Hidden Gems: Meet Maria Elena Barrientos of Desnuda

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Elena Barrientos.

Hi Maria Elena, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In October 2020, I moved to San Diego, California, with my partner after graduating with my Bachelor’s in Public Health from California State University of Northridge. Unfortunately, an exciting time for me changed into a nightmare. In May 2021, I moved back to Los Angeles after ending five years of my emotionally abusive relationship. That was the start of a new journey for me, full of emotions and self-doubt. I had to start from scratch, searching for a new job while living out of trash bags from my bedroom. Since everything happened quickly, I left San Diego with my belongings in trash bags. Shortly after being home, I started focusing all my energy on starting my business and finding work. On September 14th, I posted a TikTok about my story and healing journey, which became viral overnight. My Instagram and Tiktok were full of messages from women asking for advice and saying how proud they were of me. A couple of days later, On September 23rd, I was offered a position at my biotech company & On September 24th, Desnuda launched. Everything started aligning after feeling hopeless for months. The start of my business was not only a light for me but also a light for many other women. Women started feeling confident in themselves again and leaving relationships that no longer served them.

Six months into the business, I noticed I was neglecting my passion due to my demanding position at the Bio-Tech company. In addition, my mental health started going down the drain due to the environment at the Bio-tech company, so I decided to leave with no backup plan. So since March 23rd, 2022, I’ve been running Desnuda full-time. Desnuda started with the meaning of a neutrals-only brand, but it has gained a more profound purpose of helping women strip themselves naked from toxic relationships and self-hate. It’s just the beginning of something great! God is working through me…..

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The journey has not been smooth, but I’m grateful for the challenges. Having a background in healthcare and learning the entrepreneur life has been one of my biggest challenges. As a new entrepreneur, you wear all the hats; bookkeeper, shipper, inventory buyer, and content creator. Another challenge I’ve faced is the slow days of business. When times are slow, I get discouraged and compare myself to other clothing brands. I’m working on this.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Desnuda is a women’s clothing brand focusing on building confidence in women through minimalistic styles. We believe in creating capsule wardrobes to maximize the use of your clothing pieces. Our brand takes pride in helping/ inspiring women become a better version of themselves mentally, spiritually, and physically. We are more than a clothing brand.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck plays an essential role in the success of my life and business, but sustaining that success through hard work, risk-taking, and learning your industry is what is most important. For example, I’ve been given many opportunities through TikTok to work with brands and showcase my business to a bigger audience. But with these opportunities comes a lot of hard work to keep brands wanting to work with me and turning new customers into recurring customers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shopdesnuda.com https://instagram.com/shopdesnuda_?igshid=NzAzN2Q1NTE=
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/shopdesnuda_?igshid=NzAzN2Q1NTE=