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

Mariah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Thank you for inviting me to share my journey and the story behind Life By Design Studio! LBD was born from a desire to create freedom, not only for myself but also for the business owners I support. My goal is to help my clients discover joy and true purpose in their work, achieve success online, and design their lives intentionally – ultimately being able to live a Life by Design. We love working with business owners who want to break away from the status quo and are dedicated to contributing something meaningful to the world, making it a better place.

I believe what sets us apart is our very personalized, human-centered approach to business and the meaningful relationships we develop with our clients. Often, we find that our clients’ businesses are extensions of themselves, making the work deeply personal. Taking the extra time to get to know them helps us significantly in executing projects, as it allows us to understand their thought processes, working style, and how they can best succeed in the marketplace based on their unique vision and personality.

I manage most of our projects, but I’m also supported by an amazing team of specialized contractors that I bring in depending on project scope. Over the years, I’ve built up a network of professionals in various fields, including PR, graphic design, website development, and copywriting. Having this type of model allows each team member to excel in their specialized field and also provides a support system on both ends, making the often lonely world of freelancing and business ownership much more connected. 

My journey to founding Life By Design began just before COVID, when I was unemployed and participating in a work-trade at a local hotel. A few years earlier, I had earned my degree in Marketing and Communications from Sonoma State, so I used all my free time while at the hotel to research how I could use those skills to make money online, which led me to the world of Virtual Assistance.

So, I immediately began offering VA services (not knowing exactly what I was doing) to anyone and everyone I knew. I quickly built a client base across Sonoma County, working for small businesses and solopreneurs helping them with different tasks to help them run their daily ops. Day in and day out, I was fully immersed in the world of business and entrepreneurship and knew I had finally found something that I was passionate about. 

Shortly after, I came across a branding course tailored for creatives wanting to build businesses aligned with their true calling and values. Enrolling in this course inspired me to shift from virtual assistance to offering full-scale branding and marketing services and is when Life By Design was born!

Mariah, 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?

Yes, I manage the daily operations of Life By Design, and most of the projects I work on involve thoughtful branding + marketing strategy, website design, and day-to-day marketing operations. I’ve been able to design a life that allows me to work remotely, traveling the world with my laptop and pursuing side passions. For example, I’m currently in Colombia, where I’m working on a side project to bring other digital nomads to the area, helping them experience a new culture while taking their work on the road! I also study holistic health and Ayurveda.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

At one point, things became incredibly difficult. I struggled with charging what we were worth, and at one point, I wasn’t earning enough to pay the bills. To make ends meet, I took a marketing job at another agency while running Life By Design on the side. Around the same time, I had to leave the hotel and began renting a very small apartment in someone’s backyard to cut costs.

The marketing job turned out to be a poor fit for me and extremely stressful. Balancing that with trying to keep Life By Design alive took a toll on my health. I started experiencing severe anxiety and panic attacks, my gut health deteriorated, and I dropped to 110 pounds.

Eventually, I left the marketing job and moved back to my hometown in Grass Valley, CA, to stay with family while I focused on healing. Slowly but surely, I recovered. Once I felt stronger, I decided to take a three-month backpacking trip through South America to reignite my passion for life and travel—two things that have always been very special to me.

During this trip, I not only rebuilt my client base but also discovered my dream property in Colombia and pursued another lifelong passion by enrolling in The College of Ayurveda. The experience was life-changing—it reignited my business and inspired me to launch side projects I had only dreamed of. Purchasing the property has also allowed me to combine my love for travel, culture, and creating meaningful, life-changing experiences into a project that truly aligns with my values.

This experience taught me that owning a business isn’t easy. It’s full of ups and downs, and it takes time to build a solid customer base and find stability. But the perseverance and growth that come with it are what make it all worthwhile. It can also open other doors, providing opportunities to explore other passions and dreams that may have otherwise felt out of reach. creating a life that aligns with your values and aspirations.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I read, study and take courses constantly. The most impactful for me have been Personal Brand Accelerator, studying with Chris Do and the Futur, Virtual Savvys, High Moon Studio… I invest heavily in coaching – currently I am getting coached by Clint Bagget with Evolving Mindsets and just committed to business coaching with Renee Clair and was coached by Jay Rooke.

Books:
-Any book by Alex Harmozi
-Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business
-Think and grow rich
-You Are a Badass
-4 hour work week

I listen to Podcasts constantly as well!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lifebydesign-studio.com
• Instagram: @lifebydesignstudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifebydesignstudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahcvelasquez/