Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Thiakos
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Initially, my business more or less fell onto me more than I had pursued it. I had taken an interest in bodybuilding, and, naturally, competed in my first bodybuilding competition after moving to DFW from Chicago. At that time, my life was quite unstable in every way due to poor choices I had made. Despite the high expenses that come with properly preparing for a bodybuilding competition, I relentlessly made it to the stage along with my boyfriend at the time.
My budget for a competition suit was very low, so a stunning, custom, expensive bikini like other athletes had wasn’t attainable. Though I had prior sewing experience from my childhood to make my own, I neither knew then how to properly sew a competition bikini, nor did I have the time to figure it out during that prep. The skill I was confident of, however, was hand-gluing rhinestones on fabric from my time on my collegiate dance team. So, I bought the best fitting competition suit I could find from another local competition suit designer (dark blue it was — blue is my favorite color) for about $150, ordered some gold and clear rhinestones and embellished my own suit in time for my first competition.
I particularly remember on check-in day — the day before my first competition, May 2, 2014 — my boyfriend at the time, who was also competing with me the next day, and I were sitting together in the event hall watching other athletes line up to check-in for the show, get their assigned classes, pay for their NPC membership cards. We had done all the work: dieted, trained, practiced posing, got our tans, yet right as we were about to cross the finish line, we debated on even competing at all. Our rent was a day past due, and we only had enough money to either put toward our show weekend expenses or pay our rent. I like to think I was the responsible one in that equation; I truly and desperately had preferred the roof over my head. My boyfriend on the other hand convinced me to go on with the competition with him.
Show day had commenced, we got our show experiences, and my boyfriend had earned a degree of credibility to begin taking on competition prep clients. As female clients had hired him, he would direct them to me for their bikinis. Still, I only knew how to embellish the bikinis, not sew and fit them; so I would send the girls to the other local designer from where I had gotten my first suit to get their bikinis sewn and then make them come back to me for embellishments.
Needless to say, it wasn’t a very efficient process.
With whatever sewing experience I had, along with YouTube tutorials, I learned how to sew competition bikinis. I really had no choice but to figure it out as these girls needed efficient service from their prep coach’s bikini maker girlfriend. Also, him and I were still in a lengthy season of financial instability; I needed to be the one to earn their business for their competition bikinis so I could contribute to bills. We couldn’t afford to lose clients over my inconveniencing them.
On top of struggling to make ends meet, we found out I was pregnant a few months after our competition. Did we ever even pay our rent?
Fast forward to February 2016, our daughter turned one, I was about 10 months into my new, very small business, and I had become a single mom. With just enough craft and customer service experience, zero business knowledge, immense fury from the breakup and the stress of all living expenses left to me, I eagerly advertised and took on as many more new clients as I could without ever looking back. Life felt very much out of my control during that time; the only things that gave me any ounce of confidence and control were motherhood and my little bikini business that seemed to be getting me out of a deep hole. So, I ran with it and never tried searching for other more secure job opportunities.
Once in a while I look back and wonder how my future would have turned out had the rent been paid instead of competition fees.
The rest is history! 2025 will mark Goddess Glam’s tenth year in business.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve come to learn that long-term success is never a smooth road, so, in short, no, the journey hasn’t been smooth. A rewarding road, without a doubt! But not smooth. In fact, as soon as I ever felt things had been going, or were about to go, smoothly, those are the times when things either plateaued or went south and left me feeling like I was drowning. It’s only a fact of life that we are meant to continuously triumph over increasingly difficult challenges. Otherwise, we really don’t achieve anything worthwhile. Even when we’ve hit a checkpoint in life and feel like we’ve “made it,” or feel like things will smooth out, we are never finished with challenges and must not get comfortable with where we have “made it” to. There is always a new level to reach, a new problem to solve, a new endeavor to take on. And if a next new challenge does not present itself to us, we must seek one out.
