Stephanie Phillips on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Stephanie Phillips. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Stephanie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I believe the way we start our day shapes everything that follows, so I’m very intentional about creating a morning routine. Those first 90 minutes are my anchor—hydration, movement, and nutrition—because when I start strong, I notice I’m sharper, calmer, and more consistent throughout the day.

I wake up at 5:30 and begin with water to reset my body after the night. Then I head out for a three-mile walk with friends and their dogs—we jokingly call ourselves the ‘Paw Patrol.’ It’s a mix of exercise, fresh air, and connection that brings a lot of joy into my mornings. When I get home, I prepare a balanced breakfast so I’m fueled and ready to focus.

For me, that structured start isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about setting the tone for clarity, energy, and resilience that I carry into the rest of my day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Stephanie, and I’m the founder of Laguna Lily, which originally began as a natural vegan skincare line rooted in my love for botanicals and holistic living. Over time, I realized that caring for ourselves goes so much deeper than what we put on our skin—it’s about how we nourish, move, rest, and connect. That insight has guided me through a really exciting transition from a skincare brand into a full wellness company.

Today, Laguna Lily offers not only plant-based skincare, but also holistic coaching programs, nutrition and lifestyle guidance, and tools like journals and resources designed to help people live in rhythm with their bodies. What makes us unique is that everything is rooted in a philosophy of the ‘Sacred Rhythms’—simple, foundational practices like sleep, nutrition, movement, detox, and spiritual connection—that empower people to take charge of their own health in a very natural, accessible way.

For me, this brand is deeply personal—it grew out of my own journey, and it continues to grow as I help others find balance and radiance in theirs. Right now, I’m focused on expanding Laguna Lily into a true wellness hub where people can find both trusted products and supportive guidance to live well from the inside out.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that truly changed how I view the world was when my mom became sick and eventually passed away from complications of ovarian cancer. It was heartbreaking, but it also opened my eyes to how much we need a more holistic approach to health. While modern medicine absolutely has its place and can be life-saving, I saw how often the system relies on prescriptions and fragments the body into parts instead of treating it as a whole.

That experience gave me a new perspective: true healing comes from reconnecting with our bodies, honoring the basics of sleep, nutrition, movement, detox, and spiritual connection, and not outsourcing all of our health to systems that don’t always have our best interests at heart. It’s what inspired me to evolve Laguna Lily from just a skincare line into a wellness brand—because I want to help people not just look well, but truly live well.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me something success never could—how to truly understand and connect with others in their pain. I was raised by a single mother, grew up in difficult financial circumstances, and navigated the complexities of being mixed-race in environments where I didn’t always feel like I belonged. I also experienced trauma early in life that shaped me in ways I’m still learning from. Those struggles gave me perspective and empathy I wouldn’t trade, because they allow me to meet people where they are, to listen without judgment, and to support them from a place of genuine understanding. Success is wonderful, but it doesn’t teach you how to sit with someone in their suffering—that comes only from having lived it yourself.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say what matters most to me is freedom, healthy living, the ocean, travel, and Hawaii. Freedom is about living life on my own terms and creating space to grow. Healthy living is my foundation — it shapes how I care for myself and how I support others. The ocean grounds me and teaches me rhythm and flow, while travel expands my perspective and connects me with new people and cultures. And Hawaii — that’s my happy place. It combines everything I love: the ocean, nature, and a slower pace of life that always brings me back to center. Altogether, they’d say I value vitality, exploration, and the kind of freedom that comes from being well and truly alive.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell about me is that I took pain and turned it into something meaningful — that I used my own struggles to help other women through their transformations. More than anything, I want to leave behind an example of resilience, growth, and compassion.

And I hope the next generation remembers me for building a foundation rooted in love — love for themselves, love for each other, and love for the planet we all share. If that’s what people carry forward, then I’ll feel like I did what I was meant to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lagunalily.com
• Instagram: @laguna_lily
• Youtube: @lagunalilylivin

Image Credits
Meredith Lynn Photography