KB Vega of Newton on Life, Lessons & Legacy

KB Vega shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

KB, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Since it is the summer, I make it a point to hit the beach every single week. It’s my spot to unplug, breathe, and just be. I’ll toss a good book in my bag, let the sun kiss my skin, feel the sand between my toes, and listen to the waves until all the work stress melts away. There’s nothing like that ocean therapy….my little weekly self-care ritual that I look forward to all week long.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m KB Vega, founder of InspiHER Empire Clothing, a feel-good clothing and lifestyle brand that empowers women to be the best versions of themselves through self-love, body positivity, and confidence. I started InspiHER Empire because those were the very things I struggled with growing up, and I wanted to create more than just bold, fun clothes. I wanted to build a supportive community where women feel truly seen and heard.

Right now, I’m in the middle of an exciting rebrand and launching a new website. I’m also working on Crowned Chaos Apparel, a bold and edgy men’s streetwear brand (coming really soon!), and Karla’s Kolorful Closet, where I resell barely-worn or brand-new finds from my own closet.

At the heart of everything I do-whether it’s designing, writing, or connecting-is one mission: to inspire confidence, spark conversation, and help people unapologetically own their story.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was younger, I believed I was a disappointment….not just to my parents, but to everyone around me. With my parents, it wasn’t always in the words they used but in their actions. With others, it came through in the comparisons, the judgment, and the subtle reminders that I wasn’t like everyone else. Over time, that shame sank in so deeply that I carried it as truth.

I grew up thinking I couldn’t do anything right to make people proud. I felt like I was never good enough, important enough, or worthy enough. Every mistake seemed to prove it, and even my wins felt overshadowed by what I thought I lacked. Those feelings of inadequacy eventually led me into a dark place filled with depression, addiction, and trauma. I tried to numb the pain in ways that only pushed me further from who I was meant to be.

It took years of therapy, support from psychologists and psychiatrists, and deep inner work to untangle myself from that belief. I had to learn to separate my worth from other people’s opinions and rebuild my relationship with myself from the ground up. After so many years of hating myself, I finally learned how to love myself again.

If I could go back, I’d tell that younger me that her value was never dependent on making others proud. She was never a disappointment. She was, and always will be, more than enough.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I spent so many years hiding my pain, keeping my struggles tucked away because I didn’t want to be judged, pitied, or seen as “broken.” I carried the weight of everything I’d been through-abuse, addiction, trauma, loss-alone, and I thought staying quiet was the only way to survive. But all that silence only made me feel more disconnected from myself and from others.

The day I realized my story could either keep me stuck or set me free was the day everything changed. I stopped hiding and started talking….really talking…..about the stuff I once buried deep. I started a positivity page on Instagram, using my voice to share my truth, connect with women, and let them know they weren’t alone. That little page turned into the heart of InspiHER Empire and is still the main reason I’ve never stopped.

Now, InspiHER Empire is so much more than cute, feel-good clothes. It’s a community-a space where women feel seen, heard, and empowered to love themselves unapologetically. Every single design, post, and conversation comes from that place of turning my pain into my power… and helping other women do the same.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A passion project I’m committed to, no matter how long it takes, is my company InspiHER Empire Clothing. I’ve rebranded twice, but the mission and purpose have never changed-to make a real impact in women’s lives. Whether it’s through sharing my story, creating designs that speak to their souls, or building a community where women feel seen, heard, and supported, I’m in this for the long haul. I won’t stop until I know I’ve continuously left my mark and helped women step into their confidence and self-love unapologetically. I’ve said it since day one, ‘that if I can inspire at least one woman a day, than I am doing something right with my life.’ And I won’t stop until I feel like I have done that.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I was the girl who took all the crap life threw at her and turned it into something powerful. That I made people feel seen, heard, and loved exactly as they were. That I fought for women to own their confidence, speak their truth, and love themselves unapologetically and that I did it with passion, grit, and a whole lot of sass. I hope they remember that I left people better than I found them, and that my words, my work, and my heart kept inspiring long after I was gone.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Anthony Vega

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