People We Adore: Erin Mehagan

A: I am the classic frustrated consumer turned entrepreneur when I couldn’t find a solution to a problem I was having with the available products. Like many women, I experienced breast tissue volume loss from pregnancy and nursing and my bras and clothes no longer fit like they used to. Big gaps appeared between my skin and my bra, but when I went down to the cup size that fit, I lost my shape and I felt self-conscious in my clothing. Nothing fit. Not my bras, not my shirts, not my dresses. Nothing.

Throughout my years of nursing, I would joke with my husband that all the money we were saving on formula was going straight to my boob job. And while, I met with a plastic surgeon to discuss breast augmentation, I ultimately couldn't go through with it. Surgery can be a great option for some women, but it wasn't for me. It felt too drastic, too permanent, and too expensive.

So, I committed myself to positive thinking. I told myself to be proud of my body. It grew three humans and kept each one fed for their first year of life. And, yes. It is way cool my body did that, but I couldn't shake it. Why couldn't I feel proud of my body and confident in a tank top??

I was really frustrated and felt backed into a corner but refused to accept surgery as my only option. I ended up stitching breast pads (like what is sewn into wedding/prom dresses) into my old bras to help me fill them out like before when one day it hit me… I grabbed one of those haphazardly sewn makeshift bras and ran to my husband. Waving it in his face I said, “this should exist. I can make this and help other women struggling just like me.” Without a moment of hesitation, he said, “I love it. Do it.”

And it’s not just pregnancy and nursing that changes our breasts, tissue loss can happen for a variety of reasons – weight fluctuation, hormonal changes, and the natural decline of estrogen as we age. And while these changes are unavailable that does automatically make them easy to accept.

I started Livi Lu Lane to give women an approachable solution to looking and feeling the way they want. No one should feel forced to choose between plastic surgery or bras and clothes that don’t make them feel awesome.

Livi Lu Lane is incredibly personal for me. I was in a terrible body image spiral. Plastic surgery wasn’t for me, and I felt like a failure for not being able to accept my new body. I knew that new designs wereneeded because I have personally felt the low self-esteem that can come with a changing body. I’ve also felt the boost to my confidence by reclaiming the shape I’ve always had with this bra and insert. It's why I’m so passionate and work so hard to bring this product to women. I know there are women out there struggling like me, desperate to feel like themselves again.

In every order, I include a notecard with a quote that says, “it’s one thing to tell her she is beautiful, but it’s another thing to make her feel it too.” That is our North Star. That quote explains why I couldn’t shake those feelings of discomfort. Why it didn’t matter how many times my husband told me I was beautiful or how many times I said it to myself, I didn’t feel beautiful. And now, that’s my mission through Livi Lu Lane. To give women the power of choice and ability to celebrate their bodies however they want – every shape, every size, every change.

A: My superpower is a kind of a gritty determination: tenacity, perseverance, and persistence. I have this bulldog attitude, where I bite down on a challenge and don't let go, no matter how tough things get. It's like a marathon runner who keeps going even when their body is screaming at them to stop.

This superpower has been crucial during the journey of starting Livi Lu Lane. It’s been so much harder than I ever thought it would be. There are so many late nights and early mornings. So many obstacles, so many naysayers, and so many times where it feels like I am trying to climb a mountain with a boulder on my back.

But that's when I just buckled down, worked harder, and kept my eyes on the goal. I believed so deeply in our mission to help women it’s my driving force. Even when everything is stacked against me.

This journey has been tough, no doubt, but each obstacle has just made me more determined. My superpower isn't about being faster, stronger, or smarter than everyone else. It's about staying in the race when everyone else has given up. It's about having the courage to stand by your convictions, even when you're standing alone.

A: I’m fairly cliché in the fact that I’m a wife, mom of three and solo founder so self-care is often the first thing that falls away. I exercise regularly which is just as much for my mental health as physical health so that is something I try to prioritize when I’m feeling stressed.

A: I think I identify most with the Third Eye Chakra, not because I’m great at decision making but because I think that’s an area where I have blockage and could improve. I sometimes struggle with making decisions because I often see multiple possible outcomes and can’t decide which path to take. It’s like there is a constant debate in my head and I can argue for both sides.

We can't wait to share Laura's live interview with Erin- check it out here.