Shea Marie Once Made $12/Hour. Now, She Has A Multi-Million-Dollar Brand.

Shea Marie never stays in one place for too long. The designer, creator, and entrepreneur isn’t a stranger to travel or last-minute plans. “I just arrived from LA last night,” Marie says, sitting across from me in a velvet corner booth at Fouquet's. The brasserie side of Tribeca’s it-girl hotel is quiet this Wednesday morning, with its lush green interiors and marble floors providing a sweet escape from New York’s hectic energy. “I love it here,” Marie says, before placing an order of herbal tea and a green juice to start her day.

“I only got a few hours of sleep, actually — can you tell?” she asks. I couldn’t. Wearing dark blue denim, a cream sweater, and minimal makeup, Marie looks exactly as she does on Instagram, where she showcases her favorite looks and very own ready-to-wear label, SAME, to an audience of over 1.7 million. The first thing I notice when she sits down is her perfume — “something from D.S. & Durga” — and perfectly blown-out hair. “I did it myself with the Dyson Airwrap.”

Marie is no stranger to doing things for herself — as one of the first style bloggers (she launched her site in 2009), a multi-million-dollar brand founder, and even one of Forbes’ Top 50 Global Creators — there wasn’t a blueprint for how to function in what’s now called the creator economy. Back in LA after a six-year stint in Miami, the San Diego native is making waves in the direct-to-consumer fashion industry after expanding her line from swimwear to head-to-toe looks.

“Entrepreneurship doesn’t get easier, and I’ve learned everything along the way. I didn’t go to business school,” Marie says. “When my influencer friends with brands ask for advice, I tell them this: There is nothing more valuable to your brand than time.”

Ahead, Marie takes us through the routines that energize her busy schedule, from her favorite workouts to the five-minute makeup she wears to both the gym and the red carpet.

How did you get started in the influencer space?

In 2011, I was in my early twenties, living in a two-bedroom apartment with four girls and making $12 an hour [in retail]. I started this website [Peace Love Shea] on the side, and after a year it started to get a little bit popular. There was a weird group of girls online posting their outfits, and I was one of them. I remember Forever 21 reached out to me and asked if I would be in their commercial in Times Square. I was so excited, I did it for free. I didn’t have an agent and I didn’t know any better. After that, I signed with my first manager.

I love that story. Congratulations on SAME’s 10-year anniversary! What has it been like running your own brand for a decade now?

When I started SAME, there weren’t a lot of influencers with brands. I was figuring it out on my own, whereas now people have agents and managers who help them connect the dots. For the first five years, the business was running like a mom-and-pop shop; with everyone doing a little bit of everything, while I was still focusing on content and partnerships.

What is your morning routine that keeps you going?

I don’t drink coffee, or any caffeine really. My cardiologist said I can’t metabolize it, and it makes me really jittery. I love peppermint tea or hot water with lemon, ginger and honey in the morning. I do like the vibe of a latte, so if I’m at one of those healthy cafes in LA, I’ll do a mushroom latte with adaptogenic herbs on my way to work.

Do you have a fitness routine?

I’m not the kind of girl to do my own thing. I have to have someone yelling at me. I go to Pilates at least three times a week at Alo or Forma.

I actually get ready before Pilates. I don’t have enough time to go back home and shower, so I get ready for the day, work out, and then drive to work. Our office in Santa Monica actually used to be GOOP’s office.

What are your must-have products to feel your best?

I literally do the same makeup and skin care whether I’m going to Pilates or an event. I use a skin tint foundation, mascara and a lip liner with chapstick.

What is you lip combo right now?

I’m obsessed with the new Refy Blur Liner. I don’t like the edge to be super sharp. I blend it with my finger and finish with cherry Chapstick. That’s it.

What’s your everyday uniform?

I love our SAME denim called The Perfect Jean and a white tee. Our jeans are mid-rise and super soft. My favorite tee is expensive ($280), but cost per wear it makes sense, and that’s the Khaite tee.

Your have gorgeous hair! Do you take any supplements?

A few months ago I started taking Mary Ruth’s liquid multivitamin . You’re supposed to take a tablespoon everyday but I’m so lazy, I just sip it out of the bottle in the fridge. It tasted like almond butter, and it is amazing for your hair and skin.

How do you practice self-care?

Self-care for me is staying at home all day in my sweats, organizing my house and maybe wearing a hair mask. I don’t respond to texts or calls, and I feel so peaceful. Since I moved back to LA, I call my place “Bugs Bungalow” because it’s very far removed from the city and I feel like I’m in my own little zen haven. I wouldn’t have it any other way.