Marissa Stinson
Faced with barriers she struggled with her entire life, Marissa chose to overcome. With no experience outside of waitressing, she turned an internship into a role as a project manager, then operations manager and now has a five-year plan to be CEO.
What’s been the biggest obstacle in your life so far?
My early 20’s I definitely didn’t set myself up for success. I take full responsibility for that. So despite all the barriers I spoke of having to break down, simply loving myself was the hardest one. That alone created a multitude of obstacles that grew and grew and my self-love disappeared more and more. Having to find love for myself and truly live with it and honor it was by far the biggest obstacle of my life.
One year from today, how do you hope you’re different?
I want to learn and know more. I want to be even more confident in my career and always be a better mother. I hope this doesn’t sound cliché but that sums it up for me. That’s my main goal for myself moving forward. Read more books, take some classes and implement what I learn in my day-to-day life to make me better.
“Having to find love for myself and truly live with it and honor it was by far the biggest obstacle of my life.”
What keeps you up at night?
The truth is, I sleep well. I have wasted too many hours of sleep stressing about things that are out of my control. I am grateful for the stressors I have today as they are so much better than what I have had. I will gladly accept them and go right to sleep. Any other mindset would be destructive for me and I strive to be healthy. Occasionally a sick child can interfere, but those times are worth waking up for.
What’s the single biggest problem you’d like to solve in your community?
I have been exposed to the judicial system and child welfare and how minorities are treated firsthand. The things that “trusted” organizations get away with is sickening and I feel like everyone knows this. It's unsettling how many people in high positions turn their heads and feed the cycle for the unfortunate people that get caught in it. This, by far, needs to change, it has to change.
marissa is one of 100 women we have featured in the inaugural issue of Hundred Magazine. To learn more about her and the other 99 women, buy the issue.
