A Look-Back With the Team

Maya Delorez is turning 5, WOOHOO! 🎉 These big occasions always call for big summaries, right? But this year we thought: Who could tell you better about the past 5 years than some true OGs who’ve been with us since day one? So, we sat down with 5 of our colleagues to hear about their juicy behind-the-scenes stories about the past few years at Maya Delorez. Get your cups out, here comes the real MD tea!

Johanna – Social Media Manager and the first MD employee ever, actually!

…what was the company like when you started and how has it changed since then? 

Haha, EVERYTHING has changed, really! 😅 When I started at MD, it was just me and Madde working full-time, and the office (+ warehouse) was in one of the houses on her parents’ farm.

…what roles have you had at MD so far?

For most of my first year at Maya Delorez, we were only three employees. So everyone did a bit of everything! I worked in customer service and the warehouse, wrote product texts, did photoshoots, handled various social media platforms, and I even had a (albeit very short-lived) modeling career 💁‍♀️ I had zero experience with social media before I started, so it’s a huge deal for me to have a say in the content we create and share nowadays.

… something that will never appear again on MD’s Instagram feed?

Any kind of images that are overly edited in color and contrast. We used to go all out with those, but eventually decided that a natural and neutral aesthetic is definitely more our style.

Frida – Customer Service Team Lead and our professional problem solver!

…how did you come to MD and how has your role evolved since then? 

It began when I tagged along with my dad (the one in the picture) to his job one day, he had been doing some photography gigs for Delorez. Then I started a summer job, mostly customer service but also some order packing. After graduating from high school, I scored a full-time role in customer service and now I am Customer Service Team Lead. ✨

…how has MD changed in your eyes?

It has grown a lot! The drive and ambition is still the same, and it is and has always been an incredible team. However, since I started we have gained new amazing colleagues, customers and collaborations. Now we can do more things, such as going to amazing, big fairs in and outside of Sweden. So cool!

… craziest memory at MD?

My first Black Week was a crazy experience. We had a lot of fun but it was crowded, a bit miscalculated and we had too little staff both to pack orders and to answer emails 😅.

… a wholesome customer story? 

We have so many great customers that it is difficult to choose something specific, a bit cliché, yes, but it is true!😉 One thing that I think is really nice is connecting with long-time customers who’ve been with us since day one, who keep coming back and sharing their kind feedback.

Nellie – Warehouse Team Lead, making sure you get what you ordered since 2019!

…what did the company look like when you started? 

When I started, there were only three of us. At that time we only had 90 m² full of cardboard boxes and warehouse shelves, where we packed orders, answered emails, had photo shoots and received deliveries. A very big difference to now when we still do the same things, but on 1200 m²!

…how has MD changed in your eyes?

Omg, everything has changed, warehouse, office and colleagues! In the early days, it was just the three of us with sweatpants and snacks (crackers and Philadelphia spread were our go-to!) in that tiny room that was both office and warehouse. And nowadays we have upgraded to an office in Uppsala and a newly built warehouse!

… craziest memory at MD? 

The 4-years party was incredible! And also our Sample Sale in the fall of 2019. We had never done anything like that and we didn’t really know what to expect. When we showed up in the morning, the line to get in seemed to stretch for miles. It was mind-blowing! MD was only a little more than a year old and there were so many people who wanted to come 🥺 

…the strangest thing that someone sent back to us by mistake? 

Haha, where do I even begin? We receive a lot more weird stuff than you might think! Once we got this massive trash bag stuffed with sheep’s wool. That easily makes it into the top three of weird things 🐑

Maja – Warehouse & Logistics Manager, and Sister to the CEO (which is a full time job)

… what roles have you had at MD?

My first job was taking inventory in the warehouse which at that time was in Maddis’ childhood bedroom, haha. I remember thinking it was a crazy amount of products, but it was less than 10. Since then, I’ve dabbled in many different roles – customer service, content creation, you name it. Today I am responsible for our warehouse and I also handle a small chunk of email marketing.

… how have you personally evolved over the years at MD?

Since I started at just 16 years old, it’s safe to say we’ve grown side by side over the years. The biggest change for me? Hands down, my mindset. Nowadays I really believe that if you set your mind to it, anything is possible!

 … craziest memory at MD?

Black Week 2020 takes the cake! Our warehouse was way too small, and we misjudged the staffing needs. Orders flooded in, we scrambled to pack them all, friends and family had to pitch in to help. In the midst of it all, we had to rent an additional place to set up temporary packing stations and turned our office into a makeshift warehouse. Chaos ensued with overheated printers, mixed-up delivery notes, and mysteriously disappearing boxes. But hey, we managed to sort it out in the end. So, if you received the wrong product, apologies! It was pure chaos. 😅 

…what’s it like being the CEO’s sister?

Do you REALLY want to know…? Nah, just kidding, I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this journey. We make a great team, complementing each other’s strengths. But I gotta be honest, she is the definition of stubbornness. We occasionally clash and step on each other’s toes, but usually I’m the one who ends up giving in. But sometimes I do what I want anyway 🤫

Dicoldor aka. “Dogge” – CEO’s horse & now world-famous fashion model

Unfortunately, in his busy schedule as a full-time horse model, we could only squeeze the following short statement out of him:

“5 years already?!? Yea well, just keep giving me carrots and we good 🥕”