What does it take to turn a flip flop into a lifestyle brand? For Jeremy and Lila Stewart, it meant grit, resilience, and a belief that comfort, color, and community could reshape an industry.

Inspired by their time in Indonesia and frustrated by stagnant footwear options, the Stewarts launched Hari Mari in 2012. What started with crayon drawings and focus groups quickly ran into real-world challenges: supply chain failures, defective shipments, and even counterfeit sales undermining their launch. But rather than quit, they doubled down—building the brand grassroots, one store and one customer at a time.

In this episode, Jeremy and Lila share lessons from the trenches: why perseverance matters more than glamour, why early failures can be fuel, and how community—from their internal team to philanthropic commitments—has been central to Hari Mari from day one.

From their first Nordstrom order to Joanna Gaines and Bradley Cooper sightings, their story is a masterclass in authentic brand building. If you’re an entrepreneur, retailer, or simply someone chasing a vision, this conversation offers both inspiration and hard-won advice.

Guest Bios

Jeremy Stewart co-founded Hari Mari in 2012 after careers in political consulting, global communications, and media production. He previously served as co-founder & CEO of Margate House Media in Indonesia, VP at Vox Global in Washington, D.C., and Director at Allyn Media in Dallas.
Lila Stewart, a Dallas native, brings experience in wholesale, PR, retail, and sales management. Before Hari Mari, she worked in live music sponsorships at Anschutz Entertainment Group. Today, she has helped place Hari Mari in nearly 1,000 retail locations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas, and secured media coverage in VOGUE, Forbes, WIRED, Travel + Leisure, and more.