Startup Stories: Q&A With Thrive Market Studio Coordinator Marlie Crisafulli

Welcome to Startup Stories, a series that takes you behind the scenes to share what working at a startup is really like. Our mission at Thrive Market is simple: to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. But fulfilling our big dreams takes a team of dedicated, inspiring, funny, and tenacious people who show up to work every day eager to make a difference.

Today we’re introducing you to our Studio Coordinator, Marlie Crisafulli, who spends most of her time behind the camera making sure our products and recipes are ready for their beauty shots. Marlie’s got a fierce egg obsession, knows her way around a snack table, and can’t say enough good things about her team. Read on for our interview!

Let’s start with the basics. Can you describe your role at Thrive Market?

As the Studio Coordinator, I’m in charge of creating the shoot schedule for our two in-house photographers, gathering samples from the merchandise marketing team, cooking and food styling, delivering photos to departments, and keeping the studio and kitchen clean and organized.

Is there anything people misunderstand about your job, or something that might surprise members to learn about your work?

When I interviewed, the job description recommended “an interest in food styling.” I’ve always loved to cook and style dishes for fun, but I didn’t have any professional styling experience. However, I took that guidance and ran with it. I’m lucky enough to have a team that trusts and believes in me, and let me jump right into the kitchen to start cooking!

What do you enjoy most about running our photo studio and styling shoots?

This may sound cheesy, but the best part by far is the team I work with. We have so much FUN in the studio and I genuinely look forward to coming into work. I’m always inspired by their positivity, creativity, and incredible talent. Not to mention the multiple dance parties we throw every day. Can’t beat that!

Beyond dance parties, what does a typical day look like? Do you have any routines or rituals that help you feel your best? Or a favorite nibble to grab from the kitchen, perhaps?

My day always starts with coffee. I arrive to work and head straight to the kitchen. I love the morning bustle: everyone recapping their evenings, getting some breakfast, and gearing up for the day. I also like to grab my “second breakfast,” usually a handful of cashews and a piece of fruit.

What inspires you to live a healthy lifestyle? Is there something in particular that drew you to Thrive Market?

I was lucky enough to grow up with health-conscious parents who also knew how to cook! I learned about nutrition and how to make healthy, great-tasting meals at a young age. I was drawn to Thrive Market because it’s a community of like-minded people. We’re all interested in living a healthy lifestyle and taking advantage of the beautiful, sunny days in Los Angeles.

When do you feel most successful or proud of your work?

I love working on teams. I get inspired by the creativity of other people and feel most proud when my team and I complete a project that we all got to dip our toes into. It’s exciting to see our collaboration result in something even better than we all imagined.

Give us a peek at what you eat during the day—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack!

I usually eat my (first) breakfast at home, which usually consists of eggs. I LOVE eggs! Lunch at Thrive Market is awesome because it’s catered every day. I’m not a picky eater, so whatever lunch is being served, I am stoked to eat it. I like to snack on nut butters, nuts, fruit, veggies, granola or beef jerky. There are SO many snack options in the kitchen! Dinner is some form of protein, plus vegetables. Dessert: a no-bake peanut butter cookie.

What’s one thing you want others to know about Thrive Market, that they might not learn from ordering, reading the blog, or visiting the website?

I think you can tell a lot about a company by looking at its employees. Everyone here is genuinely positive, hard-working, and happy to be at work.

Last but not least, what’s your favorite Thrive Market product and why?

Our Creamy Almond Butter! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Not only is it SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD, but it’s also an awesome value. Almond butter can be super pricey, especially if it’s organic, but we’ve managed to make one that’s perfectly crunchy, sweet, and roasty at the same time, but definitely affordable for the quality.