Meet Nita Marquez | Former Professional Athlete and Designer/Owner of OnTheMarq Jumpsuit

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nita Marquez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nita, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I first started OnTheMarq Jumpsuit, I was a single mother with three young children. I’d just retired from my athletic career, and I knew absolutely nothing about the fashion industry. I simply knew that I had a mission to create an item of clothing that made women feel beautiful and powerful. To date, I can say with pride that this is absolutely what the OnTheMarq Jumpsuit does for every woman, and I LOVE doing what I do! Aside from my jumpsuits, I also created a Personal Development Program called The CHAMPION System. With both OnTheMarq  Jumpsuit and The CHAMPION System, my mission is centered around empowering people with tools that both simplify and improve their lives.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been on my own since I was 13, and as many would imagine, there wasn’t a bright forecast for me. I don’t imagine any of it as a tragedy, but I look at it as my edge. The harder things are, the sharper you have to be to move ahead. I really believe that having a hopeless future is what made me work so hard to develop hope and build a life of something better for my family and myself. I started my fitness career after having my first daughter, and it was long, AMAZING journey of nearly two decades as an athlete and fitness model. Halfway through my career I went through a divorce, and my children and I became what I went on to call “Me-plus-3!” Unexpected, but I didn’t feel like we were incapable, so I continued my athletic career for another decade, and when I retired I knew I wanted to do something empowering. I wrote a couple of books, but I wanted to have more of an interaction in a woman’s daily life. What better way to interact with anyone than through a lifestyle need? That’s what fashion is!! I’d always worked in sales and marketing when I was in the workforce, so selling my own product was a natural evolution for me, but it took a LOT of time, because I was starting from scratch in an industry that I knew nothing about! Probably the biggest risk I ever took in my life was starting a journey into an industry I knew nothing about at the age of 42, while supporting three kids in Los Angeles on one income. Most of the people who knew me liked me, but they also thought I was crazy. I think every entrepreneur has to be a little signed out of reality to truly go the distance with their dreams.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I take everyone to the Rafi Lounge in Malibu. It’s a rooftop paradise on the PCH in Malibu, overlooking the coast. You can eat sushi and dance to reggae until bedtime!! That’s the lounging and eating part, but the best rest of any visit with friends is outdoors. I think Nature is the most invigorating way to bond with ourselves and others, and that’s why Beaches and Hiking are the BEST! I take everyone hiking when they visit, and it’s always at Runyon and Fryman and out in Malibu. And then going to Santa Monica or Huntington Beach is definitely the greatest way to sleep and play, so at least a full day of the beach would be in the cards.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course, I’d like to thank my children for their continued patience with me as I’ve taken our family on some wild adventures with my big risks for our big dreams! I’d really love to thank New Economics for Women, Inclusive Action, and Valley Economic Alliance for their support and guidance.

Website: OnTheMarqJumpsuit.com and NitaMarquez.com

Instagram: OnTheMarqJumpsuit

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/nitamarquez

Image Credits
the first group shot is Adrian Ong Photography and the single shot of me is by Geoffrey Donne Photography. the second group shot is by Justin piccari