Struggles overall have mostly pertained to balancing business operation with taking care of my daughter. In the beginning, time management, work/life balance, marketing and honing in on my bikini-making skills were the main challenges. In later years, challenges turned into figuring out how to create systems to either automate tasks or delegate them to employees, building and maintaining relationships with industry folks and more marketing (a never ending challenge). As previously mentioned, I have no prior business experience, so I continue to acquire and apply knowledge as I go.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My business, Goddess Glam, specializes in custom competition bikini stage wear for female bodybuilding competitors. We are known for our bikinis of superior quality, proper fit, durability and our exceptional customer service. All competition bikinis are locally made to order from scratch and tailored; none are imported or premade for sale or rent.
The stage bikini is essentially the frame for the female’s physique in bodybuilding. Size, coverage, positioning, color are major factors in how the physique is presented. For this, the fit of the stage bikini is our top priority.
Our unique order process catering to a properly fitted stage bikini is what sets us apart from other companies. Currently, most, if not all, other bikini companies have an order process where a female athlete simply submits her design request with measurements and then, some weeks later, receives a finished competition bikini.
These bikinis take weeks to construct, so orders must be submitted at least a couple months out from show day, especially if a designer claims to produce “custom” competition bikinis. This standard order process, along with evolving physiques, leading up to show day poses significant risk for an ill-fitted and unflattering bikini.
To assure a more properly fitted bikini on show day, eliminate stress relative to the competition bikini and assure a pleasant order experience overall, Goddess Glam includes a crucial fitting step in the order process where the athlete, whether we work together in-person or remotely, is entitled to trying on her bikini before it is embellished. This provides opportunity for the athlete to become acquainted with her bikini’s appearance, feel and fit (especially important for first-time competitors or experienced competitors working with us for the first time), as well as alterations, if needed, to better fit and flatter her physique, all leaving only a pleasant surprise when she receives her dazzling bikini upon completion.
There are many aspects of Goddess Glam I am proud of, but the number one thing I am most grateful for is the relationships and reputation I’ve built throughout this business journey. We’ve had a slow and steady growth, but the sustainably built foundation cannot be easily torn down thanks to the unexpected amounts of recurring clients, countless referrals and sponsored athletes and employees retained for years.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Piggy-backing off of my answer to the previous question…!
No way could I list every single person who has contributed to Goddess Glam’s success! There are simply too many.
First and foremost, I credit God for giving me the courage to have faith and courage in both Him and myself to be of great service to these athletes. He was always there for me, giving me tools to keep doing the next right thing, even when I wasn’t merely acknowledging Him. In the beginning I was only trying to cover bills and take care of my daughter; it was more about surviving then. Now, service to others is what it’s all about, and I never go a day without expressing gratitude for all I’ve been gifted from Him.
Every employee, every client, any coach or judge…anyone who every gave me feedback on proper fit and construction of these bikinis because I learned as I went…anyone who ever questioned my way of doing things or integrity; this only helped me clarify my “why’s” and define company values.
Bodybuilding organizations, particularly the biggest and best ones in the game, NPC and IFBB, and their show promoters who give Goddess Glam an audience and platform to advertise our stunning creations and connect with members of the bodybuilding community.
Certainly my mom, as well as any close friends or family members who ever sent me a well wish, an encouraging or congratulatory sentiment, a like/comment on any of my social media posts. I come from a conservative circle of family/friends, so not too many people were excited for me when I got into bodybuilding or when I started my business for obvious reasons. I have genuine, enthusiastic support from a select few, for which I appreciate so much. But no one has supported me over the years like my mom! She’s faced endless criticisms toward me, my business, my past disappointments, yet never hesitates to share my social media posts, publicly congratulate me or applaud me as I do it all while raising my daughter as a single parent.
My daughter! She is my compass. Without her, I would be nowhere great in life, for her existence quite literally saved my life. For any honorable trait I may possess, I learned it from her. My daughter is a literal Heaven-sent angel. It is because of her I strive to be an exemplary mother and woman, someone she can be proud of. I just love and appreciate her with every part of me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goddessglamcompetitionsuits.com
- Instagram: @goddessglamsuits
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goddessglamsuits
- Other: https://TikTok.com/@goddessglamsuits
Image Credits
Jeff Binns
