Off the heels of her very successful Black pop-up shop event in Atlanta, Kisha “Ki” Marshall of Ki Finds took out some time to tell us about her clothing line as well as future opportunities for other entrepreneurs.
The community of Atlanta is very important to you, what inspired you to launch pop-up shop events?
I’m from New York originally and NY will always be my heart, but Atlanta has really become home for me. One of my favorite things about Atlanta is that there is such a spirit of entrepreneurship here. I’m a part of some really great business groups on Facebook where I’ve been able to get information on resources and also make connections with other entrepreneurs. While in these groups, I realized that we all had some of the same pain points and one of them was growing our customer base. We all use social media and everyone has a different level of expertise in terms of social media marketing, but there is no denying that nothing beats a face to face interaction with a potential client. As a small business owner you want to be able to tell your story; your “why”, and make a connection with customers that is difficult to develop online. I decided to host a pop up shop to provide all of us the opportunity to make these connections.
Tell us about your successful brand, Ki Finds. What kind of products do your offer?
I started Ki Finds after years of having friends and strangers ask me where I bought an outfit or accessory that I was wearing. I tend to stay away from trendy pieces and focus on classic and unique “finds” that I feel good in! On Ki Finds you will find a carefully curated selection of women’s apparel and accessories.
How has your business adapted to the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic?
I have an online shop so my business has actually seen an increase in sales! Everyone is shopping online right now!
Who were some of the participants in the event?
I had so many amazing vendors at the Atlanta Black Business Owners Pop Up Shop. I was purposeful about the kind of vendors I wanted to participate and made sure to minimize oversaturation of any one particular product. As expected, there were skincare, jewelry and apparel brands there, but I also had kidpreneurs, home goods, authors, health and wellness coaches and more! We had 50 vendors in total.
Share the measures you took to ensure a safe shopping experience?
This event was an outdoor event which I thought would be perfect for social distancing. All vendor booths were set up 6-8 feet apart from each other and there was plenty of space for customers to walk around without feeling over-crowded. I also asked all vendors and customers to wear masks.
In what ways did you prepare to launch your latest business endeavor?
I planned and executed this event in six weeks! I don’t know what I was thinking! Finding the right venue was really important to me. Once I decided on the venue, I focused on marketing the event. I sent out PR blasts and utilized social media ads to market the event. I also had the event posted in local Atlanta publications and on Eventbrite. My vendors were mostly low-key which was great and allowed me to focus my energy and attention on making sure the day ran seamlessly. Lastly, I spent time preparing my own brand as I was a vendor as well.
As an Afro-Latina, have you faced any challenges that have been unique to being a woman of color?
I love being Black, Latina and a woman. I wouldn’t change it if I could! I’m sure many women of color can relate, but I grew up in a household where my parents taught me from a young age that I would face challenges simply because of my race and gender. My father stressed that I couldn’t just be “good”, I had to be “great” to truly succeed. It’s something that has always stuck with me and so I focus on learning as much as I can about any field I’m interested in, and showing up as my best self in every situation. Any obstacle that I’ve ever faced, I see them as learning opportunities and I don’t take much of anything personally.
How can interested parties contact you to participate in your next event?
I’m already working on 4 more Atlanta Black Business Owners Pop Up shops for 2021. Anyone interested in participating can email me at contact@kifinds.com and follow Atlanta_Black_Business_Owners on IG for more information.
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