Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelyn Thompson.
Jocelyn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated from USC in 2010 and thought I wanted to be a talent agent. The idea of representing gifted people and helping them reach their goals seemed fulfilling and exciting. After working at a talent agency as an assistant, I quickly realized that the industry culture was not what I was looking for in a long-term career. I had a friend who owned an e-commerce business and I was so intrigued by the idea of owning something myself and being the direct beneficiary of my hard work. I decided to start EPIPHANY LA in 2017 and dove in head-first. Within a year, I had designed the product and it was available on Amazon and my website. Since everything was put together so quickly, I’m now in the process of refining the company, rebranding, improving, and scaling. When looking back on my aspiration of being a talent agent, I laugh a little because I feel that’s essentially what I’m doing now. I’m the agent and main spokesperson for my brand. I help my brand reach its goals, work through tough decisions, and constantly strive to get to that next level. It’s come full circle for me.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been smooth at all. I started an e-commerce business and knew nothing about e-commerce! I just knew I was developing a great product and that women would it. I’ve had to teach myself virtually every aspect of the business. It started with finding a supplier on Alibaba and designing the packaging, and now I’m hiring developers and building a custom coded website that I envisioned myself. One of my current projects is learning Facebook advertising strategy. I hired someone to do one-on-one sessions with me so I could learn every aspect from the ground up. As a business owner, I like to understand how to do something myself before hiring someone to do it for me. Then, I know the difficulty of the project and can assess a fair pay rate. I believe in this process of learning things yourself first and then delegating once you have a general understanding of the work.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with EPIPHANY LA – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
EPIPHANY LA is one-product brand that creates revolutionary push-up padding inserts for swimsuits and sports bras. Our patent-pending inserts have thin tapered edges, so they are invisible under tops while providing maximum lift and fullness. Most swimsuits and sports bras have a built-in pocket specifically designed to hold a padding insert. The concept is to remove the flimsy, cheap pads that come in most tops and replace them with our push-up inserts so you look a full cup size larger. Unlike other brands, our inserts come in four different cups sizes, so they fit perfectly.
I created this product because I could not find pads that enhanced my shape while also being discrete under thin swimsuits. Most enhancing pads had thick edges and only came in one or two sizes, so they were very noticeable under tops and they didn’t fit properly. I decided to start this company when I realized there was a hole in the market for this product.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that you can always meet someone new! There are so many interesting, smart people here. My least favorite thing is that LA is a transient city. I’ve made a lot of good friends that have moved away.
Pricing:
- $30: 1 Pair
- $72: Bundle 3 Pairs
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MyEpiphanyLA.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Epiphany_LA
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MyEpiphanyLA
Image Credit:
Matthew Clerkin
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
