Slowing down is not the same as giving up. After stepping back to prioritize his family during a critical season, Organo Sapphire leader Derisma Derilair is back in action and targeting expansion into 50% of U.S. states. Read his first-person account on resilience, family values, and what it means to rebuild stronger than ever.
“My name is Derisma Derilair, but most people call me Derisma, and on social media I am known as Leader Derisma. I am originally from Haiti, and faith, family, music, hard work, and entrepreneurship have always been important parts of my life. I am an entrepreneur and own several businesses, including an online music store and online music lessons business. My family and I also sing and play music together through our worship band, Les Derisma Worship. My professional background has given me extensive experience working with people. While attending college, I worked for a major music store, where I was frequently one of the top salespeople, and I also had the opportunity to work in automobile sales. As a preacher, motivational speaker, coach, musician, and performer, I developed confidence speaking to people and large audiences. Those experiences would later become valuable tools in my Organo journey.
I was introduced to Organo in 2013 by one of my guitar students. Interestingly, I was not a coffee drinker at the time. But after trying my first cup of Organo coffee, I really enjoyed the taste, and that experience changed the way I looked at coffee. I went from not being a coffee drinker to becoming a coffee lover. That personal experience with the product gave me even more excitement about sharing it with others. Shortly afterward, however, the student who sponsored me stopped building the business, and I found myself moving forward without my original sponsor. Instead of allowing that to discourage me, I used it as motivation. I began talking to people, building relationships, using online videos to help present the opportunity, and using the sales and communication skills I had developed over the years. Within only a few months, I had built an organization of a few hundred people. In March 2014, I achieved the rank of Sapphire. The following month, I qualified again and had the privilege of helping another person on my team become Sapphire as well. That experience taught me that true leadership is not only about what you achieve but also about helping other people achieve their goals.
My greatest challenge, however, would come outside of business. In April 2016, our first daughter was born extremely prematurely, weighing only 1.06 pounds. She spent approximately nine months in the hospital, underwent multiple surgeries, and required extensive medical care. My wife and I spent those months traveling back and forth to hospitals, including hospitals far from home. Our daughter continues to require significant care today. Naturally, our family’s needs became our priority, and my business activity slowed considerably. But I learned an important lesson: slowing down is not the same as giving up. Through everything, the dream remained alive.
In 2026, we made the decision to rebuild. I began sharing the products again, mailing free samples, connecting with people through social media, enrolling new customers and distributors, and conducting Zoom meetings. I also use my Facebook presence as Leader Derisma to create traffic, build relationships, and introduce people to the business. Today, the team is growing again. New distributors are finding customers, customers are sharing positive feedback, and we are expanding into more states. My immediate goal, together with my team, is to have customers in at least 50% of the U.S. states before the end of 2026, and we have already passed 20%. My long-term goal is to build a strong and sustainable organization, develop leaders who develop other leaders, and positively impact many families.
If I could give other distributors two tips, the first would be: Never allow someone else’s decision to quit become your reason to quit. Your dream belongs to you. My second tip would be: Talk to people and use the tools available to you. Build relationships, listen, follow up, serve people, use social media, Zoom, videos, samples, and presentations, and always look for opportunities to help others succeed. If I had to describe my Organo experience in one word, it would be resilience. My journey has included success, interruptions, family challenges, personal growth, leadership, and now a comeback. My children are still young, but they are excited when they hear me talking to people about the business, coffee, and tea. I want them to see through my example that difficult circumstances do not have to be the end of a dream. I started Organo in 2013. I became Sapphire in 2014. Life changed in 2016. And in 2026, Derisma is building again. This is not the end of my Organo story—this is the comeback.”
Derisma Derilair’s story shows us that success is rarely a straight path. It is defined by how we respond to life’s unexpected challenges, the relationships we nurture along the way, and the choice to keep going when giving up would be easier. As you work toward your own goals, remember that difficult circumstances do not have to mean the end of a dream—sometimes, they set the stage for your greatest comeback.
About ORGANO®
Founded in 2008 as Organo Gold, ORGANO® is dedicated to bringing the benefits of the earth’s nutritional riches to people throughout the world through premium products designed for daily use as part of a balanced and active lifestyle.
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