Marie Blanchard does not seem to have an off switch when it comes to what she is passionate about. Whether she is training for her next fitness competition, organizing her next pure and bag exchange, or working on any of her multitude of projects somewhere in between those, she is exerting the most energy she possibly can at that moment. As a self-built businesswoman, Marie Blanchard has become a multi-faceted entrepreneur who is inspiring the next generation of business owners.

Born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Marie Blanchard immigrated to the United States in 1996 when she was only ten years old. For the next twenty years, Marie Blanchard would find herself moving from city to city along the East coast, lacking a true sense of stability. Overcoming this feeling she was missing, Blanchard took her life into her own hands and moved to the SoHo neighborhood of New York City, where she began to pursue careers in fitness and modeling. Finding her true passion in fitness, Marie decided to make it her life’s mission to help others reach their physical, nutritional, and mental goals regarding fitness. Spiraling into success she never could have imagined, Blanchard’s entrepreneurial spirit allowed for her to write her healthy eating and recipe book, Dieting Deliciously, and pursue other passions, like the creation of her Designer Bag Exchange.

Blanchard, while being a self-made businesswoman, is not afraid to give credit to those who have inspired her over the years. “I get my inspirations from the average person who have built themself up out of nothing… those who worked tirelessly to prove to herself and others wrong when no one had faith in her to succeed,” she comments. Finding strength in herself and in the stories of others, Blanchard has built an empire of sorts out of her own interests. This is the basis of the advice she has for the next generation of entrepreneurs, which is to find your passion and attack it with a hard work ethic, desire for success, and the urge to help others. One day, Blanchard hopes to be able to give back to all of those who have similar stories as her own and thank those who have made her the woman she is today.

Learn more about Marie Blanchard at her website and her Instagram, order her recipe book here, and keep your eyes open for Designer Bag Exchange in 2021.