On the fourth episode of Radically Honest, your host Dasom Lee brings in this week’s double threat—Influencer and Entrepreneur—Marie Denee. This powerful Black woman is Creator and Editor-in-Chief of The Curvy Fashionista, a magazine and plus-size fashion resource. Her mega-platform celebrates the beauty in diversity. Don’t miss it—all ears on deck.

The Great Recession hit the United States in 2008—and suddenly Marie found herself unemployed. Propelled by the insecurity entrenched in her retail career, she began building her dream business from her laptop screen. An early adopter in the blogging world, Marie was forced to become comfortable with ambiguity. Mutually beneficial relationships sprouted, as bloggers rallied toward an incomprehensible state of financial success on premature platforms. Two driving factors pushed her: bills to pay and her empathy for plus-size shoppers, derived from her own in-between sizing.

Originally a boutique idea, she launched her personal brand on mariedenee.com. She recognized something valuable: women of color are dominating the plus-size industry and deserve to be praised. Today, her digital platform illuminates the positive voices of diverse, plus-size influencers all over the globe.

In an even more courageous fashion, Marie shares stories of overcoming anxiety and depression to help her audience realize that they are not alone. Her career has been shaped by a few key ideas, gifted by her role models. Never diminish yourself in your act of uplifting others. Project your light. Radiate outwards and bring your purpose full-circle

“I realized that I wasn’t recognizing my own dope-ness.“ – Marie Denee.

A challenging twelve years later, her success speaks volumes of her hard work ethic. Don’t restrict yourself to a moment where you’ll finally breathe, “I made it.” Her philosophy is to break down the confines of your perceivable success and expand your reach. To put it simply, the sky is not the limit. In light of COVID-19 affecting the state of our nation, her Facebook Live series inflamed her spark once more. Business owners have united in an online community where advice is shared and ideas are exchanged.

So, how can you combat mental barriers and bring your vision to life? Listen to the episode to find out.

Join the movement.

Support:

Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter: @mariedenee; Instagram & Facebook: @thecurvyfashionista; Instagram: @tcfstyleexpo; Twitter & Pinterest: @tcfstyle; Email: [email protected]; Website: mariedenee.com, thecurvyfashionista.com