About Marissa Molina
"Listen, Learn, Grow, to best Love, Help, & Lead."
Marissa Molina is a Maui-based children’s author, creative director, and founder of Imagination Reality Studios, an original storytelling, educational media, and family entertainment brand devoted to nurturing imagination, creativity, emotional growth, and connection in children and families.
After visiting Maui, Marissa quickly formed deep connections with the island community and moved from Wisconsin to Maui in 2012. In 2014, while working at the YMCA, she was asked to perform as a princess for a child’s birthday party. Watching a child’s face light up with wonder sparked what would become her life’s mission: using storytelling, imagination, and immersive characters to create meaningful experiences for children and families.
In 2017, following the passing of her mother, Marissa founded Imagination Reality as a way to transform grief into purpose through stories that uplift others. She began developing original characters and story worlds in 2018. From then until now, this lead her to the creation of Poi ’n Kai™, Eggwish™, Imagination Starz™, Red Light Sleep™, and Imagination Characters Maui.
Her work now spans children’s books, educational entertainment, immersive storytelling, calming sleep content, original characters, digital media, and family-centered creative experiences designed to nurture children feel brave, seen, inspired, and emotionally supported.
Marissa believes imagination is more than creativity, it is how children process emotions, build confidence, connect with others, and begin imagining who they want to become. Through her stories, characters, and creative worlds, she hopes to help children and families hope, imagine, create, and become.
