Today we’d like to introduce you to Larissa Miller.
Hi Larissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It all started back in 2015 when I quit my job to live my dream of traveling the world. I was uncertain of what I might discover, but I knew that whatever it was – it was going to be great.
I first had the idea for PIYOGA when I was in Pai, Thailand. I thought PI would be the perfect name since it has such a magical meaning. The Global Marketing geek in me though it would also be perfect because no matter what language you speak, PI is universally understood.
Fast forward a few month and I’m living in Bali!
Bali is a beautiful gem with so much to offer, and with me being from California, I was naturally drawn to the ocean. I picked up diving and fell in love when I swam with a sea turtle for my very first time!
However, diving also showed me a closer look into the harsh reality of what life is like under the sea. With coral bleaching, dynamite fishing, and pollution visibly causing a problem in the ocean, it was obvious that this was where I needed to help.
After swimming in the ocean, I went looking for a seamstress to create some magical yoga pants.
Believe it or not, it was a taxi driver who introduced me to my seamstress! I was inspired by how she had started her business from scratch. She was very ambitious and showed me it was possible to start a business of my own and to empower other women by working together. Since then, the message of women empowerment has become deeply rooted in the PI mission, and to this day, we still work together.
At this point, the idea of starting a business seemed like an unattainable dream, but I asked myself this question. “If I could start any business, what would my intentions be?”
I knew that if I was going to start a business, I wanted to create a brand with a strong support and foundation. I wanted it to have morals, a mission, an intention.
My intentions were clear. To create a conscious brand that would empower women, contribute to conservation, and inspire myself and others to pursue our dreams. These morals have become infused into our missions of:
1. Body Positivity. To empower women, men, and kids of all shapes and sizes to feel comfortable and confident on and off their yoga mat.
2. Saving the Sea Turtles! We proudly donate 10% of net profits back to sea turtle conservation efforts and sustainable practices.
After that, it all happened so fast. Within 2 days we had a sample made, and within a month, I was on way home with 100 pairs of yoga pants and thinking to myself “How on earth am I going to sell this many pants?!”
I decided to end my year-long journey and made it back home to San Diego, California (the land of good Wi-Fi) to upload the photos and create a website. Shortly thereafter, the website was launched, and PIYOGA was officially online!
7 years later, here we are today! Growing, flourishing, and creating a team and community that grows stronger each day around our mission of body positivity and saving the sea turtles. You can follow our journey on Instagram @piyogapants (https://www.instagram.com/piyogapants)
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road! The running joke is that being an entrepreneur is like riding a crazy roller coaster with a blindfold on. Even when you think you know, you never really know! The highs are better than the best days in your life, and the lows make you want to go cry in the corner of a dark room all alone. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that the only constant is change, and learning to really accept and find the positive silver lining to the negative will help you see opportunity in even the darkest of days. Of course, you then need to be your own best friend, pick yourself up, and act on the positivity you see. Acting on your intuition is the magic ingredient. You only fail when you quit, and if you never quit, you will never really fail.
Running a business is like therapy. You constantly need to work on bettering yourself; otherwise, your business will get stuck where you personally tend to get stuck. You have to let go of your ego and be willing to rewrite your internal dialog to create positive feedback loops; otherwise, it’s easy to be your own worst enemy and hold yourself back. But don’t worry – it’s definitely possible, and it get easier as you go! Never give up! You can do it!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about PIYOGA?
PIYOGA is a boutique line of clothing and jewelry designed in San Diego, California, and handmade in tropical Bali. We proudly donate 10% of net profits to sea turtle conservation efforts. You can learn more about our conservation project, donations, and sustainable practices on our website here: https://www.piyogapants.com/pages/save-the-sea-turtles
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The Covid-19 crisis was a stress test on every single small business in every single way. I’m grateful for the strong team we had in place to navigate through the adversity to come out even stronger in the end. It showed the power of teamwork to help achieve a common goal and to remain flexible and understanding.
Everyone struggled in their own way, but at the end of the day, the community came out to support small businesses in the strongest movement I have ever seen in my life. I will forever be grateful for those that came to the markets to intentionally shop small during the pandemic instead of choosing to shop at giant corporate stores simply because it was the “easy” option.
When you shop small, you are supporting your local community and economy. Not only that, but you are fueling the dreams of someone who finally took the leap of faith to pursue their dreams. Moreover, you are creating a positive feedback loop that YOU, too can successful peruse your dreams and aspirations, knowing you have a huge community to support you along your journey.
Pricing:
- Clothing ranges from $35-$58
- Rings range from $20-$100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.piyogapants.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piyogapants
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piyogapants
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/piyogapants/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@piyoga
