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January 20, 2022

Meet the CEO Behind an Instagram Community That Feels Like ‘Virtual Family’

BY: Instagram Business Team

San Francisco, CA

CEO Luciellen Assis (@luciellenassis) grew up in a family of seamstresses and was always “enchanted by the idea of magically turning fabrics into clothes,” she tells Instagram for Business (@instagramforbusiness). She spent her formative years sewing and customizing her own outfits, shoes and bags to express herself.

After years of honing her skills, she eventually turned her passion into a business and founded Mulungú (@usemulungu), a slow-fashion brand for all body types based in Bahia, Brazil and named after a Brazilian tree known for its soothing properties.

image of Luciellen Assis

Luciellen dreams up every Mulungú design and turns to Instagram to share her work with potential customers. “Instagram is my company's main marketing source,” she says. “In addition, my personal [account] has helped my community to like my style and from there, [become] loyal customers.”

Read on to hear more from Luciellen about how Instagram helped Mulungú grow.

What's your advice for small businesses that are just getting started on their Instagram journey?

Enjoy the most that the platform has to offer and don't despair [about] numbers, but [focus on] quality.

Luciellen demonstrates ways to use everyday items to your Instagram content the professional touch it needs to stand out.

For you personally, what's the most rewarding part of being on Instagram?

In addition to the recognition I now have with you interviewing me, I think it's being able to create another virtual family. I am passionate about my community! All the people who accompany me are very special and caring.

Flooded with DMs about your business? Luciellen shares her tips for stepping up your reply game without burning out.

If you could go back in time to the first day you launched Mulungú’s Instagram account, what advice would you give yourself, knowing what you know now?

I would say “Don't be afraid to be who you are and to put that in your brand. People are here because they like what you do!"... I didn't know how to use the store feature and now I realize that it helps me a lot to boost sales.

Creating the right kind of content for your audience starts with knowing who they are and what they want to see. Luciellen shares her tips for how your audience can help shape your Instagram content.

What’s next for you and Mulungú?

Increase the size [options] so that more people can use the brand and upcycle using only fabrics that already exist to reduce the amount of waste on the planet.

Looking for more inspiration? Read our interview with CEO @trinitymouzon, who cofounded health and beauty brand @golde and uses Instagram to make wellness and superfoods more accessible to all.

BY: Instagram Business Team

San Francisco, CA