Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Rodriguez.
Hi Leslie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a young girl I always struggled with self image and had an eating disorder. I was addicted to diet pills from 14-21 years old. Once I had my oldest daughter I knew I needed to be better for her. I wanted to actually LIVE for her. Fast forward to 2020 at 32 years old I started sharing my story online during a time when I didn’t see people who looked like me being celebrated , women with curves, with culture, with confidence in progress. What began as posting fashion and real-life moments slowly turned into something deeper: a community built on self-love, honesty, and empowerment.
As a plus-size model, wife, mom, and proud Dominican Latina, I’ve always led with heart. But it wasn’t until I started owning my voice and not shrinking it that everything changed. I leaned into storytelling, started creating content that made people feel seen, and began building community and growing my platform.
That growth inspired me to launch Thirst to Thrive, a confidence-building experience and workshop that helps people, especially youth and women, tap into their self-worth and walk boldly in who they are.
Today, I’m still showing up online but I’m also showing up in rooms that matter: schools, brand campaigns, and spaces where representation and realness are needed. I’ve learned that confidence isn’t about having it all figured out but it’s about choosing to show up anyway, and that’s what I help others do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been plenty of struggles. Early on, I battled with imposter syndrome and feeling like I didn’t belong in spaces where I didn’t see people who looked like me. I had to unlearn a lot of internalized beliefs about beauty, success, and worth…. especially as a plus-size woman, a mom, and a Latina trying to break into industries that weren’t built with me in mind.
Building a brand from the ground up while raising a family took a lot of late nights, self-funding, and moments where I questioned if it was all worth it. There were brand rejections, underpaid (or unpaid) collaborations, and times I felt unseen despite the effort I was putting in.
But those hard moments pushed me to create something deeper ! Not just content, but impact. That’s where Thirst to Thrive came from: my desire to turn my personal challenges into collective healing and empowerment.
Every obstacle became a lesson, and every “no” shaped me into the woman who’s confident enough to say “yes” to herself now!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a plus-size model, digital creator, confidence educator, and retirement specialist. Whether I’m leading Thirst to Thrive workshops, creating impactful content, walking in runways, or helping members plan for their future, my mission is to empower people to feel confident, secure, and seen in every season of life.
I am most proud of my daughters . Who they are and how I’ve raised them and who they are becoming with my guidance.
My heart sets me aside from the others .
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I feel like I am truly an open book. People are sometimes surprise to hear that I had an eating disorder and self conscious as a teenager since I’m so confident now.
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