Today we’d like to introduce you to Iimani Mcknight

Hi Iimani, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I’m a proud graduate of North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, where I majored in Sports/Recreation Management and Marketing. My time at NCCU was pivotal in shaping my passions for storytelling, leadership, and community organizing. I actively participated in extracurriculars like writing for the school newspaper, joining student government, and taking part in scholarship pageants—experiences that deepened my interest in storytelling, especially from a community-focused perspective.

While at NCCU, I had the opportunity to work with Lifekit, an emerging lifestyle brand founded by NCCU alumni. This role bridged my interests in fashion, marketing, and community-building, and helped me realize the potential of combining these passions into a career.

After moving to New Jersey, I dove into roles that aligned with my growing interests. Along with a few close friends, I co-founded House of Bricks, a creative agency where we wore many hats—producing events, coordinating photoshoots, and even launching a branded podcast. I also had the chance to work with notable brands like Akoo Clothing and PlayCloths, which further honed my skills in marketing and creative strategy.

Prior to launching SOFT STUDIO, I served as Creative Director for a lifestyle and apparel company based in NYC, where I led photoshoots, developed brand strategies, and produced experiential marketing events. This role not only elevated the brand’s visibility but also deepened my creative business acumen—an experience I remain deeply grateful for.

Today, through SOFT STUDIO, I offer traditional creative marketing services, but with a unique focus on wellness and creative leadership development. We go beyond just creating beautiful campaigns—we build sustainable ecosystems where creatives can thrive mentally, emotionally, and professionally. In the spring of 2025, I will be pursuing my Health and Wellness Coaching certification, with the goal of further integrating wellness into my work and supporting the overall well-being of the creative community.

What I’m most proud of is how I’ve merged my diverse passions into a career that allows me to express creativity while making a positive impact on others. My work is driven by the belief that when we nurture our minds and communities, our creativity can reach its fullest potential, and our work will reflect that growth.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Whewwwww…Smooth? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Worth it? Most days, yes. Life is designed to hold you to the desires of your heart. Once you decide “I want to be great,” life will unfold with all the opportunities and experiences to make you great and that includes challenges, failures and struggles just as much as it includes successes, wins and achievements. Fear, financial insecurity, professional self-esteem (imposter syndrome) and work-life balance are just a few of the struggles…and those are not struggles that necessarily ever go away. At each new level you are met with them in new ways that you hadn’t experienced at the previous level. I don’t focus on eliminating them…I focus on managing them. I manage fear through meditation–centering and sobering myself in the present moment as to not create anxiety or fear for the future. I manage financial insecurity by living within my means, by making calculated financial decisions rather than spending with little to know conscious. I manage and build my professional self-esteem or imposter syndrome by advocating for myself, and auditing both my hard and soft skillsets frequently, its hard to feel unworthy or less than when you’ve taken full inventory of your capabilities, your workload, your skills and your strengths–its like reminding yourself: “I am who I think I am.” Work-life balance isn’t real. I manage my life by prioritizing my health and well-being ahead of everything else, including work. That is the only balance that exists for me right now and the only balance that ensures that I will be successful in any realm of life–professional, personal, social, etc.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about SOFT STUDIO?

At SOFT STUDIO, we specialize in creative marketing and branding with a unique focus on wellness and creative leadership development. We’re not just focused on creating visually stunning campaigns or boosting brand visibility—we’re committed to building and rebuilding socially sustainable ecosystems where creatives can thrive without sacrificing their mental health or well-being.

What sets us apart is our holistic approach to creativity. While traditional agencies focus solely on aesthetics and business metrics, we believe that true creative success comes from a foundation of mental and emotional well-being. Our work is driven by the belief that when creatives are nurtured, supported, and encouraged to care for their minds and communities, their best work can flourish. We integrate wellness practices into our work, helping our clients develop sustainable, meaningful connections with their audiences while also empowering their teams to work in healthier, more productive ways.

I’m most proud of how we’ve been able to merge creativity with wellness and leadership development. At SOFT STUDIO, we’re building a space where creatives can not only create impactful work but also take care of themselves and their communities. This balance of artistry and well-being is what truly sets us apart and drives our mission forward.

In addition to our creative services—branding, experiential marketing, photoshoots, and more—we’re focused on offering tools, resources, and coaching that support the mental and emotional health of creatives. I’m especially excited to expand this focus as I pursue my Health and Wellness Coaching certification in 2025, which will allow us to further deepen our commitment to helping our clients thrive in every aspect of their lives, not just their work.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?

God and God solely has played the most significant role in my life and business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sssoftstudio.com
• Instagram: sssoftstudio