Jhoanna Marissa Flores, CEO of Willa Creative
Dmitry Bocharov
Jhoanna Marissa Flores was a self-taught coder and web-designer — that is until she got the confidence boost from a mentor to take her passion project to the next level.
“A mentor of mine who I worked for at the time realized I wasn’t fulfilled by that job and that I wasn’t finding anything that felt right for me,” shares Marissa. “He supported me going back to school to learn front end programming and encouraged me to start my own business while I was still at his company. His belief in me, and the security of knowing I always had a job with him helped me take that leap.”
By betting on herself, Marissa set the foundation for what is now her own digital-first creative agency, Willa Creative. Since 2012, the agency has brought on clients like Levi’s, Brightland, and Dermalogica, and helped them create a digital experience that spoke directly to their communities.
“We are a lean team of 9 (90% women) with a vast network of creatives that support specific projects along the way.” Marissa adds that as of this year Willa has also launched a venture vertical — “Beyond servicing brands, we also started investing into brands we believe in through our Willa Ventures vertical. We focus on brands with a social justice mission and/or women founded companies. I kicked this off in the beginning of 2020 and plan to continue to grow that portfolio along with incubating some of our own tech products that support those two interests.”
Marissa’s inclination towards community and a strong support system can be traced back to her Latinx upbringing and can be seen woven through her own career as an entrepreneur and CEO.
“I am forever grateful for the solid network of women I have in LA,” explains Marissa. “Willa has always been referral based, and if it wasn’t for putting collaboration over competition and getting that in return from our incredible clients and partner agencies we wouldn’t be where we are today. It’s important to feel ok with asking for help and reaching out to those you admire for a quick call or their opinion. I am always flattered when someone reaches out to me for advice. We all want to pay it forward.”
Below Marissa shares more about her journey as a creative entrepreneur, how she’s navigated setbacks, and advice for other Latinx entrepreneurs as they kickstart their businesses.
Vivian Nunez: Tell us a little more about how you got your start?
Jhoanna Marissa Flores: It wasn’t easy to get clients, and I was ready to create, so I started by launching my own brand and online store. I figured if I could do it for myself, then I could do it for others. I started a dress line and I fell in love with creating digital experiences. I loved how I was able to reach customers from all around the world, and how I was able to tell a story through imagery and design. This brand, Lily+Jasper, allowed me to showcase my style and my creative and technical abilities which ultimately became the start of my creative portfolio.
Nunez: How has your Latinidad influenced your trajectory as an entrepreneur?
Marissa: I have always admired and appreciated the importance of family. There is nothing stronger than a Latin family bond. I realized how important it was to create that same sort of bond and loyalty into both the Willa office culture and my client relationships. I want my team and clients to feel like they are a part of a company who truly cares about their well-being and has their back. I have also never been afraid of hard work. I have seen so many of my family members work so hard to create better lives for themself and their children, including my parents. I learned early on that with hard work, honesty, and grit there is nothing that can stop me from achieving my goal.
Nunez: What advice would you give to other Latina founders who are looking to start their own creative agency?
Marissa: Band together with like-minded, diverse entrepreneurs or acquaintances. It’s important to have allies who can think of you for the right job or projects, and also to have someone to ask for advice. Be clear about the offerings and mission of your company. Also be curious to learn and be conversational about industries surrounding and supporting what you do. For example, even though we don’t offer email marketing or paid media services, I still make it a point to be educated in the space so I can speak to them in a room. It is all connected to how we can support and understand our clients’ needs to help them launch a successful online business. I think it’s important to continue to be a sponge and be curious.
Nunez: What have been some examples of growth strategies that have helped you build Willa Creative into what it is today?
Marissa Flores: I would say leaning into our specialty in the e-commerce space is number one. It helps tremendously when those around you know exactly what they can refer you for. Also, maintaining strong relationships with like-minded agencies and vendors who can refer work. Referrals are really the most powerful way to keep incoming business. And lastly, it’s honesty. Be honest with what you can and cannot execute, what your bandwidth is, and how your pricing structure works. Transparency helps you build a solid reputation.
Nunez: How have you witnessed the beauty/lifestyle landscape changing and how is that reflective of the ways website designs have changed?
Marissa: I have been loving the constant evolution of diversity and transparency in the beauty and lifestyle verticals, and I see that trend continuing to be a growing part of those digital landscapes. Lately, especially due to covid, we are strategizing more around communication tactics than ever before. We realized that while specific sales tactics are important, to be a long-lasting brand that becomes “essential” to your customers you need to go beyond the acquisition and sale. It’s important how brands speak to their customers, how they sell to their customers, engage with them, and build a relationship with them. We are also simplifying the UX of our digital products more than ever. We have learned that users want to find what they want quickly and easily rather than get tons of upsells, cross sells, and pop ups. So we are really prioritizing space, ease, and customer personalization. I’m excited that our new sites strip back the bells and whistles and really put the customer first.
Nunez: What advice do you have for brands that are looking to elevate their own online presences? What should they keep in mind?
Marissa: Invest into good imagery and copy. If you can’t afford a fully custom website today but have some budget for a refresh, copy and imagery can go a long way with a pre-existing theme purchased from Shopify. Customers need to understand what your brand does and be visually drawn to what you are selling immediately. Keep in mind the short time you have to really capture their attention. Be concise and make sure your image sizes aren’t too large and slowing down your site.
Nunez: How have you approached setbacks or hard patches in your own career?
Marissa: Can’t say I always handled them with a level head… I was so hard on myself in my 20’s. In retrospect I wish I could have told my younger self the things I remind myself and truly believe today which are: everything really does happen for a reason, comparison is the thief of joy, and be present in the journey because there is a lot of beauty in it. There are accomplishments I had in my 20’s that I didn’t pause to be grateful for, or lessons I couldn’t see then, that I now reflect on and find joy in.
Nunez: What advice do you have for others navigating their own hard patch right now?
Marissa: Show yourself patience and love. Prioritize your mental well-being and practice gratitude for what you have. It is so easy for me to fall into a rhythm of focusing on the things “I don’t have” instead of being grateful for what I do. I have to remind myself every day to practice gratitude. And when I do, I feel better, I am kinder to myself and those around me, and it helps manifest positive outcomes all around me.
