Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Vasi.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Denise. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was signed by Ford Models at a very young age and began a long 20+ year career appearing in beauty editorial spreads for magazines like Elle and Glamour and advertising campaigns for a ton of major beauty brands. I then transitioned into acting, and a soap opera by the name of ‘All My Children’ relocated me from Brooklyn, where I was born and bred, to Los Angeles. Less than a year later, I booked the lead role in a scripted television series called “Single Ladies.” In February of 2015, I gave birth to my first child and decided that I didn’t want to return to the series after two very tough seasons, and decided to stay home with my daughter to figure out my next step.
What I was sharing on my social media channels evolved over the 18 months that followed her birth. I went from sharing BTS of an actress’s life to educating and sharing more personal lifestyle, health and wellness, clean beauty and parenting tips, info, and hacks. My online community continued to grow, and they persuaded me to build my own platform as a permanent home for content.
I then launched Maed, a digital community and editorial website focusing on clean beauty, conscious living, and parenting.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Pivoting careers and becoming an entrepreneur comes with a bunch of challenges. I had to learn to lead a team, process payroll, maintain an editorial calendar, take on the role of producer, writer, director, editor, and talent, and the list could go on.
The creative side came easily, but I drew from those business 101 classes way back when in college to successfully run my business.
I’m also a full-time mother, so learning how to schedule my day and prioritize my day-to-day tasks is still a daily struggle, especially right now during the pandemic.
Maed – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
When I created Maed, my goal was to foster inclusive community. Our mission has always been to cultivate accessibility in the clean beauty and conscious living space for all women. As well as highlight diversity in an industry where women of color are underrepresented.
I’m proud that we bring tangible approaches and solutions to all women. We educate and inspire our community members to dig deeper, ask more questions, and seek more conscious solutions, from the beauty products they’re using to the way they approach talking to their children about racism. Maed is a community first and foremost, and that is what will always set us apart.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Being unapologetically authentic to myself in a world where others want me to check a box to make them feel more comfortable is success to me.
Using my voice to uplift others or to bring awareness to those in need is success to me.
Waking up to another day with my beautiful family is success to me.
Engaging in honest, genuine friendships is success to me.
Meeting my deadlines and getting my kids to bed before 8 pm is to success to me.
One of my favorites quotes is, “Success is fine, but success is fleeting. Significance is lasting.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maed.co
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/denisevasi
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/denisevasi
- Twitter: denisevasi
Image Credit:
Images via MAED
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