Why Marissa Molina Stopped Building Someone Else’s Magic and Started Building Her Own

Imagination Reality is a children’s story company that creates original worlds, characters, and experiences designed to help kids grow emotionally, socially, and creatively.

In 2017, after her mom passed away, Marissa Molina was grieving deeply and searching for something meaningful to pour that grief into. That search led to the beginning of her character entertainment company.

What started as dressing up for children’s birthday parties quickly grew into something bigger than she ever imagined. Bringing joy to children during some of their most magical moments gave her purpose during one of the darkest seasons of her life. Over the years, she built a successful business around character entertainment, one filled with families, costumes, celebrations, and smiles. There was so much beauty in what she created.

About a year into the business, Marissa began learning more about copyright. She noticed how other character companies would tweak names, slightly alter costumes, or find ways around the rules in order to continue portraying well-known characters. She followed that same path. It felt normal because it was what the industry was doing.

Galactic Warrior inspired by Rey from Star Wars

But that challenge sparked something unexpected.

If she had to change names anyway, what if she created her own characters and story worlds? What if she could provide licensable characters?

The idea stayed with her. The more she thought about it, the more it grew. And over time, the excitement of building something original began to outweigh the comfort of continuing what already worked. As she started creating her own worlds and characters, she found herself thinking differently. She began to see things from the perspective of original creators.

If she created something meaningful, she would not want someone else copying it or working around it. That realization shifted everything.

Marissa Molina began writing her own stories, developing original characters, and imagining what it would look like to build something that was fully hers. Even with that clarity, it took years to build the courage to walk away from a successful business. When something is profitable, familiar, and working, leaving it behind is not a simple decision.

And then life changed quickly in 2023...

Her stepmom passed away, and because she was 34 weeks pregnant, Marissa was unable to attend the funeral. Shortly after, she gave birth to her daughter. Just six days later, the Lahaina wildfires devastated her community.

She was grieving again - personally, and alongside Maui.

That year became the heaviest year of her life, but she powered through. At the same time, it was also the most successful year her business had ever seen. Her company donated over $5,000 worth of character entertainment to families affected by the fires and hosted four community events at the mall. They gave families moments of joy, hope, and connection during an unimaginably painful time.

This was one of those moments you feel more than you can explain. A little light, in the middle of a really heavy time.

Marissa Molina was not sure she could have fully stepped into this dream if it weren’t for a series of unexpected events that changed the direction of her life. She liquidated her character entertainment company and entered a season of in-between. It took courage and time to figure out what was next, and questioning if she was ready to build something of her own.

A thought she would always circle back to was 'who was she to say, “I want to build my own version of Disney?”' But then she realized, she couldn't create stories about becoming if she was unwilling to step into it herself.

In spring 2024, Marissa made the decision to close the company. In 2025, she liquidated all of the costumes to another company on Maui. And in 2026, she finally said the dream out loud.

"Marissa Molina’s Dream: Building Her Own Version of Disney" - April 18th, 2026

She does not want to copy it, but to create something original, meaningful, and lasting.

She envisions worlds that children can grow up with, stories told through books, characters, costumes, songs, products, and experiences that help children hope, imagine, and become. Stories that allow kids to process reality, understand themselves, and believe in who they can become.

It is a dream that feels vulnerable to say out loud, but after everything she has been through, Marissa knows this: she would rather spend her life trying to build something meaningful than spend it wondering what might have happened if she had been brave enough to try.

She is choosing to live her dream every day, because who she becomes along the way matters more than the outcome.

Marissa Molina is a children’s book author and founder of Imagination Reality, building story worlds children grow up in while nurturing who they are and who they’re becoming.