Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
I am a 4-time Guinness World Record holder, Professional Swimmer and Ocean Ambassador who just recently was conducted into the Hall of Fame.
I am known as a Modern Life Mermaid and Icy Princess who shares her passion to get everyone to learn to have swimming skills and be an ocean hero.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
I am the only human on Earth who has swum 26.22 miles without using arms. Even five men haven’t reached my skill. I also swim in ice while living in Florida. I run five companies while training for professional sports and advocating to fight against pollution and drowning.
Mermaids can do everything! Even the Miami Beach Mayor believes that because he proclaimed my birthday, April 17th, as Merle Liivand Day… I’m still speechless.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
I started to swim at the age of 11 when my lungs were about to collapse. I have been an Ocean Advocate for a long time and raised awareness about the amount of plastic but it didn’t hit me until The World Economic Forum was calling me to ask about why I fight for Earth’s Lungs.
I guess my own health problems were here to guide me to do what I do today. I just think it is logical that Mermaid wants to save the oceans where she swims.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
When I got stung by Portuguese-man-o-war and got a second degree burn to my skin. It was a moment of die or push through with your will because I had to swim until the end of practice.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business?
Richard Branson, Ursula von der Leyen, Blake Lively – because of they run businesses so different from than the rest of the world!
Drop your social media links.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquamjerle/
Bio: https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Merle_Liivand