Today's episode features a well spoken young entrepreneur, Roxanne Ohayon. Roxanne is a 3rd Immunology, & Molecular Genetic Major at UCLA, the founder of a sustainable swimwear line, Lotus Swim, a researcher at the UCLA Silva Lab, and a science writer for Stanford Medicine. Tune in to hear how Roxanne found her passions and took action to achieve her goals. Find her swimswear company on Instagram @lotus.swim.
Today's episode features a well spoken young entrepreneur, Roxanne Ohayon. Roxanne is a 3rd Immunology, & Molecular Genetic Major at UCLA, the founder of a sustainable swimwear line, Lotus Swim, a researcher at the UCLA Silva Lab, and a science writer for Stanford Medicine. Tune in to hear how Roxanne found her passions and took action to achieve her goals. Find her swimswear company on Instagram @lotus.swim.
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Speaker 2:[inaudible].
Speaker 3:Good evening everyone. This is Natalie DelGaudio live from Los Angeles. This is a Stella Oak mavens podcast where we feature different mavens in different fields. A Maven is an expert. Have an expert there, the GoTo person who you would want to ask questions before making a decision. The purpose of our podcast is to help the consumer be more knowledgeable. Today I am so excited to host Roxanne Ohioan. Roxanne is a third year in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics major at UCLA. She's also a science writer for Stanford medicine and a researcher in the UCLA silver lab. Roxanne has taken her passion for science and merged it with her childhood love for fashion to tackle one of the most environmentally harmful and wasteful industries of today's world. The fashion industry, her startup Lotus swim uses fabric made from recovered ocean fishing nets and other plastic ways to create beautiful reversible pieces that challenge the fashion industry is wasteful production cycle. Hey Roxanne, we're really excited to have you. How are you?
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:I'm great. Not only thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're so excited to have you on the podcast. Let us begin. So what drew you to starting your own sustainable brand Lotus swim?
Speaker 1:Right. So when I first wanted to start a business, it wasn't necessarily on the track of being a sustainable business, but over the course of a few months, uh, even a year, it started getting itself formulated into this very sustainability driven companies. So it started off, um, my freshman year of college. Um, I had started on the microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics track. It's a long major, but, uh, UCLA. And, um, I was very determined in getting a degree in science and being involved in research, getting my PhD in the future. And that was all kind of backtracked to a passion that I had for immunotherapy research that was rooted in, um, the loss of my grandfather dead multiple myeloma, which is a type of cancer, um, that could have been treated with immunotherapy or potentially STEM cell therapy, uh, if the research would have been more advanced at the time. So this was something that I was very passionate about. Um, but before that, before I really developed this passion for science, I really loved art and fashion and this was something that as a child, and um, all the way up until early high school when I started learning about science, I wanted to devote my life, fashion and design and, um, I even considered going to a design specific college. Um, and so there was always this kind of a back and forth toggle between my love for art and fashion and science. And when I got to college, I kind of thought that like, Oh, I would have to put one of these things kind of on the back burner and just go full force towards one of my passions that they would be kind of no in between where I could elevate both of them in what I wanted to do. So, um, this all kind of changed when I started looking at ways that I could have some sort of side hustles. So as a UCLA student, it's no, um, no, I guess secret that our tuition is pretty darn expensive. So, um, I was trying to find ways that I could, uh, support, help support my family and paying my tuition and all the other expenses that come along with having a college education at UCLA. So, um, I started having side hustles that involved me, um, purchasing items like, uh, everything from, uh, trendy like shoes and slides to kind of hype, fashion, clothing, tank, Cox, um, makeups, jewelry, that kind of stuff from wholesale manufacturers overseas, and then selling them in kind of boutique online eCommerce platforms. So, um, this led me to making a decent amount of money that was helping pay my tuition and I was really excited about it. Um, come middle of freshman year. I wanted to expand my efforts. Um, but around this time was actually when I started becoming aware of some of the things that have really been plaguing the fashion industry and that's the wasteful use of fossil fuels and creating our textiles along with the exploitation of women laborers and all of these issues that really were not commonplace to learn in even an institution like UCLA. I had never heard of these things. Um, like the fact that nylon, uh, as we get into kind of my swimwear, nylon is a, um, non-biodegradable material that doesn't actually ever biodegrade. Uh, it ends up in a landfill and it's a plastic. So there's nothing we can do about that. And it's one of the most common things that we see in the fashion industry is the use of these non-biodegradable textiles, things like that. So, um, guess the turning point for me was when I, uh, received a DM on Instagram from a swimwear company that actually said, Hey, Roxanne, like we like your style, we'd like you to be an ambassador for our company. Um, and upon looking at their, uh, catalog of items, I realized that all of them were from wholesale manufacturers, just like what I had been doing. And I thought, you know, this is such an easy business model. It's crazy how much traction these companies are getting. Just pretty minimal ad marketing, that kind of stuff. Um, I want to do this and I want to make it better by making it sustainable. So this was a moment that really did it for me, me find it, seeing a problem in the industry and, um, and just feeling like I could do something to improve it and make, make the industry better. So
Speaker 3:yeah, no, that's very important, especially in today's day with sustainability becoming bigger. That's awesome. So what has been the greatest challenge in starting your own business? Especially since you're a college student? You know, kind of a startup is a really hard thing to do. How has that been?
