Today we’d like to introduce you to Deserea Noriega.
Deserea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My career is rooted in the arts and education. I hold degrees in Performing Arts and Theatre, which informed my five years in the classroom as a teacher. During that time, I discovered my true passion: using creative storytelling to foster growth and learning in children.
The transition into entrepreneurship was driven by a personal mission to stay connected with my nieces. I missed them and wanted a way to bridge the distance that didn’t involve more screen time-especially seeing how often they were distracted by digital filters. Last summer, I introduced them to the world of penpals, which led me to design personalized enrichment materials and sentimental letter templates just for them.
This organic process evolved into Lello Box. Through this business, I now provide a wider community with resources dedicated to promoting literacy and tactile creativity. Developing Lello Box has also expanded my own creative footprint, including writing a 13-book children’s series featuring our Philippine pangolin mascot. To further this work, I am preparing to begin my Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in American Sign Language this fall. Everything I do today-from business ownership to writing and advocacy-centers on providing young people with the tools they need to thrive and tell their own stories.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has certainly had its challenges, particularly in balancing the ‘heart’ of the project with the ‘head’ of the business. As a creator and an educator by nature, I initially struggled to see how my personal efforts to connect with my nieces could function as a company. My focus was purely on the magic of the connection, not the mechanics of a startup.
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have a partner who saw the vision before I did. My life and business partner, Cody Miller, recognized the impact of the screen-free experiences I was building and the genuine excitement my nieces felt when receiving those personalized gifts. He brought the entrepreneurial mindset needed to bridge the gap between a passion project and Lello Box.
Today, we are the perfect ‘other half’ to one another: he navigates the tech, finance, and business operations, which allows me to dive deep into the creativity and curriculum. This balance has been vital as we grow the brand and as I prepare to start my degree in Psychology and ASL this fall-all with the goal of better supporting our community of Lello Learners.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In everything I do, I focus on three core pillars: communication, collaboration, and creativity. These were the foundations of my classroom for five years, and they are now the DNA of Lello Box. I’m known as ‘Tia Deserea’-not just to my own nieces, but to our entire community of Lello Learners. I see myself as a facilitator of magic. Whether it’s through the penpal templates I design or the 13-book series I’m writing, I am dedicated to providing the “unfiltered” creative tools that I wished for as a child.
I’m not just someone who loves books; I’m a storyteller who understands the mechanics of the classroom and the magic of the stage. My background in theatre and education allows me to look at our Lello Boxes and see a performance; a collaborative, intergenerational moment between a child and their caregiver. This is where the lessons are truly learned: in the stories we share together.
I’ve been able to scale this vision by bringing in my partner, Cody Miller, to handle the business, tech, and finance side. This partnership allows me to stay focused on that intergenerational magic. I am most proud of the fact that I am never done learning; I’m moving into my Psychology and ASL studies this fall specifically to deepen these connections, ensuring that every Lello Box is as inclusive, accessible, and impactful as possible.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The most direct way to support our mission is by joining the Lello Learners Community! If you have a child in your life who is on their reading and writing journey and ready to explore their own voice through different art mediums, you can send them their very own Lello Box. Our seasonal boxes are designed for families who want to reclaim that screen-free, intergenerational connection. You can find us at www.lellobox.com to see our latest drops.
I’m also always looking to collaborate with fellow ‘facilitators of magic.’ Whether you’re an educator, an illustrator for my 13-book series, The Adventures of Pogi the Pangolin, or a parent looking for ways to foster ‘unfiltered’ creativity, I’d love to connect. You can follow our journey as I integrate my upcoming Psychology studies into our curriculum to keep making Lello Box better every season.
Pricing:
- $25
- $35
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lellobox.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lello_box
