Meet Stephanie Rabesa

We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Rabesa recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

From childhood to adulthood, I have faced many different challenges from body image to feeling my own worth due to many different experiences. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have been brought up in a time that was very different from what we seem to see now. A hardworking father who served once in Vietnam and an equally hardworking stay-home mom raised both my sister and I, in a town located in Cape Cod. Over the course of the years I’ve had a variety of friends along the way who were in no coincidence exactly the people I needed at the time of each phase of my life. And a life that my Dad says I could probably write a book about. But…I’m pretty sure everyone could say that.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a single mom, artist, and founder of a boutique inspired by resilience. From surviving abusive relationships to supporting family and friends through cancer, losing many along the way, and working with at-risk youth and adults with disabilities, my journey has been anything but ordinary.

After the pandemic, I created a brand that reflects strength, healing, and the power of storytelling—mine and those who’ve inspired me along the way.

I have slowly been altering the focus of the products of my business, from buying wholesale to recently creating and still working on a hoodie collection called “Warrior.”

This collection has been inspired by my own personal life experiences and those I have had the privilege to learn from. Each design will represent the warrior spirit within all of us, inspired by my own personal experiences and the experiences of others. These hoodies aren’t just fashion—they’re armor for the brave, bold, and resilient.

The first design in the collection is the Warrior Mermaid—a fierce symbol of survival, strength, and self-discovery, inspired by my own journey and the ocean that raised me on Cape Cod. She’s the beginning of a powerful series, with more warrior designs on the horizon. This isn’t just fashion—it’s wearable courage. A reminder that style can speak, and what we wear can tell the story of everything we’ve overcome.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Resilience, empathy and creativity have been the most impactful parts of my journey. Resilience kept me moving through hard times. Empathy helped me connect with others, especially in my work with vulnerable youth and adults. And creativity gave me a way to heal and express my story through my boutique.

My advice? Embrace your struggles—they shape you. Listen deeply. And never underestimate the power of your own voice and vision. Your story is your strength.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

Overall they allowed me to be who I was and always will be. Not that they always agreed with my choices but they still allowed me to express myself in the ways I felt most comfortable. They supported me. They both have taught me valuable life lessons from two very different perspectives but both perspectives equally allowed me to be imaginative, creative, and overall a good human. More importantly now, the ability to be a good mom and provide the same values to my daughter.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.HouseofHavenBoutique.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/HouseofHavenBoutique
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houseofhaven20
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@houseofhavenboutique