Meet Kerisa Denison

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

Kerisa, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Realizing THAT is my superpower. I believe we are here to live out our own unique story with our individual strengths and challenges. It’s what makes life dynamic, fun and interesting. How boring would it be if we all looked and acted the same and followed the exact same path and trajectory.
I look at it like this, we are all an individual thread with our own color and texture that when combined with others, creates the beautiful tapestry of life.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I grew up on an organic salad farm in BC, Canada with a farmer/musician father and an entrepreneur mother who taught me how to thrift. I have lived around the world and studied fashion, did commercial modeling in LA with my identical twin sister. I moved to Austin, TX around four years ago which is when I started focusing on my vintage reselling business, Keep Earth Vintage, full time.
Sustainable fashion and styling have become a passion of mine. Not only do I help my customers and community feel confident in the clothes they wear, but in the choice they make to shop small and sustainably. My goal is expand my business so I can save even more items from polluting our planet while also empowering my customers to find their own sense of style and confidence.
The most exciting thing about what I do is the fact that it’s so creative and allows me to access different aspects of my personality while also connecting with so many like-minded people. The thrifting community is so supportive, I’ve made so many friends online and I also receive a lot of messages saying I’ve inspired someone to start shopping secondhand or dress more confidently. That is the ultimate goal: to inspire others.
I am currently working on a program to help others start selling on Etsy so stay tuned!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Consistency, perseverance and creativity are probably my top three qualities that have been the most impactful.
Without consistent effort and action, nothing can come to fruition.
Perseverance ensures that you never give up, because trust me you will want to; challenges are inevitable and we live in a world that values logic, data and success over intuition and inspiration.
Creativity is expressed individually and that is what is makes me stand out from the crowd and gives me the most fulfillment. When I’m being creative, I’m having fun and that is what fuels me.

For anyone who is just starting out, my advice would be to take small consistent action steps and do it messy. Progress over perfection. You will only learn. by doing so start today even if you feel like it’s not perfect. I also think we are going to start valuing imperfection more and more especially as we enter into the age of AI.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

My parents showed me that you don’t have to live life “by the book” and that anything is possible–the only limitation is one that is created in your mind. On top of that, almost every single member of my extended family is an entrepreneur. We are proof that there is a multitude of ways to live life, so follow your heart and inspiration.

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