Today we’d like to introduce you to Mizziel Serra.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been riding on two wheels since 2010. I gave up my car in 2011 to ride my motorcycle as a daily commuter in college because it made LA traffic and parking much more convenient. Sometime that year, I was run over by a car while riding, but I didn’t let that stop me from pursuing my passion. I’ve been commuting ever since and have made some of the greatest friends from riding.
In my nine years of riding experience, I have set land speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats and ride professionally as a stunt double and precision rider. I currently have many adrenaline-filled hobbies, such as snowboarding and have expanded my horizons into other avenues of the extreme sports realm. I just got my skydiving license a few months ago and am working towards getting certified in scuba. I want to be a good example for others, especially women to be brave and step out of comfort zones.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but every obstacle has made me stronger and more resilient. From getting injured too many close friends passing away, there have been a number of things that could’ve led me to stop doing what I do. But I choose to keep going because I refuse to allow fear to control my life. Not to mention, I’ve had to work incredibly hard to gain genuine respect in the motorcycle community, which is an extremely male-dominated industry. Being a female in any male-dominated industry is always a challenging feat because it’s difficult to be taken seriously.
Every struggle has taught me valuable lessons and I’m grateful to be able to share my stories with others.
My advice to other women is to realize that they have the tools necessary to succeed in anything they put their minds to. If you’re passionate about something, keep pushing forward and don’t get easily intimidated by things. Be brave and remember to also be kind and genuine.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Flowstate story. Tell us more about it.
After graduating from UCLA, I started two businesses. The first one is Redline Ravens, where I teamed up with two strong, female motorcycle influencers, Annette and Keerati. Together, we set out to inspire people with an emphasis on females to live an active lifestyle and ride. We went on several motorcycle adventures and documented them on social media, which quickly gained popularity within the motorcycle community. Then in 2017, Annette tragically passed away from a motorcycle accident, which deeply impacted Redline Ravens. It just wasn’t the same without her, but Kee and I continue to ride in her honor.
Last year, I started another business called The Flowstate with my current business partner, Jared who shares aligning goals in teaching others how to live an ever-present, active lifestyle. Being in the “Flowstate” means to achieve a hyper-focused state of mind. It’s an extremely powerful moment in time of being in the zone while 100% of the mind, body, and soul work together during a particular activity. It’s the optimal experience because the journey towards the Flowstate allows one to reach maximum human potential. “Flowstate” is a term mostly used around extreme sports, however, we believe that it’s something that can be applied in everyday life. Together we create fun and informative lifestyle, travel and extreme sports content to share with the world. Ultimately, we want to inspire others to consciously experience the pure bliss of reaching the Flowstate together and actively pursue their Flowstate.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
One major barrier to female leadership is gaining the confidence to step up in male-dominated industries. It’s easy to get intimidated, especially with things like motorcycles, because they are “big and heavy.” I believe more women need to realize that they are a lot stronger than they give themselves credit for.
Another barrier is that there could be more females positively encouraging one another. Over the years, I’ve seen many females putting other females down and ignorantly accusing them of doing things like riding motorcycles for attention when in reality, that’s not the case. I’ve personally experienced this and it puts a stigma on why females join certain sports or activities. I believe in females supporting each other in an uplifting manner because being strong and empowered includes embracing femininity and expressing creativity in their own unique way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mizziel.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mizziel/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Theflowstatechannel/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFlowstate
Image Credit:
Raul Gaina (Personal Photo), Thomas Farmer, Spencer Sunn, Raul Gaina, Jared Hughes, Joser Dumbrique, Devrey LaRiccia, François Watine, Kin Lam
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
