Check Out Charisse Reid’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Charisse Reid

Hi Charisse, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It all began on an early morning in July…LOL! Just think of me as your fashion forward, super supportive, Jersey girl bestie. I am an Interior Designer with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Architecture from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. I enjoyed my summer and decided to take a shot in the dark and apply for jobs worldwide. I got feedback from Denver, had a wonderful offer and hit the ground running. I moved to Denver in October of 2022 and have been here ever since! My first year here was rough and I went through some hardships that pushed me into a pretty dark place. I was away from my friends, family, and was forced to move into my own place with short notice after a jarring breakup. The chaos of this wild transition gave me the confidence to stop waiting for people, make moves, and be the most badass version of myself I could be. I have always loved vintage fashion and would tend to receive compliments on my outfits. With Denver’s fashion scene on the rise, many people encouraged me to start a side hustle for vintage fashion and style curation. I met Patrick Sanders from Salt & Pepper Apparels and he opened the doors to the market life for me. I have nothing but love for him and his partner Sam, as they gave me the platform to make my dreams a reality. Shoutout to Lexi as well from Old School Cool, they are truly a gem! After some brainstorming and some reasonable sourcing, BLKKAT CONCEPTS was born. I did markets for about a year and some change and have hopes to pop back into the scene again sometime in the future. During the down season, I decided to pick back up on my social media series TREAT YOURSELF TUESDAY, which I started in college to give myself a day out of the week to go on a solo adventure around the city. I eventually started posting to my social media more frequently and got the attention of multiple businesses around Denver. I have to send a huge thank you to Blind Tiger Lounge who believed in my vision and was nice enough to work with me for my very first social media collaboration! The series has gained some traction and I am proud to say that I am continuing to build my social media presence. My main mission now is to encourage and inspire others to give back to themselves, wear funky vintage fits (or whatever makes them happy), and live life to the fullest!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road was giving Roosevelt Blvd. in Philly and if you know YOU KNOW. The road was giving non-avoidant pot holes, babe. Not smooth at all, but I can finally see that was the best path for me. I visited Denver pre-COVID and was somewhat familiar of the area, but after moving out, I felt like I was going into everything completely blind. I was living alone for the first time and I struggled with figuring out who I truly was. I didn’t quite know what my purpose was in this life and started to feel like nothing was worth it. I was trying to manage a business, begin my content creation journey, and balance my social life, all while working 2 jobs. The vintage scene is great, but of course it has its ups and downs. I for one as a black queer woman, struggled with finding my place. Most people were supportive of my vision, but of course you get the occasional backhanded comment here and there. I lost hope for a while, but I’m ready to get back on the horse when the time is right. In the design world, the egos are even bigger and as someone from the East Coast, that was extremely hard to navigate (professionally that is LOL). I felt like I was “too much” for my corporate job and convinced myself that I had to dim my light to be more palatable. Lastly, exploring content creation and diving into the “Denver Influencer” scene was hard for me because I experienced a lot of imposter syndrome. I didn’t think I was good enough to be in the spaces I was in because I didn’t have 10K+ followers or a professional camera. Despite my doubts, I pushed through and fought for what I believed in. Through it all, I reminded myself that I did have the strength and tools to succeed and I decided not to let those limiting beliefs get me down. I have met so many incredible creatives during my time in Colorado: Ellen Stokes (Photographer & Model), Telsey Furnald (Content Creator & Vintage Baddie), James Keenan (Event Coordinator & Blogger), and Vanessa Symoné (Engineer & Influencer), just to name a few. My community here has truly changed my life for the better. You guys taught me how I love myself even more and I am so proud that I kept my head high. When life gives you lemons, you better tell that b*tch to kick rocks and make some limoncello! YOU GOT THIS!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an interior designer by trade! I work in corporate commercial design for workplace, financial, and aviation projects. I am known for my bold style and glowing confidence. I encourage my team to speak up, take risks, and be more authentic. I am most proud of my move to Denver and my resilience to stay because, jeez did I want to give up on EVERYTHING. I am the person that people come to for a happiness boost and help with digital programming. I am truly a nerd at heart so I enjoy sharing the knowledge that I have about the design world and art forms.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Yes! The most important lesson I learned is to invest in your dreams, your community, and invest in yourself. I feel like COVID taught us a lot about how to keep each other safe and be mindful of the world around us. So many small businesses went under and we as a society lost the thing that held us together the most: third spaces. The need for third space is within the human condition, and we as a community need to support each other in keeping these spaces alive. We yearn for that intimate connection and accessibility to comfort outside of our homes. Without them, we have nothing. Instead of constantly investing in these large corporations, we need to shift our focus on uplifting small businesses, local artists, and the creatives within our communities. Please check in on your loved ones because a simple “I love you” can go a long way. Life is too short and the world needs you. Even when you feel like it doesn’t, it’s crucial that you still show up. Not just for the world, but for yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: TikTok: charisse713
• Instagram: @charisseannreid
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charisse-reid-25930b195