Speaker 1:So there's been a few things. First of all, that load is swim, uh, at its conception has been aimed at tackling. So the first one of course is the sustainability aspect. Like I mentioned everything on the market right now that is just basic that what we call fast fashion, that's exploiting workers, that's using these textiles that are non-renewable, just ending up in landfills. Um, a lot of these companies are using using approaches that, um, you know, require a massive budget. So their marketing approaches are targeting these demographics that our are the same age as me and um, they're learning what these people like and they're spending a ton of money to keep this fast fashion cycle going. So I think one of the biggest things for me has just been learning how to tap into that market without having this massive ad budget. So it's been a challenge, especially as a college student trying to tap into those funding sources. Um, I've had to, um, of course reach out for loans and things like that just to get the company up and running in terms of inventory and things like that. So as a college student without much, um, basis for how to, uh, fund your company without looking for external investors and that kind of thing, definitely really tricky to find, um, the funding required to really get your name out there. And thus it requires a lot of time on your part to really spread the word to everyone. You know, try to be as social media savvy as you can be without giving out those big bucks that companies like forever 21 or a Boohoo or all of these companies are doing in this day and age. So that's definitely been a struggle. The other struggle has really been coming up with a solid design into phase. So when I started the company, I didn't have any formal design experience. Um, I remember one, one of my favorite memories of freshman year when I really started this, all the concepts of the swimwear was, um, after a chemistry exam, sitting in the library at 2:00 AM and just sketching out designs for swimwear with kind of no idea how to do this with all the fancy design programming out there. Um, and just sketching and sending these out to manufacturers and saying, Hey, can you do something with this? Can you help me through the measurements? How to get, you know, in size scale going for small, medium, large, and just starting the process just in the most basic way I could. So trying to learn to be a, uh, all, you know, an entire company in one person. Everything from design to marketing, um, to just being, you know, the, the, the mind behind our mission and trying to recruit interns has been a really big thing for me now. Trying to wear all those hats is definitely been a big challenge along with my coursework and everything else that's on my plate. So
Speaker 3:yeah, definitely. That kind of leads into my next question actually. I'm curious, how do you manage to balance everything from schoolwork to social life to having your own startup? How do, how have you found a balance between all of that?
Speaker 1:I think the easy answer is you don't. Um, I think that the idea of having equal balance kind of goes out the window when you decide to really dedicate yourself to, um, any of your passions, especially when that's starting a business. Um, first of all, being a college student comes with its own challenges of time management that have always honestly been a struggle for me because I'm someone that likes to invest. When I have an interest in something, I like to invest all of my time in it. So, um, it's hard when there's a lot of things you're passionate about and uh, you want to get that degree done and you also want to be social and all of these things. So, um, I think that starting a business really makes you think about the fact that you have to make sacrifices if you want to make everything in your schedule work. So whether that's not going out with your friends on a Friday or missing a weekend trip with family or just learning how to stay up late and I'm doing one task after another, even when your brain is tired and you want to go to bed is something that you really have to learn if you're going to be starting or being involved in a startup and balancing school. But it's absolutely worth it. I think that it's really shown me the value of hard work and how to multitask, which is something that's essential. Even if, um, you know, I decided to have another startup idea or be involved in a different project in the future, I'll have these, uh, skills with me for the rest of my life. So that's been great. And another thing that has really been integral is a meditation. So that's one thing that I try not to skip even when life gets really tough, which just taking five, 10 minutes out of my day every morning or every night to just meditate quietly and, uh, you know, focused on my breathing and just ground myself back in the present moment. Even though during the day I might be thinking on a timeline of 20 years from now or 10 years from now or what is due tomorrow or next month. So it really allows me to stay grounded, just calm myself down and remember that I have to take things one thing at a time every day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, of course. It's very important too to keep your health in mind. So what advice would you give to a student who is in similar shoes as you, who wants to start their own business but is afraid to do to being a student? What would you tell them?
