Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsy Alston.
Hi Kelsy, 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?
I was a teen mom, so I ended up at a college closer to my hometown than the one I initially committed to. I started my senior year of high school deciding between Spelman and Howard for college and wound up a Freshman Sociology at the University of Oregon and Finished with a B.S in Communications. I was always really good at writing and presenting from a young age. I have a fun memory of my 9-year old self putting together a power-point presentation to persuade my mom to get me a cell phone. I was a proficient storyteller, and I had a knack for talking to people, but I never realized it was something I could pursue as a career until my time at UO. I began with dreams of becoming the next Cari Champion, but I burnt out of broadcast journalism by the time I finished. I discovered I enjoyed the strategy behind the scenes much more – and decided that after graduation, I wanted to be a part of an Ad Agency. My Agency dreams were crushed (as many are) after graduation when I got rejection after rejection due to a lack of experience and connections.
After 4-months of rejection in Portland, OR – I decided I had a better shot in Houston, TX so I up and moved. My journey here has been far from easy, but I’ve been able to experience so much – that it was all integral to my skill set now. I began as a marketing assistant in the health field, who helped throw fashion shows and events as a side hustle. I transition as the marketing manager for a popular bar and restaurant here, Prospect Park Restaurants, and got the freedom to enact influencer campaigns, digital to IRL campaigns, and so many other ideas I had been dying to see come to fruition. I saw a lot of success with that company, and ultimately it gave me the confidence I needed to take a leap back into the agency world. Going from in-house to Agency is always difficult, but I had a strong resume and skill-set, and I was confident in my ability to prove myself. I kicked off my Agency journey here as a place that was… not ideal… but I learned to work in an agency environment.
Ultimately, I ended up leaving and spending a few months working exclusively for myself. I’ve always had my marketing side hustle, but when I left my first agency – I was relying on that as my primary income. I didn’t love working for myself, primarily because I didn’t feel like I had gotten the opportunity to work with big companies or network with big names, and I was content feeling to stagnant… and local. I was so discouraged at this point, I began studying for the LSAT and was mentally preparing to be a single mom and a student again. This is when my current opportunity came about – the agency I currently work for. I found this agency through a creative placement company, and within my first week, I was thrown into a major project for an international brand. I remember when I got hired, full-time I thanked God over and over because I had prayed for this opportunity and it found me. Over the past year and a half, I have traveled to 2 countries and 5+ states worked with celebrities that I have always admired and been a part of campaigns that I’ve been talked about in my favorite publication. I’ve gotten the opportunity to grow into a leadership role at a company that acknowledges my responsibilities as a parent and invests in my career goals. It’s truly amazing that four years after I moved to Houston, I finally got the opportunity I had been praying for and even more amazing that I wouldn’t have been qualified for it if I hadn’t endured the path I was on.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey has been bumpy… BUMPY road. I moved here without my son for 6-months to get settled. I had one friend in all of Houston and no family. I cried night after night and would keep myself busy to keep from missing him. When he finally moved here, my heart was full, but my schedule was hectic. I underestimated parenting without my hometown friends or any family, and it consistently proves to be a stressful task. I have the most amazing son, but trying to fast-track a career, maintain a social life, and be the parent he deserves constantly leaves me in tears. I’ve also struggled with self-doubt along the way.
Every year or so, I fall into a rut, where I look around me and decide that I want more than what I have career-wise or salary-wise. Whenever I’m in these ruts, I begin to doubt myself. Am I good enough to level up? Why isn’t it happening naturally? Am I on the right path? This self-doubt is deafening and often leaves me questioning my purpose. I’ve struggled with mental health my whole life, but staying on top of depression and anxiety or managing ADHD isn’t a one-time fix. Each trigger, each pivotal moment – I’ve learned to check in with myself to make sure I don’t begin spiraling or self-sabotaging. Bumps in the road are hard to overcome in general, but when you’re battling with mental health – the bumps become mountains, and your roadblocks can make the journey seem impossible.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a creative professional in my career. I work on managing creative projects for brands on the digital side – including content strategy, creation, production (when necessary) and project assessment. I also manage talent and partnerships for brands, streamlining communication and leveraging relationships for campaigns. Personally, I have transitioned from digital strategy to digital branding. What I am most proud of is my ability to maintain professional friendships with partners to make sure I keep my network genuine. I am also thrilled by my ability to wear many hats due to my background. I’m also an artist in my “free time,” which I love to showcase on my social channels and my website resin8collections.com. I emphasize with the creatives I’ve worked within a kin-like spirit – I understand the creative process and the attachment to the work. I think my life experiences and vast interests have allowed me to relate to people from a variety of walks of life, with varying passions.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I would say as far as luck goes – I often have pretty shotty luck as far as chance encounters go. I will say, though, there have been times where the timing paired with my hard work has presented opportunities to me I’ve prayed about. I call that the rule of serendipity (I learned it in a class at UO, actually) – it’s when you’re doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time. I will say – I’ve had quite a few moments where I’ve felt like that. That said, I can’t remember the last time something amazing happened to me just as a stroke of luck – I work my butt off for the amazing things, in one way or another. Usually, it’s the crap things that happen, and I’m like… well, that was unexpected.
Pricing:
- Digital Brand Marketing Strategy – $1500
- Creative Pitch Deck – $2250
- Creative Campaign Development & Assessment – $3000
- Resin Artwork – $30-$100
Contact Info:
- Email: info@kelsyalston.com
- Website: resin8collections.com
- Instagram: @k.lockk
Image Credits
Yara Shahidi – Instagram Thom Browne – Instagram Bre Guyton Lauren Ashley Danielle Chanel Sadee Burton
