Today we’d like to introduce you to Kylah Benes-Trapp.
Hi Kylah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In my experience, creativity is cultivated at home, and I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged and nurtured my creativity and self-expression. Both my parents were/are artists in their own right, so they quite naturally inspired me to explore my abilities within various mediums.
In short, my creative career started in 2010 when I created an eyewear and accessories company and started selling online and in local boutiques. That led me to an internship with Brittney Bosco for a clothing company, and that working relationship would later change the trajectory of my professional career and life. I moved to New York City in 2013 and started working for a start-up media company, where I worked my way up from a format coordinator to a graphic designer and creative producer. While working in the corporate world, I simultaneously started a creative agency with co-founders Brittney Bosco and Chibu Okerecalled Slug Global. As we gained momentum as freelance creatives building an agency from the ground up, I was propelled out of the 9 to 5 life and into a world of learning the ropes of the creative agency as a business and artist.
I now work as a creative director, writer/director, and editor, all self-taught.
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?
When I first started, my biggest struggle was self-doubt. Being that I am self-taught in all my disciplines, I used to feel like it was my weakness, and that led to a lot of moments in which I questioned if I was qualified or knowledgeable enough for the opportunities I was taking on. At some point, I realized that I could either let it stop me or I could transform my perspective and see it as a strength, and that’s what I did. I learned that I offered a unique POV in ideating and executing projects and that ultimately became a strong suit in being imaginative and creative. I learned to work with the tools that I had and utilize the internet for information, and often, the beauty in trial and error is the birth of a distinct style and expression.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My creative practices range from creative director, video editor, director, and creative consulting and branding work. The most important and sometimes challenging part of creativity is having self-discipline when the inspiration or motivation wares off and having integrity in the execution process.
What does success mean to you?
Success is freedom. It’s an ongoing process of self-discovery and self-actualization. It’s assigning the power and imagination within a purpose and bringing it into the physical realm.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ameri-ky.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameriky/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ameriiky
