Meet Kimberly Anne of Stop Look and Style and Klay by Kimberly in Tustin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Anne.

Kimberly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Manila, Philippines and moved here when I was seven. Initially when my family and I moved here, we didn’t have much like most immigrant families. My aunts and uncles back home always told me how lucky we were to have been able to move to a country that had endless possibilities. I think trying to achieve the “American Dream” was always in the back of my head. When we moved here, we lived with my aunt and her family. I vividly remember my cousins always having the latest gadget or toy that I wanted but unfortunately couldn’t afford. I also didn’t want to ask my parents and put any extra stress on them. Having that experience as a child really helped me build this mindset that I needed to hustle because living in America, I know the opportunities are there, I just needed to seek it out and take advantage of it.

Getting comfortable by being uncomfortable was my life story. I didn’t know a word of English so when I started going to school, I really had to figure everything out in order to make friends and eventually adjusted. During school, I thrived in art classes but not so much in other subjects. In the midst of all this teenage angst, I really found my style in middle school. That’s the time I truly found my “passion for fashion”. I always thought of myself as the canvas and the clothes as the paint. I felt like fashion was the best way to show people who I was and also set me apart from everyone else. I think I always had this main character energy even as a child LOL!

Fast forward to High School, I ran the fashion club and really got in to documenting my outfits and posting them online. Think Tumblr and Lookbook.nu. It was always a hobby I thoroughly enjoyed but I didn’t take seriously because I always thought you had to be a skinny, tall, Caucasian girl in order to do well in the blogging industry since I never saw a Filipina girl like myself.

I tried out college for a couple of years and I realized it just wasn’t for me. I refused to ask my parents for financial help and I also didn’t want to be in debt myself. Plus, everyone I knew who had a degree was in major debt and isn’t even doing anything remotely close to what they majored in. At the time, I thought it was a waste of time and money especially since I knew I wanted to do something artsy or in fashion and I didn’t think school could ever help you find your own style. Any questions I had, I just wanted to figure it out myself and ask Google for free.

I eventually got a job working at Nordstrom. I started as a regular sales associate but quickly became promoted to a personal stylist because I always exceeded my sales goal. It was all commissioned based so naturally, your girl hustled. I did this for 3/4 years and I absolutely loved it. However, I noticed a lot of my coworkers were leaving to do the 9-5 life and it influenced me because I thought it was the “adult” thing to do.

So I left and got myself a 9-5 sales job where you had to cold call people. I figured “I’m great at sales, how hard could this be?” I went home crying and stressed out every single day. Not only was I not doing anything creative but I also took a massive pay cut. That’s when I started posting more on social media. I needed a creative outlet and posting my curated photos on Instagram really helped me with that.

I ended up getting laid off because I was a terrible employee. I didn’t want to be there and everyone could tell. I cried to my boyfriend that night and he told “Babe, I know this is a stressful time but maybe this is your moment to pursue blogging. I know you’ve always wanted to do it so I think you should give it your 150%. Don’t do another 9-5. It’s not for you” That’s when I decided I was going to take my blogging and social media more seriously. I bought a notebook at Target and literally wrote down a 1, 5, and 10 years plan. Instead of looking for another job, I decided to be an Uber driver and Door Dash deliverer to make my ends meet but still give me the flexibility to create content during the day.

2.5 years later, I am now a full-time content creator and small business owner. I make polymer clay earrings called KLAY by Kimberly.

Great, 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?
Definitely not. My bank account would consistently be negative. I would be late on so many payments. One time after a late Uber shift I ran out of gas. My phone was dead and I was basically stuck at a gas station late at night asking for random people to help me.

However, I think that going through rough moments like these make it so much worth it when something goes right with your business. I think that it would get so boring if I didn’t have these struggles.

Stop Look and Style and Klay by Kimberly – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I have two businesses. Stop Look and Style I focus on creating inspiring and engaging content for my followers. I talk about all things fashion, lifestyle and DIY. My brand will teach you how o add color in to your wardrobe and everyday life.

“Just like you and I, Klay earrings are PERFECTLY IMPERFECT, truly making them ONE OF A KIND.”

Klay by Kimberly started in the beginning of quarantine. I create lightweight statement earrings in the middle of my kitchen and ship in the US and internationally to help people express their best self.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
When I wrote down my 1, 5, and 10 years plan, I wrote down a list of 100 brands I wanted to represent. I have been able to cross off three brands that were on the top of my list and also landing a 5 figure deal with one of them.

Contact Info:

• Website: WWW.STOPLOOKANDSTYLE.COM
• Phone: 7143860963
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credit:
Matthew Tish

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