Meet Marissa Masters-Culpepper | Co-Owner & Magic Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marissa Masters-Culpepper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marissa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always been crafty by nature since my childhood. For many years I made custom cups, t-shirts, and greeting cards to give as gifts to family and friends. I became interested in waistbeads after seeing two friends wearing them. I was so intrigued, I asked both of them to tell more information about them. Instead of explaining the beads to me and why they wear them, they both referred me to the ladies who they bought their beads from. Since I did not get the information I was looking for from my friends, I decided to do a deep dive into the history of waistbeads and why people wear them. After learning about the rich history of waistbeads and the reasons for wearing them, I fell in love and decided to make a couple strands for myself.

After wearing these beads for a couple months, I realized that there was a shift happening within me. I used to ignore my reflection in the mirror; after wearing my beads, I realized I would actually stop when I passed a mirror and admire my reflection. Wearing waistbeads changed how I looked and thought about myself. As a result, my confidence soared and I stopped hiding behind too big clothes and feeling invisible. I knew, if these beads could help bring me out of my shyness and desire to be invisible, then they could help others. At that time, I still wasn’t sure how I would share my love for waistbeads with others.

Before launching Sacred Love, I made waistbeads for eight months at my kitchen table. At the time, I loved making beads but had no intention of selling them. I was nervous that my work wasn’t good enough and that no one would want to buy my creations. I had convinced myself that I was making waistbeads for fun and didn’t need to share my passion with the world.

One day, my wife Jasmyn sat me down and encouraged me to pick a launch date for the company. She explained that I couldn’t just sit at the kitchen table making waistbeads and then do nothing with them. I reluctantly agreed to set a launch date. I was scared. Scared that I would fail, scared that I wouldn’t make any sales, and scared that no one cared about what I had to share. I am so grateful that my wife had that conversation with me. I am still surprised by the response and support we have received since our launch.

As a result, sharing my passion for waistbeads with others has allowed me to blossom into a different person. I am more confident than before, no longer struggle with self-doubt, and I know that I can achieve anything. I understand that my story resonates with people, and I want to share it with as many people as possible.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Here at Sacred Love we handcraft beautiful waistbeads. All of our waistbeads are designed by me, Marissa “The Magic Maker”, and constructed by myself or my wife Jasmyn. This means that our waistbeads can’t be found anywhere else. We put so much love and positive energy into our beads because we believe energy is transferred and we know that those wearing our beads can feel this.

Making waistbeads hasn’t always been easy. Before launching Sacred Love, I spent eight months researching and testing string, beads, gemstones, and designs. I wanted to make sure that we only offered the best of the best when it came to waistbeads. I am a perfectionist and this can sometimes set me back due to wanting everything to be perfect. Luckily I had my wife in the beginning days to help me push past this and just go for it. I am so glad she did because I now know that my work is loved and appreciated by so many people in the world. Even after being in business for three years, I sometimes still find myself doubting whether or not people will like or be drawn to my designs. In those moments, I have to push the self-doubt away and remember all the amazing things our clients have shared about our beads and all the love we have received since launching Sacred Love.

Sacred Love’s waistbeads are inspired by a myriad of things including, things seen in everyday life, the energies of different gemstones, music lyrics, and just about anything else. I may see something while out and about that inspires a mix of different colors, or hear a song lyric that inspires me to create a strand to incorporate the feeling I get from those words. For me every strand has an origin story and I love sharing this with people to help them make a better connection to the strand they are purchasing and eventually tying on.

Purchasing waistbeads from our company is an entire experience. We offer beads in many different price levels, styles, and even offer beads with crystals/gemstones incorporated in their design. Every client gets a one-on-one consultation during their purchase where we discuss their goals, and the meaning behind different bead colors and/or gemstones. This consultation helps our clients choose the perfect beads for their particular needs and also allows them to be very connected to the beads they choose. We want our clients to be as knowledgeable as possible about the history of waistbeads and how they can help them achieve their intentions.

When a client gets their waistbeads tied on we offer a Sacred Tying Ceremony. During this ceremony, we discuss any intentions or goals they want to set and the steps it will take for them to achieve these goals. We want to make sure that this tying ceremony is a memorable moment that the client will never forget. This ceremony allows the wearer to be more connected to their beads and committed to their journey of achieving their goals.

Our ultimate goal is to have those wearing our waistbeads realize their infinite inner and outer beauty and what they are capable of achieving. This is what Sacred Love is all about. This is why we put so much thought and energy into our designs and make the tying experience so memorable

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My wife and I have lived in Long Beach together for over eight years and absolutely love this city. This is the reason we decided to also make Long Beach home to our business. There are many reasons why we love this city. What stands out for us is the diverse people who live here, the plethora of restaurants and entertainment available, and the all-around friendliness of everyone we encounter in the city. One of our favorite things to do is to eat good. If I had a friend here for a day, we would definitely visit my wife’s and my favorite restaurants.

Breakfast: The Crooked Duck – a great place for breakfast, lunch, and mimosas

Activity: Gondola or Duffy boat ride in Alamitos Bay

Lunch: Charm Siam – There are so many Thai restaurants in Long Beach, but this newcomer has quickly become our favorite

Activity: Watch the sunset from the bluff on Ocean Blvd

555 Steakhouse – Our favorite steakhouse

Dessert – Nick’s on 2nd for the best butter cake ever made

Honorable mention: Saturday or Sunday Drag Brunch at Beach Garden Social House

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife and business partner Jasmyn has been my biggest supporter and encourager since I first mentioned wanting to make waistbeads. She has been here for every step of this business journey. She saw my passion way back in the beginning days when I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning designing and making new waistbead designs and now we work very closely together to keep this business running. From sleeping on the couch while I worked at the dining room table, to now working five feet away from each other at our office, I would not be able to do this without her love, encouragement, and her keeping me in line when I need it. LOL she’s the organized one.

Jasmyn, thank you for believing me and pushing me out of my comfort zone. Thank you for sneaking and posting my creations when I wasn’t ready for the world to see them. Thank you for encouraging me to share my story. I am forever changed because of you and the things I’ve learned about myself throughout this business journey.

Website: https://www.sacredlovela.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_sacredlove/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_sacredlovela

Image Credits
Files named Sacred Love Team and Sacred Love – M & J shot by Kadeem Alexander Waistbead and all other photos shot by Sacred Love La LLC