Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Nieto.
Hi Marissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been a creative since I was young. I remember having stacks of coloring books, blank paper, and an endless supply of crayons and markers nearby. At around four or five years old, I was gifted a Polaroid camera that changed my life. I fell in love with the process of film photography and the slower pace of traveling during family trips/school field trips.
Fast forward to high school—I took both an art class and a graphic design class during my senior year. While applying for colleges, I knew I wanted to pursue something creative… even though the closest people in my life, encouraged me to choose a more ‘stable’ career. I loved my art class, but I saw art as something I’d always want to keep personal. Graphic design, however, felt like it offered broader opportunities. After having a meaningful conversation with my teacher, Ms. Jones, I decided to major in graphic design.
I attended Cal Poly Pomona for about four years. Midway through college, I nearly dropped out—the field was challenging, and I doubted myself as I was experiencing how expensive the major itself is and I was having too many sleepless nights working endlessly on projects. I was becoming mentally and physically exhausted. I had to remind myself that if I truly wanted this, I needed to push through these obstacles. By my junior and senior years, I flourished. Some of my projects were featured in galleries, and one even made it to the Adobe semi-final awards. I also secured an internship before graduating in 2019, and became the first in my family to graduate college. I felt that I had made the right choice.
During the pandemic, I continued working through my internship, which eventually turned into a full-time hybrid position. At the end of 2020, I picked up a free iPad and downloaded Procreate just to pass the time. I created a series of animated gifs inspired by nature and music, uploading them to GIPHY—within weeks, they unexpectedly reached over 50 million views. Soon, people began DM’ing me, asking if I would ever sell them as stickers. I had no intentions of starting a business, but I decided to give it a try. I didn’t have much money at that time but I used a $100 gift card just to get started. I launched my Etsy shop in April 2021, with just 4–5 sticker designs. Within days, I completely sold out, receiving 50+ orders. That experience humbled me and made me realize people truly appreciated my art. From there, I researched small business marketing and began taking it more seriously.
A couple of years later, as the pandemic subsided, I started marketing on TikTok and participated in pop-up markets across the Inland Empire and Orange County. I expanded my shop to include stickers, stationery, art prints, and pins. While I enjoyed running my business after work, I felt the pull to spend less time at home. My nature-inspired stickers reminded me how little time I had actually spent outdoors during the pandemic. I’ve always loved nature and often retreated to Big Bear, CA, to reset creatively. In 2023, I set the intention to travel more and finally purchased my dream camera—the Fujifilm X100V. With it, I began documenting my travels across the West Coast and sharing them online.
In 2024, I was laid off from my job and diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. That period became a major turning point for me—a chance to reset and slow down. I struggled with depression and physical changes as I learned to navigate my health. During this time, I found solace in nature and began solo traveling. While focusing on healing, I rediscovered my spark for illustration, photography, and appreciating the slower moments of life. I also started filming and photographing my solo adventures, which led to collaborations with nature-based brands. These opportunities grew into partnerships that included cozy stays, designing illustration stickers, and documenting my travels through photography.
Today, I am still navigating this new chapter—continuing to blend my love of art, photography, and nature, while learning to live more intentionally.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think self-doubt and not feeling good enough have been some of my biggest challenges throughout my journey. I still struggle with these feelings at times, but I’ve gotten better at accepting myself and recognizing what I’m capable of in the present moment.
Finances were another struggle early on, but that challenge pushed me to learn how to market, scale, and balance responsibilities between my business and personal life. More recently, being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease has been one of the hardest obstacles I’ve faced.
Through all of these experiences, I’ve grown more adaptable and intentional. Therapy has also played an important role in improving how I think and approach challenges, and I continue to work on strengthening different aspects of myself every day.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In my professional career, I consider myself a multidisciplinary designer. I enjoy moving between product photography, package design, illustration, editorial design, and social media marketing. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work across industries including magazines, baby and infant products, toys, footwear, and the outdoor space.
I’ve never been someone who likes sticking to just one thing—I thrive when I have the freedom to explore different creative tasks. I feel most energized when I’m problem-solving or pitching strong concepts. I often ask myself questions like: “How can I improve this project? How can I make this visually functional while it still being engaging and easy to understand?” I also put myself in the customer’s perspective, asking: “Is this easy to follow? What catches the eye first? Am I learning something from this, or does it feel confusing?” I believe this thoughtful approach—considering both the process and the end experience—is what sets me apart from other creatives. I’m always thinking one step ahead.
One of my proudest moments in the industry was during my internship, where I helped build a toy brand called Smart Steps. I learned so much about concept creation, branding, package design, and marketing in just a few months. It was especially meaningful to me because I pitched the name Smart Steps, and the team loved it. Seeing that idea come to life and eventually made its mark in the toy industry was a milestone I’ll never forget.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m a bit introverted and shy at first, but once I build trust and get comfortable, I open up more. People are often surprised when I share some of my hobbies—like going to metal shows occasionally and even mosh pitting—it always makes for a fun conversation.
On the flip side, I also enjoy connecting with other outdoor enthusiasts and organizing trail cleanups, where we pick up trash together while hiking. Most of those outdoor enthusiasts that are my friends are also some of my loyal customers that I met through my Etsy shop or tiktok, so that’s a fun thing to mention!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://marissanieto.carrd.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designsby.marissa/
Image Credits
For the “personal photo” may you credit this photographer who took the image “Xitlaly Salcedo”.
