Obesity & Speed Founder Lyz Olko Is The Brainy Babe Behind The Brand

Founder of Obesity & Speed Lyz Olko has has an awesome journey of success. We’re happy to feature her in our lates issue, check out the interview below!

liz1

Seeing as you’re a boss, what do you think of the word bossy- own it or not?
I’m not bossy, I’m just a BOSS so that’s chill.

Do you think it’s tougher getting to where you are than your male equivalents?
It’s only harder to get where the guys are if I’m in uncomfortable shoes.

What made you want to start Obesity and Speed?
Obesity + Speed started as an accident. I had been working at a clothing store in college, and found myself surrounded daily by beautiful clothes that were made by all different designers that were super inspiring and unique. I couldn’t afford anything at the time, but found myself becoming more interested in fashion as art and began to design and make some garments for myself to wear. Which progressed into making a few things for friends of mine and so on.

I was sewing a shirt in the store one day and tried it on a body form to see how it fit. Gwen Stefani’s stylist came in and wanted to buy it. I had to think on my toes and rang it up under another sku and then called my boss at the time and told him what happened. He suggested making few more pieces to sell on consignment at the shop, and soon word got around I had a clothing line, and thus Obesity + Speed was born.

5 things every girl should know about NYC:
You only need to know one: think for yourself.

Best place to hang out in NYC:
The Smile on Bond street, the couch at the Jane Hotel, Bowery Whole Foods, Thompkins Sq Park.

Do you bring your boss-ness and dominate personally into other parts of your life, like the bedroom?
I keep it like a secret.

Do you think you intimidate people around you?
I don’t know!

What’s something you’re really proud so far?
There’s a lot I am proud of, I’ve worked hard to have new experiences and create change in my life and learn as much as possible each day. I’ve learned that by putting myself (or finding myself) in uncomfortable, unfamiliar or new situations it forces me to grow which is good. I also used to think that I was incapable of being successful on my own, which I learned and proved to myself to be not true.

All these different experiences have helped me to grow and evolve my own business to the larger scale that it is today, from it’s original homegrown state. I still have a lot to learn​.

liz


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