Story & Lesson Highlights with Krisia ” Kiki” Powell of Venice Beach

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Krisia ” Kiki” Powell. Check out our conversation below.

Krisia ” Kiki”, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Slowing down. After years of building, leading, and constantly being “on,” I’m finding so much joy in simplicity, walking or taking the bus, prepping nourishing and healthy meals, taking long exhales under the early morning rays of sunshine, or just watching my dog Bella Maria nap in a sunbeam.

I recently spent three months in Italy volunteering in Sardegna and reconnecting with nature, with family, and with friends. It reminded me that beauty lives in the pauses, too.

Right now, joy is in the in-between — in the serenity, in my femininity.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Krisia “KIKI” Powell — a Venezuelan-American creative rooted in hospitality, storytelling, and soulful experience design.

I lead with my hands and my heart. I weld, I host, I design, I build — and I’m obsessed with creating spaces and experiences that feel beautiful, intentional, and deeply human.

I was born in Caracas, and at 25, I left behind a senior PR role in hospitality to start over in the U.S. That leap took me through every layer of the industry — from serving and bartending, to bar and restaurant build-outs across LA and NYC. Nearly a decade ago, I discovered welding and fell in love with craftsmanship — and it became the bridge between creativity and execution.

I’ve had the honor of leading multi-location projects as a Designer and Project Manager for The Butcher’s Daughter, working closely with renowned restaurateur Heather Tierney through 2024 — and contributing to iconic LA spaces like De Buena Planta, De La Nonna, Den Mother, Only the Wild Ones (the first one), and Let’s Go Disco. I later launched my own design business, Kiki Love You Inc.

One of my favorite chapters has been helping bring Sauced Brooklyn to life on the former Ace Hotel Rooftop in DTLA — a five-week build where I demo’d the back bar, reorganized the fridge system, to keep the opration smooth, welded a custom 30-foot wine glass rack so we’d never run out of glassware, and brought the space to life with layers of plants, a freshly painted floor that kept the iconic checkered vibe and Iconic neon sign. I also loved revamping Spina in Atwater Village, transforming the former Blossom Vietnamese space into an eclectic, elevated vibe Italian Restaurant, in just two days. Most recently, my work was featured at Boga Venice, a concept shop on Abbot Kinney.

In 2025, I went through a major life reset, and I stepped away from Los Angeles with just my dog, Bella Maria, to volunteer in Sardegna, Italy. That season became a turning point — bringing me back to simplicity, rhythm, and clarity. Now I’m building my next chapter with more intention than ever, including a return to Florence for hospitality studies and bringing my dream Natural Wine Bar pop-up to life.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that felt I had to constantly prove myself.
The version that said yes to everything just to feel worthy. The one that hustled without pause, overdelivered to feel seen, and kept performing even when my soul whispered, “rest.”
Also, the version of me that dimmed my light to make others comfortable. I used to hide the things that made me shine — my love for fashion, my big smile, my joy, my rhythm, my initiative. I thought being “too much” would make people pull away.
But what I’ve realized is this: people will love you and judge you either way — for being good, for being bold, for being kind, for being soft. So I might as well be fully, unapologetically me.
That part of me — the overachiever, the people-pleaser, the self-doubter — helped me survive. She gave me resilience, resourcefulness, and the kind of challenges that made me grow. But she also left me exhausted, disconnected from my softness, and too far from who I really am.
Italy reminded me that I don’t need to prove anything when I’m in alignment. Life keeps moving, and the answers come when I return to my peace. I can trust the flow. I can trust myself. Rest is not the opposite of creation — it’s part of it.
So I’m releasing the version of me that thought love had to be earned, that success had to be loud, and that movement always meant progress.
But I’m so proud of her. Old Kiki trusted her gut. She never abandoned her values. She moved with integrity, even when things were hard. She carried me here, and I honor her.
But now, it’s time to evolve.
I’m choosing ease. Depth. Joyful discipline. Truth.
She served her purpose. She got me here.
I honor her… and I release her.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes — and not just once.

