Conversations with Shauna Carr

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shauna Carr.

Hi Shauna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started Fresh Kid Nation in 2013. I wanted to start a kids based fashion blog as I noticed there was a lack of diversity in this market. As a new mom, I was really excited about buying the latest clothing and toys for my son but when I did a search online, I never saw families or kids that looked like mine represented my family. I wanted to see millennial parents I wanted to see kids that had curly hair like my son. I also lived in New York City and the clothing that I saw on Pinterest boards and on other children’s fashion blogs were not necessarily items that I would dress my child in. I knew this was an untapped field. A kids fashion website that featured up and coming designers highlighted kids of all backgrounds, posts about family fun events. I was a trendspotter at Teen People magazine in high school and I blogged before in college with MTVU and interned at Gotham Magazine so I has some Fashion Journalism experience.

I had years of design experience in fashion and costuming so I knew how to communicate with designers or shop owners. I spent about one week making up a fun website name and I begged my sister to design a cute logo with an androgynous child with an afro and Wayfarer glasses. I spent two years blogging on line then thought Fresh Kid Nation should be a clothing line. I became overwhelmed with work and grad school and just continued to blog. Once Instagram came along in 2015 Fresh Kid Nation was noticed more, especially in London! I began asking moms in London and Atlanta to attend events and send photos. In 2018, I added mommy bloggers in LA and Miami. It has been unreal the amount of support and influence this little website has had in a niche market. Currently, I produce Kids Fashion Meet Up events in NYC, Miami and London. Behind The Seams LA has been postponed to October 2021 due to the pandemic.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
This journey has not been smooth in 2015 I took a break from writing to focus on a new job teaching full-time and earning a dual master’s degree. Unfortunately, my domain name expired and I simply just forgot to pay to have it renewed it went on the market and someone bought the domain name and tried to set it back to me $1000 I still have the email. I ended up ignoring the email and waiting for its go back on the market. It was available exactly one year later. That taught me the value and importance of Sticking to my passion and not forgetting about it. I also had to find a way to fund Fresh Kid Nation. It started as my hobby and was pretty low cost to start, a domain name is just $18 a year and I build the website myself, no experience I just used a clean template.

Over the years, it became costly traveling to events, trying to compensate my mommy bloggers for their time, upgrading the website and investing in good cameras. I ended up doing pop up shops and establishing an e-store. Fresh Kid Nation funds itself with events and sales from our accessories and branded t-shirts. I was able to travel to London and produce a sold-out kids fashion event during fashion week. Besides becoming a mom, that was the scariest and most fulfilling thing I have ever done! I was hoping we could bring this event to Madrid, Atlanta and LA in 2020 but it’s all on hold until the pandemic clears.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a children’s fashion blogger and event producer. I wrote three e-books about the children’s fashion industry and currently working on a 4th one about Social Media. Some would say I am a children’s fashion expert as I have years of experience as a designer, wardrobe manager, and seamstress. I create my own content and recently began using my own photographs for Fresh Kid Nation’s website and social media pages. Fresh Kid Nation is a Feedspot top 40 children’s fashion and lifestyle blog. I look forward to not only writing fashion related articles; I want to feature more kid Entrepreneurs and activists who are making An impact in their communities. There are only a few online platforms that do this. What sets my website apart from others is that I don’t just highlight celebrity children, I purposefully try to find kid’s and teens who are amazing and haven’t been celebrated by the mainstream media. I have had the honor to meet young people from the UK, Australia, Nigeria, South Africa who want to change the world!

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I remember making sock puppets with my sister when I was about four years old. I was watching a show on PBS and they showed kids how to make this item. Well we went and took our grandfather’s white tube socks and make about four of them! Our great Gran who also lived with us had a cookie tin full of sewing supplies, like buttons, threads and needles. We took all these things without asking! When our grandfather found out, he made a big fuss but also was quite amused. We knew he wouldn’t be mad for long once he saw our creation. It became a funny family topic for a few days. I really enjoyed learning how to craft and make things! This was the beginning of a journey as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.freshkidnation.com
• Instagram: @freshkidnation
• Facebook: @freshkidnationstyleblog
• Twitter: @freshkidnation

Image Credits
Images Fresh Kid Nation