Then and Now

My childhood shaped me into a very determined and resourceful person. I moved from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Provo when I was 8, and my family cleaned office buildings most nights from 4 pm to midnight. We did this for about 10 years. I thought it would never end.

We were a family of five living below the poverty line; if I wanted anything, I had to figure it out on my own — that mindset has stuck with me. I also picked up English quickly, and I translated for my parents, talking to credit card companies, the bank, doctors.

I always loved fashion, collected Vogue magazines, and at 14 was making my own clothes. My dream was to attend fashion school in NYC, but financially that wasn’t going to happen. Then I discovered the Fashion Institute at SLCC and started taking classes full time while working two jobs.

I realized I didn’t need to be in a big city to get the quality education that I wanted. And I got so much more one-on-one attention than I would have ever found in a big city. What matters isn’t really the school you go to but rather the quality of the teachers and that they believe in you. I remember one assignment, where we were challenged to make something wearable out of thick upholstery material; I created a corset dress that I still have.

Only a few years out of school, my sister said let’s open a business. So, we started Böhme, a women’s lifestyle clothing brand. She was the left brain, I was the right brain; our startup funding was a credit card and we had not connections. I was 23 but looked like I was 16.

We failed several times before we were able to make it. Now we have opened over 25 locations and Forbes named Böhme one of the Top Women-Run Businesses. I absolutely love fashion, but now I’m refocusing my career on residential architecture and design, a passion that evolved from my work designing our stores.

"I see so many young people constantly in a state of comparing themselves to others, usually based on what they don’t have. Look at your own talents and abilities and use those to make this world a better place."

Advice

Also, find your superpower — mine is resilience — and focus on your strengths. I see so many young people constantly in a state of comparing themselves to others, usually based on what they don’t have. Look at your own talents and abilities and use those to make this world a better place.