Entrepreneur of the Month: Khleo Armstrong

I've never met Khleo in person, but I have been following her on social media for as long as I can remember. I've always loved her style. It was like a mix between tom-boy and "the cool girl next door". Very creative if you ask me.

Back then, she was running an online boutique called, "Hey Friday" that housed some of the coolest accessories and clothing. That was actually my first time seeing orange tinted glasses and I fell in love. I was determined to get a pair but for some reason, never got a chance to (I was probably bluffing, per usual).

Fast forward to today, and she is styling ad campaigns and music videos with The Manner Co., creative directing and preparing for the relaunch of, "Hey Friday" as we speak.

She's definitely inspired me and her life AND style is goals. I was glad to get a chance to chat with her and to get a sneak peak inside her life as an entrepreneur.

Q: What sparked your interest in fashion?

K: I've been playing dress up since I could remember. My Nana (grandma) would always tell me to put a show together or a photo shoot of some kind with her clothes; she was a true fashion socialite in her time and crazy shopper. She let me explore my creativity in ways that sparked my mind.

Q: What is one of your biggest accomplishments thus far?

K: My biggest accomplishment is opening my business, HeyFriday with my older sister. This venture allows me to show my creative direction, styling, and business etiquette. I've been focusing on it hard for two years and I can't wait to re-launch in 2018!

Q: Who or what inspires you to keep going?

K: My family of course, my close circle of friends I surround my self with constantly and women of all shapes and colors. I'm inspired by the messages I get from strangers to keep going or that I simply inspire them. I think my journey is to inspire and build peoples confidence, so I am always inspired by the smallest things.

Q: What do you think sets you apart in such a saturated industry?

K: I think I portray a real growing human being; I don't promote a lifestyle I don't have. I try to tell my story, the good and the bad. I talk to everyone the same, I don't believe anyone is higher or lower then me. I am adamant about having a great work ethic and being positive in this industry. And the money I would earn from it was never really thought about. This is something I would wake up and do for free. I'm simply passionate about it.

Q: What is the one thing you can't live without?

K: This ones hard! But, I would have to say my journal/notebook. I write to God in it, my ideas, my goals, things to do, quotes, you name it; its in there. I'd cry losing that over my phone lol.

Q: What do you spend most of your leisure time doing?

K: I am a legit movie person. On my off days, I'm probably watching a movie or documentary, eating snacks and writing in my journal. I am always doing something to stimulate my mind with ideas and inspiration. My friends might come over and we make it a creative work day.

Q: What has been a challenge for you as a full-time entrepreneur?

K:The biggest challenge is learning finances. Being an entrepreneur, you don't get bi weekly paychecks and with working on music videos and commercials/film you could be waiting 30-60 days for payment. Then you have to pay for the expenses of your business, personal bills and of course your social life. I learned all of that the hard way but it has grounded me on what is important and what's not. It's about finding balance and really learning how to prioritize. (Teach yourself about credit and money management!)

Q: What is something you wish you knew first starting out that you know now?

K: Everything is about confidence and believing in yourself. I can assure you its not about the label on your clothes or how many likes you get on a post. It literally has everything to do with you and how you put yourself out into the world. Remember, the energy you put out to the world is what you will get back.

"Everything's 90% confidence and 10% everything else".