Last year in LA, sixteen years deep into building my life from scratch, I hit a breaking point. From the outside I still looked “strong” — the one who always figures it out — but internally I was collapsing.

It wasn’t only personal. The fires, the tension, the heaviness in the city… it brought back memories of leaving Venezuela, and my nervous system didn’t know where to land. I realized I had been in survival mode for so long — building, producing, pushing — that I hadn’t created enough space for a real safety net.

What hurt the most was the disappointment. People assumed I’d be fine because I always look fine. They didn’t ask. They didn’t check. And that hit hard, because I’ve always been someone who shows up for others.

But in that season, a few people did show up — quietly, deeply, without being asked — and I’ll never forget it.

And honestly, what saved me most was the part of me that still had fire. The Kiki who whispered, keep going.

That chapter taught me the power of holding real space for people — and it helped me break patterns I had outgrown. It didn’t destroy me… it reset me. It gave me back to myself.

I thought I was losing everything. I was finding myself.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Self-love and human connection — always.

I come from Venezuela, where culture is warm, loud, soulful, and human-first. Where people look you in the eye, kiss you hello, and feed you without asking questions. But I also grew up feeling like I had to fit into a box — especially as a woman, and especially as someone expressive, sensitive, and bold.

Later, living in cities like LA and New York exposed me to so many cultures and creative worlds. I met people living freely and unapologetically, and it taught me something important: every culture holds beauty… but it can also carry pressure, expectations, and quiet forms of oppression.

Still, caring for others is in my DNA — not as an obligation, but as a way of life. Whether I’m designing a wine bar, curating an event, working front-of-house at a yoga studio, or bartending at a pop-up, I carry the same value into everything I do: presence, connection, hospitality.

You matter. You’re seen. You belong.
That’s the energy I protect — because when you move through the world like that, people soften. They smile. They feel safe to be themselves. And when people feel seen, they’re more likely to offer that kindness forward. It becomes a ripple effect… and I want to live inside that ripple every day.

But to love others that way, you have to learn how to love yourself first. You have to sit with your own pain, soften the judgment, and break the old stories. I’ve learned — through heartbreak, burnout, and isolation — that doing the inner work is real medicine. It’s how we contribute peace to the world.

I’ve worked in environments where people are reduced to roles, numbers, or image — where softness is seen as weakness. But I protect my instinct to lead with warmth. I protect my cultural urge to make people feel held, even when it’s not trendy or expected. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about the table setting, the playlist, or the perfect plate…

It’s about how people feel when they’re with you.
And that… is sacred.

Recently, while spending time in Italy, that truth landed even deeper. I watched people live with joy in simplicity — taking their time, savoring lunch at home, closing businesses for vacation, walking slower, resting more. The passion is still there, but it isn’t rushed. There’s reverence in the pause.

It reminded me: connection doesn’t require chaos. Sometimes the most soulful moments happen in stillness — and I’m learning to carry that rhythm with me now, too.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I wouldn’t stop much — because I already live like I know time is sacred.
After everything I’ve lived through — leaving Venezuela, starting over in LA, surviving the darkest times, rebuilding in Italy — I no longer wait for permission to live fully. I’ve already stopped apologizing, stopped hustling for validation, stopped sacrificing joy for approval.
I live with urgency and intention. I say no when it’s not aligned. I say yes to what lights me up. I design, I host, I create beauty — and I make people feel something real.
So if I had 10 years left? I’d just keep going.
Keep loving hard. Keep slowing down. Keep dancing while I cook. Keep sharing my story. Keep showing people what it looks like to live with self-love, courage, and connection — because I know my legacy isn’t in what I build… it’s in how I make people feel.
And if that inspires even one person to stop waiting and start living — then I’ve done something meaningful with my time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Kikiloveyou.com
• Instagram: the_queen_of_metal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisia-kiki-powell/

Image Credits
Ssam kim, Sabrina Palco