Speaker 2:Okay,
Speaker 1:that's a great question. Um, I think my easy answer would be just do it. Uh, there's going to be a lot of reasons why you shouldn't do it. You're going to miss out on things you are going to, you know, it's going to make your daily life harder. But I think that, uh, you have to do it, especially at the age that we're at. If you have an idea, if you have something that could be an idea that you are absolutely passionate about and you want to see formulate into something big, into a company, into a startup, absolutely go for it. Um, find a team that will be able to support you. Whether that just be through, uh, encouragement with your colleagues and the people that you surround yourself with or whether that be, you know, um, a team that really balances you in terms of developing whatever it might be. An app, a interface, a product. I, a team that is on, on the same page with you willing to go through this hard work and all of the challenges and unpredictability of a startup. Um, absolutely go for it. I think at the age that we are having an idea, uh, in your early twenties or even very late teens is something that you'll never get back. Um, where we're the demographic that's really shaping all kinds of market trends. We're sparking social change and our ideas are so absolutely valuable and important in the current landscape, um, of business and just the direction the world is going in general. So if you have an idea, definitely pursue it, see where it goes, talk to people, find your resources on your campus. I know at UCLA there's tons of startup resources, entrepreneurial clubs, things like that to just start your idea, just get it going. Started pitch deck to see where you can take it. And you'll honestly be very surprised with the unpredictable turns that might take and where it'll lead you. So yeah.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's great advice. So you seem to be very motivated and inspired. What has been your biggest inspiration on this journey? Or what do you look for for motivation when you need it?
Speaker 2:Yeah,
Speaker 1:that's a good question. I think one of the things that I've established within myself on a very, very early age was that whatever I wanted to do, I didn't want it to be motivated by money. So, uh, with that in mind, I think that it allowed me to kind of open a lot more doors for myself in terms of trying to discover what actually motivates me and what actually what my heart is really invested in in terms of what I want to put my time into. So, um, for me, that was really after, after a while, learning about all of these crazy, um, very unfortunate things that are the forefront of the fashion industry. Uh, and, and also it kind of goes hand in hand with what I mentioned before, getting into meditation and things like that, I felt very connected to the world around me and especially connected to nature. So just learning about these things that we're doing harming the earth was enough for me to really hone in on whatever I want to do, which has ended up being Lotus, swim, whatever startup I create, whatever I put my time into, I want it to be something that makes the world better. And by that I literally mean the planet. I, I don't, I want to reduce the weeds, full habits of the fashion industry that are a huge norm. All the greenhouse gases being released just for us to wear a piece for a month or two months and throw it away, donate it to put it in a landfill. Um, I think it's a cycle that really needs to be broken. So my love and kind of a sensitivity towards the ways that nature is really all we have and it's impacting our daily life. Everything we do with everything around us has really been a big motivation for me in hopes of making an impact on the planet we live on.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah, of course. So when you say Lotus swim, why did you pick Lotus? Like what is the message behind your brand?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a really great question. So, um, the idea of the name loaders of the actually pretty symbolic, um, I was thinking about a name that would be able to encapsulate the idea that we're a sustainable company, that we're circular, that we're kind of taking something that's already been used and, um, turning it into something beautiful, which is, uh, I'll take a moment to kind of talk about our fabric again. So our supply chain starts with us taking, um, dumped and discarded fishing nets that have been dumped in the ocean and hundreds of thousands of times every single year. And that's not an overestimation, which is insane to think about. And so these huge fishing nets made out of nylon are dumped into our oceans. They're ending up as you know, traps from Marine life. All those really sad pictures you see of fields and turtles in traps in plastic waste. So this is, uh, one of the biggest culprits of that. So, um, our supply chain starts with harnessing those nylon fishing nets along with other nylon ways like carpet fillings or, um, discarded single use plastics that includes nylon and, uh, regenerating that into regenerated nylon fabric that has the exact same UV protectability and even a softer feel than Virgin nylon. So, um, with that in mind, with that process of taking something that was supposed to just have that one life as a fishing men and turning it into something beautiful and wearable and keeping that, that fashion, keeping that loop circular, um, is something that inspired our name. So the Lotus flower, I'm not sure if you're familiar with, but the Lotus flower is, um, a flower that can only grow in mud. So the idea behind the name was that this flower I, that symbolizes something very beautiful that has grown from mud to something that is dirty, um, muddy whatever. Um, ideas come to mind in terms of mud. Um, and it turns into something beautiful. So just like, uh, a Lotus flower can only grow in mud, our suits represent the beauty that can be derived from re-purposing environmentally harmful ways.