Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Parsons.
Hi Amy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always wanted to do something on my own, and 20 years ago, if you told me I’d be running a startup that imports artisan products from Italy, I wouldn’t have believed you! Let’s rewind, I went to Colorado State University for undergrad and University of Colorado for law school. I started out at a private practice at a law firm in Denver and continued my connection with CSU as they were one of my clients. I eventually left private practice to be the full-time legal counsel to the university, which set off a whole career there I never saw coming. As the COO of the Fort Collins campus, I oversaw construction on the football stadium, creation of a campus in Mexico and so many big projects. I then moved in the Executive Vice Chancellor role and was responsible for the CSU Denver campus. Working at the university, got me excited about creating new big ventures. I loved seeing the seed of an idea start from nothing and grow into something super impactful. I was always thriving on the challenge of thinking of something new that had never been done before.
Then, COVID-19 happened and I was home for the first time in 20 years. Like many people, I started to question if I wanted to make a career change, and as you know, I did! I have always been interested in Italian heritage brands and after many visits to Italy, I’ve continued to be drawn to the quality and style. There was always a layer of frustration because many products I loved weren’t available in the U.S. Now, I had my next big idea – figuring out a way to import Italian beauty, home, and grooming products to the U.S. amidst a global pandemic. I teamed up with an investor and good friend of mine, who invests in other types of Italian businesses. Over the course of quarantine, Mozzafiato came to be, and now a year later there’s no looking back. In Italian, Mozzafiato means breathtaking, and that’s what we hope these artisan brands will do for your senses! I’m so happy I took the leap into full-time entrepreneurship after 16 years of working at CSU. For me, that’s what truly takes my breath away.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
In the past year, I’ve learned so many lessons, almost too many to count. One of our biggest struggles has been getting the products from Italy. Shipping is crazy expensive, especially when we were first starting out, in the height of the pandemic. There weren’t enough planes in the air because of COVID-19, and the logistical challenges of then moving products to warehouses in the U.S. were a big obstacle. This is still something we’re always working on improving. We’re always trying to get smarter and better about bringing in products from overseas. One of the biggest changes recently has been adding bundles and a quarterly subscription service to help with inventory.
Another huge challenge we’ve faced is explaining to customers why they should buy from us versus Amazon, where some of these Italian products are also available. We’ve worked hard to build our brand, customer service, and experience. It’s been a big fight for visibility, but we are fortunate to be seeing customers coming back many times after they make their first purchase.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Mozzafiato?
Mozzafiato brings the artisan beauty, fragrance, and home products from Italy to you. Our business is built on three important concepts: anima (Italian Soul), quality (product performance and quality), and stile (Italian style). We have traveled all of Italy to discover the very best native Italian beauty brands – all enriched by the country’s culture, history, and geography. The Mozzafiato collection of brands share a commitment to beauty nourished by nature, time, and a deep connection to the land, people, and style of del Bel Paese. Every product in the Mozzafiato collection meets our highest expectations of quality, authenticity, and performance. Our team of beauty experts seek out brands built on the highest principles and foundations of exquisite natural ingredients with specialized, unique formulations. We personally use and recommend all of the products we carry including skincare, fragrance, bath, and body collections so that we are confident they deliver the luxurious and enduring results that our discerning clients desire. Our products embody the true spirit of Italian beauty and style—effortless grace, harmony, and originality that are each reflected in the gorgeous packaging, bold use of color, and sophisticated, masterful design. Our collection reflects our audience: modern and timeless, classic and spirited, elegant and joyful.
What makes Mozzafiato different is that our brands are real people with history and generational ties to these brands. We make sure to tell their stories and show family pictures on the website. We have fragrances that are 400 years old. No one is doing exactly what we’re doing. We’re not like a Sephora or Ulta with a million brands and products. Everything is carefully selected to be the highest quality.
This is what I’m most proud of, that we’re bringing new exposure to this historic brands. People who have never heard of a centuries-old company are able to discover them for the first time. Seeing people experience this brands with a fresh perspective is an amazing feeling and true embodiment of Mozzafiato.
If you’re not sure where to start, we have seasonal subscription boxes. There’s one for men’s products, one for women’s products, one for home, and one that is a general discovery box. These items are carefully curated each quarter and delivered to your door.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I attribute much of my success to my relentless pursuit of both the creative big vision for the company and the daily discipline of bringing it to life. For Mozzafiato to be successful, those two things have to exist in harmony every single day. It’s a balance to make sure that the big, ambitious, vision isn’t lost in the daily work. Daily care and nurturing of both sides of the equation is the only way to make it work.
Pricing:
- $197-$297 for Quarterly Subscription Boxes
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://mozzafiato.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammozzafiato/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmMozzafiato/
