From Farmers Market to National TV: How Latina Entrepreneur Kalyne Lopez Was Discovered

Here's the story of how Kalyne Lopez, founder of Mas Vida Skincare, got discovered at a farmers market and ended up with national exposure on Prime's reality show "60 Day Hustle".

When 33-year-old Kalyne Lopez arrived at her usual booth at a local farmers market, she never imagined that day would bring an extraordinary opportunity—one that seemed straight out of a Hollywood movie.

"My dad came to visit from Puerto Rico one day, and I was like, 'Dad, do the farmers market with me. It would be fun; you get to meet people.' So that day, he came along," recalls Lopez, founder of Mas Vida Skincare, a brand known for its eco-friendly, vegan, and cruelty-free beauty products.

As if the stars had aligned, a representative from a reality show for entrepreneurs arrived at the market that same day. Kalyne had no idea that she was about to audition for the "60 Day Hustle" production team, a series that premiered on August 8th on Prime Video.

"This lady came up to us, her name was Clare, and she was like, 'Hi, did you make all of this stuff yourself?' I said, 'Yeah, everything here is made by me—clean and organic.' Then she said, 'We're actually casting for a show for entrepreneurs, and I think you would be great.'"

To audition, Lopez needed to submit a 60-second video and wait to be contacted. However, thanks to her dad's instinct, who suggested she film the video right then and there at her booth, the production team left the farmers market with the video that would give Kalyne the opportunity of a lifetime.

Nearly a month after that encounter, Kalyne received an email inviting her to a casting call interview. During the interview, she connected instantly with the production team, but it wasn’t until a month later that she received the official email confirming she had been chosen to participate in the show.

“I couldn’t believe that I got the email saying, ‘Congratulations, we really want you to be on the show.’ I didn’t know anything about the show—whether it would be on a big network—but I was just so happy for the opportunity,” she shares.

From Bartending to Beauty: The Birth of Mas Vida Skincare

Kalyne’s journey to creating Mas Vida Skincare began long before that exceptional day at the farmers market. Kalyne worked as a bartender and mixologist for about ten years, primarily in California. “I loved cooking; that’s my actual passion, so when it came to drinks, it was a seamless transition for me,” she says. But when the pandemic hit in 2020, everything changed. “All the restaurants and bars shut down, and it was such an uncertain time. I thought, ‘What am I going to do? I can’t be a bartender forever.’”

With a strong faith and a desire to find her true calling, Kalyne began praying for guidance. “I started making organic, clean products for myself because I couldn’t trust anything in stores. I was obsessed with holistic living. Then, it hit me—why not share what I’m passionate about with the world?”

That realization led to Mas Vida Skincare, a brand that offers high-quality, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free beauty products. “I wanted to create products people could trust—items that wouldn’t harm us or the earth.”

Financing her dream was no easy feat, but Kalyne was determined. “I had saved money during the pandemic because we weren’t going out or spending mindlessly. After a year and a half, I was ready.” With encouragement from her boyfriend, she leaped and registered her business as an LLC. “He told me, ‘If you don’t do it now, you’re never going to do it.’ So I listened to him, and I did it.”

Starting small, Kalyne initially focused on launching Mas Vida Skincare as an online business. “I thought it would be this great thing, and everyone would buy, but it was a wake-up call. It wasn’t that easy, especially as a one-woman show.”

The turning point for Kalyne came when she started selling at farmer's markets. 'That’s when people began to notice the brand, and sales started to rise,' she recalls. Her decision to put herself out there boosted her business and led to the unexpected opportunity of being featured on a national TV show.

Let the Hustle Begin!

"60 Day Hustle" is a high-stakes competition series where twelve determined entrepreneurs face various challenges designed to take their businesses to the next level. Throughout the show, they receive mentorship from top business figures, condensing two years of business fundamentals into an intense 60-day showdown. The ultimate goal for the participants is to win the $100,000 cash prize, a sum that could transform their business dreams into reality.

During the six-episode series, participants tackle challenges like creating a 30-second pitch for their business, driving traffic to a live online selling event, or making a viral video.

“I’d never actually pitched my business ever. It’s still a baby, and I was still nurturing it. Then they came on the first day and said, ‘You’re going to pitch in front of a billionaire panel of judges,’ I was like, ‘Pitch? How am I going to do this?’” Kalyne recalls about the first challenge.

However, according to Lopez, the most exciting aspect of the show was that nothing was scripted. “They didn’t tell us anything until the last minute, so it kept the excitement up. We didn’t know where we were heading or what we were doing, so it was really cool to get our actual, genuine reactions,” Kalyne shares when asked about meeting successful entrepreneurs like the co-founder of Fabletics, who makes a brief appearance on the show.

From Reality TV to Real Life

After participating in "60 Day Hustle", Kalyne, a second-generation Latina, feels grateful for the opportunity to gain exposure. She knows her appearance on the show could inspire other Latina women looking to start their businesses.

“I’m so proud of where I come from, of my culture. Everything my family has taught me. We are so misrepresented or not represented at all, especially in business—and being a woman on top of that... We’ve had to overcome many obstacles and work so much harder than the average person, so being able to spotlight that on the show and being given that opportunity, I just wanted to do my Latinos proud,” says Lopez.

As for her plans following "60 Day Hustle", Kalyne eventually wants to open a store in Los Angeles and a second location in Puerto Rico, where she believes there is a lack of organic, chemical-free products.

Though there’s still a long road ahead, Kalyne Lopez feels more prepared and confident than ever to achieve her goals, thanks to the lessons she learned on the show. Her most valuable takeaway? “Never, ever doubt myself. This show gave me so much confidence... I’m so grateful to have gained that because there’s something truly life-changing about believing in yourself. When you push through without doubt, you can accomplish anything."