We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Walker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I am creative that wanted flexibility, room for me to express myself freely, and I was intrigued by the idea of not having a ceiling relative to the money I could generate.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My shoes which i consider to be a work of art, are a comfort, diverse, ethnic brand designed for women on the go that value their wellness. I started my brand in 2016 and the journey has been full of many challenges and many milestones as well. For the 1st 5 years of my business I made my shoes with some local help from some leather sewers. I learned to sew and make shoes from a few courses and trial and error. I started selling my shoes right away because people would see the shoes and ask me to make them a pair. And before you know it I was selling shoes at pop-up events. My shoes are very colorful and sourced with the most unique leathers and designs that gives each shoe the look of being customized. I am proud that I have been able to get my shoes from a design to an actual product. The process of building a brand is quite expensive and finding a manufacturer is the most difficult part of it. It took much longer to find a manufacturer that was a good fit but when I found them I knew that they were the right for my brand. I had to be persistent throughout the entire process and even still persistent and trusting the process. My story is still in process as I work to get my shoes in stores and sell them online.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, to be honest I have been home more often these days so I’m a bit out of touch. But given that I am a LA native, i would take them to the landmarks such as Griffith Park, Leimert Park Village, go on a hike, do a bike ride on the beach, and other very touristy things. I would take them to these Healthy eating spots like Simply Wholesome and Tocaya.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I was originally inspired by my friend Sylvia that paints beautiful images of Black women on handbags. Her Art has expanded since then. But her drive and boldness to do Art full-time with no jobs to support her financially; let me know that being a full time artist was possible. Over the years I have met various vendor/artists that have encouraged and offered information that helped me along the way. I also have had years of coaching for business to shift my mindset which was the most effective. I have joined various Mastermind groups over the years that I have also propelled my mindset to the next level.

Website: https://www.KabisaLifeShoes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamililifeshoes/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeaniasoul

Image Credits
Miriam Moreno of Alta Calidad in Leon, Mexico did the studio shots.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.