As part of the Morning Lazziness series highlighting empowering women who are making a remarkable impact with their ideas, I had the pleasure of interviewing Marissa Rodriguez.
Corporate life was not enough for Marissa Rodriguez. After losing her job ten years ago, Marissa chose freedom and a highly unorthodox path to success. That leap of faith took her from being a Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer for eCommerce brands to building a business that’s helped her clients generate over $100 million+ in eCommerce revenue.
This is how she did it. A solo trip in 2021, turned into a life-changing move by December. Marissa planned a vacation to Greece to visit for a friend’s birthday and then never left. She applied for her visa and moved permanently to Greece after growing to appreciate the slower, more relaxed pace of life. Now she has the advantage of being 7-10 hours ahead of her clients in North America, proving that you don’t need to be in the same room or even the same continent to make an impact. She lives life on her own terms while putting others on the right path to do the same.
In 2024, Marissa launched Through Experience®, an online platform where she shares the wisdom that shaped her success. Through Experience® is about helping entrepreneurs break free from traditional paths and achieve freedom by mastering eCommerce like she did. For Marissa, success isn’t just about numbers, it’s about being in control of your own life and your own destiny. She’s created an online community of entrepreneurs who she’s helping achieve freedom on a daily basis.
Her mission is simple: help entrepreneurs build online businesses that support their lives. She believes that with the right mindset and tools, anyone can create their own path to success. If you’re looking for real growth and guidance to live life on your terms, Marissa’s the mentor to get you there.
In this interview, she reveals the mindset shifts, bold moves, and lessons that helped her turn ideas into impactful online businesses.
What inspired you to start your business, and what problem were you passionate about solving?
I wanted to support more entrepreneurs and founders in finding success in eCommerce (specifically direct to consumer) so they could experience greater levels of agency in their lives. For 10 years, I operated as a fractional chief marketing officer and chief operating officer, and then I decided to create something that could impact more people and support them in achieving their goals.
How has your business evolved since its launch, and what key decisions have helped drive that growth?
Initially, I thought that if I could give people my knowledge, tools, and methodology, then they could take all of that experience and use it in their businesses. What I learned was that the bridge between information and implementation is simply too big for most of us. Founders and business owners need personalized help to both implement and execute new systems and processes into their business. And this is where the concept for mentorship was born.
In your view, what truly sets your brand apart in today’s competitive market?
eCommerce is a very silo’d landscape with subject matter experts who have domain expertise and knowledge but a limited understanding of the entire ecosystem. There are not many people who have both launched and scaled businesses and have such an intimate understanding of all the parts required from tech, data, people, marketing, operations, and finance.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to date, and why do you think it worked so well?
I think that one of the most important marketing strategies is understanding the role of direct response marketing online. Brands need to focus on the value they provide to people. They need to position their products as solutions, tools, and vehicles that impact someone else in a positive way. When you make it about a real person, you get them to respond to you immediately. The trap so many fall into is forgetting that at the end of the day we create products that are used by real people who lead real lives. And the more clearly you can articulate your use case and attributes the stronger your business will become.
How do you stay connected to your ideal audience and understand their needs or behaviors?
I’m fortunate to meet so many great business owners, founders, and solopreneurs from the eComm landscape globally. I would say that there are broad elements that we all share in common. The goal of greater levels of personal agency and freedom. The fear of failure. And the desire to see our efforts bloom fruitfully.
What’s one branding move or campaign that helped elevate your business to the next level?
I don’t think it’s about one branding move or campaign. The same way that I don’t think it’s about tactics, hacks, or shiny objects. Growth is truly rooted in mastering the fundamentals. It’s about how you show up daily. It’s about consistency and discipline. And it’s far more mundane than people imagine.
What does success look like for you, not just in numbers, but in purpose or impact?
Success for me is about unlocking opportunities, having a greater sense of personal agency and freedom, and showing others how they too can design a life on their terms. We live in one of the greatest periods in human history. The access that exists today, the way that eCommerce has democratized commerce for regular people, and the possibilities available, as a result of online businesses are incredible and immersive. My goal is to bring that awareness and to provide the resources so that more people can enjoy the benefits of this moment in history.
Can you share a challenge or setback that ultimately became a turning point for your brand?
Every single challenge and setback has set me up for greater things, and it is in those moments that we often face the greatest opportunities for expansion in our lives. Losing my job in 2015 gave me the space to truly question whether or not I wanted to remain on my current path. And having that loss is what made me realize that I did not want to continue climbing the corporate ladder and that instead I wanted to dive into the world of eCommerce. In the end, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
What daily habits or rituals keep you focused, creative, and grounded as a leader?
The best habit that I developed has been reading. I aim for 10-20 pages a day. And quite honestly, it has been the most expansive habit that I could have ever developed. Sometimes you don’t have a network of people in your life that can inspire you, but you sure can find them in books.
How do you approach innovation and risk in your business strategy?
I prefer to think about calculated risk. What is the cost of inaction? What happens if we do not evolve, reinvest, and push forward? I believe that innovation and risk are built-in factors whenever you want to level up in life and in business. There is no other way.
What advice would you give to someone starting a business in today’s fast-changing digital world?
Make sure you really learn and understand the online realm that you take time to surround yourself with experts and mentors, and those who have done what you want to do yourself. This will save you time, money, and mental bandwidth.
Where can our audience connect with you and learn more about your work or offerings?
People can find me Through Experience or on LinkedIn and Instagram
