Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Benson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2017, I decided to take a leap of faith quit my corporate career and move to New York City to pursue my dreams of being the next fashion stylist for ESSENCE Magazine.
For the next 2 years, I had the opportunity to work as a stylist assistant on national campaigns, red carpet events, editorials, NYFW, and e-commerce shoots. After becoming the go-to stylist assistance for Brooks Brothers, I was able to travel the world from Iceland, to Italy and South Africa. While the experiences were great, I felt as though I wasn’t using the gifts God blessed me with to it’s fullest potential. So, I decided to be intentional.
One thing I tell people all the time, “Post the things you want to be hired for!” In 2019, I began to let the world know that I was creating content by posting the things I created for others or just for fun. During that year, I had the pleasure of helping over 45 small business owner’s create content.
At the end of 2019, I realized I wanted more. I wanted to create a legacy and that’s when the idea of Clique Bait was born. June 2020, after trail and error, I launched Clique Bait. A digital marketing agency specializing in help brands tell their story on social media and IRL.
After living in Brooklyn for 4.5 years, I realized it was time for a change. June 22, 2022. my mom and I took a road trip to my new home. Now, you can officially call me a Houston Hottie!
I’m currently running my agency full time while devising new ways to dominate the digital space and the Houston area. I have an exciting new contract role in the works and I’m beyond thankful with how much God is doing in my life!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely been a journey to say the least.
The launch party for the agency was Saturday, March 14, 2020. Two days later, everything shut down because of the pandemic and we were stuck inside. Thankfully, people needed to figure out how to talk to their audience online so it was a blessing in disguise.
What some don’t know is that initially, Clique Bait was Clique Bait Creative and it launched as a partnership. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way that going into partnership is one of the worst things you can do when it comes to business. What started off as a budding idea turned into me dealing with unnecessary legal issues, stress and beyond. Thankfully, one of my clients at the time referred me to Start Small Think Big and I was able to have top-notch representation from one the best firms in NYC.
After that hurdle, I went into a dark depression. I started to doubt the gifts God had given me because it seemed like if it wasn’t one thing it was another. But, God had a plan to show me that I was on the right track!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a mix of corporate baddie + creative hustler.
After college, for 2 years, I worked as an Allocation analysts at CITI TRENDS – an off-price retailer located in the South and Northeast. Then, I worked as a Replenishment Buyer at Family Dollar for a year.
Quickly I realized that sitting at a desk punching numbers wasn’t for me. In 2017, I devised an exit plan, eliminated my outstanding debits and began my freelance journey.
On social, I’ve became known for my clean aesthetics, engaging stories and creative content.
Now, I am the founder + creative director of Clique Bait where we help brands tell their story on social + IRL through clean, crisp, creative content with a strategy that sells!
What I’m most proud of is despite the trials and tribulations, I’m still here and God is just getting started!
What’s next?
In terms of Clique Bait, we are really working on building our community online and IRL. Through virtual events and in-person experiences, we are going to make Clique Bait an award-winning agency that is known not only for our creative abilities but for our impact within the community.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@cliquebait.co
- Website: www.cliquebait.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cliquebait.creative/ | @_inspiredbykrys
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cliquebait.creative
