Lisa Mullan Brings Chic Comfort to Clients With Uwila Warrior

Lisa Mullan and Uwila Warrior have solved the search for the perfect underwear: With comfortable, functional, lovely pieces that customers can wear through a busy, multifaceted day, the company has grown from just two styles into an entire brand, from underwear and bras, to robes.

Originally from Dallas, TX, Mullan has lived in Boston for 20 years. Growing up, she was inspired (and entertained) by the puffy sleeves and big bangs of the 1980s, and also played tons of sports and was a cheerleader. After working in real estate finance for a non-profit building retirement communities, she returned to Columbia Business School, where she fell in love with investing. She worked as an equity investor for 15 years before helping HubSpot transition from a private to public company.

Now, her business acumen and desire to solve problems have combined to help clients fulfill comfort and style desires together. Alongside one of her best friends, she has built Uwila Warrior over two years, before launching. Read on to hear how she did it!

SBS: What was the origin for Uwila Warriors?

Lisa Mullan: I actually started Uwila Warrior on a whim, with one of my best college friends who has a fashion background, Natalia Martorell. We were desperate for comfortable functional underwear that worked through every moment of our busy days and was not dowdy or drab: She is the fashion director for Uwila Warrior while I run the business. We still run a bunch of the backend of my HubSpot employee portal, where it all began!

SBS: What were moments when you knew Uwila Warriors was moving forward?

LM: There were two major turning points for our business in the early days. One was when Free People approached us to sell wholesale out of the blue, which was major. And the other was when GMA approached Uwila Warrior to be featured during April of 2020, a moment when everyone was at home watching TV due to the height of the Covid pandemic.

SBS: How did you turn that first idea into your company in practical terms?

LM: We spent two years developing two silhouettes of underwear that we thought were the cornerstone of what our client needs to have in her weekly rotation: one seamless brief and one silk brief. Once we perfected these designs, we’ve since built the rest of the brand thinking hard about all of the tools our client needs to be comfortable for any moment or any situation. Today we make the most comfortable thong on the market (I’ll stand by that!), camisoles, slips, robes, bras and even the Braless (a compression cropped camisole for when you want support but don’t want to wear a bra). 

SBS: What sets Uwila Warriors apart from other brands? What do you hope your customers experience with your products?

LM: Uwila Warrior wants to ruin our customer from wearing other underwear brands. One of our most unique and beloved products is an incredible knitted silk brief and thong, which are the best natural fibers to wear for underwear. We make sure there are no seams in the wrong places by having no seams at all! Our underwear fits around your natural shape, so that it doesn’t dig in and it recovers where it should be (which means that they don’t cause wedgies) as you move through your daily life. We believe that everyone deserves a good underwear day every day.

SBS: What skills did you take from your other work into your work at Uwila?

LM: Hopefully the inspiring leadership that I received while at HubSpot translates to our team’s work environment and culture. Having a background in finance has also been helpful in understanding budgets and planning from a financial perspective.

SBS: What have been some happy surprises and challenges along the way?

LM: You never know what opportunities are around the corner (see Free People’s unexpected inbound email). And, we received a grant from Macy’s to develop our sustainable line, Better Briefs. But you also never know what can go wrong quickly. One example is, our shipping warehouse was sold unexpectedly, and we had two weeks to relocate to a new one ahead of the holiday back in 2019. That was not fun.

SBS: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs when starting a business?

LM: Go small and keep your other job at first until you know you have a product market fit for your business. While you’ll be stressed for time, you will have an income which makes this overall less stressful. When you can’t figure something out, find the person out in the world who can help you understand whatever it is you don’t know. There is always an expert out there who has the solution you are seeking. Don’t be afraid to ask!

SBS: What self-care practices have been most helpful along your journey?

LM: Fitting exercise into most of my mornings has been incredibly helpful. Having the balance of a family is good. I can’t think about work 24/7, which frees up space for my brain to recharge and be fresh when I am focused on work.

SBS: What was the path to having your own business? Any practical tools and tips to share for opening a business?

LM: Here is a link to a short deck I presented to a class of High School girls (Invest in Girls) on how to start a business.

SBS: What's your personal wellness approach/routine?

LM: I go for a long walk about two mornings a week (and listen to a book on tape or podcast). One day a week (usually Thursdays), I run with a friend in the mornings. Every Friday (for the past 11 years), I work out with a trainer in the morning, and that leaves one swing day for Peloton or something random. Today, I went to a CrossFit class at Monument Fitness in Charlestown, MA, where I was completely out of my league. I love switching it up and doing something out of my comfort zone every now and then. I also do a few 20- or 30-minute Pliability sessions a week: It’s basically holding a stretch for two to three minutes. It is relaxing and super beneficial. And, is it considered wellness to drink wine?  Probably not, but I do like red wine and dark chocolate!

The best, zaniest part of being Lisa: The best, zaniest part of being me is that I’m always ready to take bold risks, embrace the unknown, and show up as my authentic self, no filter. I’ve learned that even the wildest risks, though not always perfect, often lead to some of my greatest successes and most unexpected adventures.

Lisa’s SBS Mantra: Be Fearless, which doesn’t mean having no fear at all. It means feeling the fear but choosing to move forward anyway. It’s about not letting fear dictate your choices, actions, or potential. Being fearless is about embracing challenges, stepping into the unknown, and pushing past discomfort to pursue what truly matters to you. With fearlessness, you stretch your limits, discover your strengths (and weaknesses), and enable you to be the best version of yourself.

Lisa’s Boston Faves:

Healthy Restaurant: Red Lentil in Watertown, MA
Splurge Restaurant: Ostra, and you have to have the Bronzino fish!
Nightlife Spot: The Quin House Social Club in Back Bay
Yoga Studio: Lexington Power Yoga in Lexington, MA
Fitness Studio: Broncore Fitness, Downtown Boston
Fun Activity: Feeding my cats lots of catnip and watching them go nuts. I love golfing and can’t wait to do more of it when my children are a bit older.
Calming Activity: Twenty-minute Pliability session
Online Resources: Tory Burch Foundation (apply!), The Workshop at Macy’s (apply!)
Books: All Fours by Miranda July and Group by Christie Tate