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it is a really nice message behind, you know, a flower. That's awesome. Love that. So what are your short and long terms goals for Lotus swim as of now, if you have thought of that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I think our short term goals are we really want this brand to be um, something that real women wear, um, and women of all sizes. So we want this brand to not only be inclusive in terms of the models and representation we use to sell the products on our website, on our Instagram and all of that. But we also want it to be size inclusive. So the idea behind that is that sustainable swimwear right now does exist on the market, but it's only at a luxury price point. So with that being said, um, we really are aiming with our swimwear to just get the word out and let people know. Women of all sizes that sustainable swimwear and sustainable fashion should not be a luxury. It needs to become an everyday norm for sustainable garments, sustainable textiles to be something that all women feel, women of all sizes and colors are able to readily purchase. And wear without breaking the bank. So I hope that in the short term we're able to get our message across to a really large wide audience, let them know that they're welcome here at our brand and there are sizes and shapes to suit them and it's not going to cost more than your Virgin nylon suit that you're buying from fast fashion companies. So that would be my short term goal. I think in the long term I hope that we can kind of expand the past swimwear and turn it into a brand that encompasses all of sustainable fashion as a whole. So I'm just making more pieces that are, whether it be athletic way or everyday wear form aware, I'm just getting that sustainable fashion to become norm is something that is limited swims goal both in the short term and long term. So
Speaker 3:yeah. And how are you hoping to raise awareness on, you know, the message of your company and like you said, your goals of spreading it to people of all sizes. How are you going to manage to do all of that as a student? For any other students who are listening and are interested in the methods and that go behind that kind of marketing and advertising and stuff.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Um, I think that this is something that as you mentioned as a college student, I'm still trying to figure out, like I mentioned before, um, one thing that, uh, Lotus swim does not have that a lot of these big companies do have is that huge ad budget. So trying to find a more grassroots marketing approaches to getting our name out there and also just getting our message out there that sustainable fashion needs to be the norm has been a challenge, but has been something that, um, uh, hopefully we'll be able to hone in on more this year. And I'd say honestly, that your network is really one of the biggest, uh, things of value that you could ever have. Uh, when you start a business, just who you know, when your network and how they can help you, whether that's just something as simple as spreading it to their network, getting the word out, saying, Hey, I have a friend, I have a colleague, I have a coworker that is, um, you know, doing this startup that has this idea. Just gives a check them out. And I can honestly say from personal experience, uh, just getting yourself out there and letting people know about what you're doing is one of the most valuable things. Um, and also just, you know, getting yourself out there in the public as much as you can. So a few weeks ago in the beginning of September and Lotus swim actually was able to secure a spot at a Melrose trading post, which is one of the most famous kind of open air markets in the country. So that was really exciting for us and just meeting people from all over the world that come to shock their, uh, having them grab promotional items that we printed, whether that was stickers. Um, we, we did a promo with, um, some ecofriendly jewelry. Uh, giveaways, things like that. Just so people remember your name, remember what the company is all about. And um, you know, just expanding that network by being at these events, being out in the public and just letting everyone know, spreading the word yourself though. If you don't have that add up budget, you just kind of have to put in the work on your own and just get, get your name out there and any way you can.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That's amazing. So for some last words, what would you want to leave our listeners with are, whether they're young entrepreneurs or they're interested in finding different ways to start a new business with new ideas, what would you leave them with as of now?
Speaker 1:The first thing I leave my Jordan listeners with is, first of all, if you have an idea, absolutely pursue it. Uh, don't think about the roadblocks ahead of you. Um, only think about what you want this company to become and what your passion is and where your passion lies. Um, think about, I think that one of the biggest, um, uh, life mantras that I've come to love is leave everything that you invest yourself. Invest your time in better than how you found it. So how do you want to leave the world better than you found it? I think this is a really broad but inspirational message for a lot of people, a lot of startups, um, now are kind of facing the question of what, you know, what, what need is this really solving? Is this app really going to, you know, better people's lives or um, you know, really make a difference. And so if that's where your passion lies, is making the world a better place in whatever way you see fit and there's endless possibilities to answer that question, then go forth, pursue with full force and run hard and fast towards your passion. It's going to be a very long and challenging road, but it's absolutely going to be worth it. So that's what I leave you with and don't. And one of the biggest things as a college student is just learn to seek out your resources. Um, there's a lot of, like I mentioned, start up close resource, um, groups on, on your campuses and also external scholarships and grants for people with big ideas. So, um, don't feel like you're in this alone. There's so many people out there that want to help you, want to see young entrepreneurs succeed and wants to give you the resources, the inspiration, and also the funding to do so. So don't feel alone. Always seek out your resources and go towards whatever you're passionate about full force. Cool.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for being on the show today. Roxanne had a great time interviewing you.
Speaker 1:Of course. Thank you so much. It was great talking to you, Natalie.
Speaker 3:Of course. Have a good rest of your day.
Speaker 1:Thanks you. Bye.
Speaker 3:Thank you guys for listening to the Stella Oak mavens podcast. For more checkout, Stella Oak mavens.com.
Speaker 4:[inaudible].