’d say something I’ve looked at as a resource has got to be the jobs I’ve had. The most hands on training you will ever get from the world is having a job. You meet people and some of these people you might not like but guess what… you better learn to work with them. That’s a life lesson in itself, to learn to appreciate others and their strengths and value what they bring to the team. Learning how to be an efficient delegator if you’re in management and how to be true leader and lead by example, these are all traits I’ve developed from being in the workplace. Learning how to empathize with people and that at the end of the day we all just want to be a part of something bigger than us. The jobs I’ve had have built my character and have pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’ve learned stress management, time management, efficiency, determination and appreciation. I don’t take any of the lessons I’ve learned for granted.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: mari_sabe; upcycled.htx
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-leiva