Meet Kerrie Wilson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kerrie Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kerrie below.

Hi Kerrie , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I think what has helped me the most in overcoming imposter syndrome is to stop comparing myself to others and at 52 years old, I certainly wish I had figured that out long ago. I’ve always been a creative person whether it was my passion as a musician, love of interior design or taking on different projects for my home but I never had the confidence to step out and turn those passions into a career. Why? Because I always felt there was someone else out there who was better and I feared being a failure. When I started Burnin’ It Up it was really just a creative outlet for me, I didn’t have aspirations of becoming the biggest hat shop, I was just having fun. It wasn’t until a friend asked me “Are you going to sell your hats? If you are, I’ll be your first customer.” It was at that point I asked myself, can I really take this new found interest and turn it into my own small business? Honestly, my first thought was “What are you doing? You’re a musician not an artist, you have no professional art training, you’re too old to be starting your own business, you don’t have any of the talent or knowledge these other hat designers do, people will laugh at your designs and YOU WILL FAIL.” But I had to remind myself those other hat designers I was comparing myself to didn’t start off being fabulous and maybe they didn’t have an art degree either. I shouldn’t define my success based on someone else’s abilities or accomplishments.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I rarely buy the trendy jewelry or follow the latest interior designs for my home, I want something that is personal to me and not a fad. There are a million other hat designers out there so it can be challenging to stand out but I follow the same principle with my designs, they are unique and no two are alike. When I’m working on a custom hat order I take time to listen to my clients requests which many times leads to a story from their life. A client who had lived in Arizona talked about the beautiful desert scenery and amazing sunsets, they wanted a design that reminded them of that time in their life. Those types of projects give me great joy in knowing I’ve created a piece of art that makes the person wearing it feel special.
This past summer I ventured into working with leather because I just wasn’t finding hat bands or accessories I felt complimented my unique designs. That lead to creating not only leather hat bands but leather feathers and flowers with stunning centers made of raw turquoise.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think to be successful in anything you have to be dedicated, driven and able to think outside the box. Set goals for yourself and don’t compare yourself to others.

The advice I would give for someone starting their journey is, have fun with your process and don’t be afraid to try new things. Find a mentor who will share their experiences and when needed can offer encouragement and advice when you struggle with creativity or momentum.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

I am extremely blessed to have so many wonderful friends who are either artists or small business owners. The’ve shared the struggles they experienced early in their journey, strategies that worked for them and not to expect overnight success. It takes hard work and determination.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://burninitup.com/
• Instagram: burnin_it_up_kw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burninitupkw

Image Credits

Allan Wilson