We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christie Shirk & Elena Clark a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Christie & Elena thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

You don’t really forget the moments you step into paradise. The salty air. The breeze. The sound of waves. If you’re not a local, maybe your soul is.

We were inspired to create a brand that will reflect the love we have for the lifestyle we live. The one we dream of…or the one we create.

Your zip code doesn’t matter when your heart is always at the beach. Hence, Local Soul.

Christie & Elena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Originally from Western, NY (we reside in FL now), we would talk often about how we were southerners at heart. We had a true love for the ocean and found unparalleled peace on the beach; not necessarily locals but our souls sure were. Local Soul developed about two years ago during the pandemic. We wanted a creative outlet for ourselves while providing people like us (other “local souls”) a lifestyle brand that made them feel at home. A tropical surf vibe that expressed comfort and the laid-back attitude you can only find on the beaches.

We sell apparel and accessories that embody our vibe. Tanks, t-shirts, hats, bags, some jewelry.

We’re most proud of our continued friendship through all these years, proud of taking a chance on Local Soul, proud of juggling a small business with four kids between us, and especially proud to be living in a community where everyone has been so supportive of small businesses. Other small business owners have reached out offering help; no one is in it just for themselves. There is room for everyone to grow here. We are excited to see where Local Soul goes in 2023. We have a lot of ideas, we will continue to learn and support our local beaches and businesses whenever we can.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

One thing we’re proud of is our organic group of followers. We’ve met so many friends through the local markets, community and just through friends and family telling our story and supporting us. We’re promoting not only apparel and accessories, but a lifestyle. We love seeing people tag us when they have their Local Soul gear on living life not only on the local beaches, but all over the world!

Our advice would be to stay genuine, stay consistent, and stay positive! Your audience will come and form naturally around your brand.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Developing a small business during the pandemic was challenging. It was great that many people were shopping online, but we didn’t really get out into the community right away because there were no local markets, fairs, or events to attend. We began promoting Local Soul mainly through Instagram and word of mouth; family and friends.

To be transparent, we didn’t really have a business background and no idea how to start a business initially. We are still constantly learning how to run a business. We’ve make lots of mistakes and have had a lot of successes but it can be a roller coaster.

We’ve taken a lot of chances and could always be doing more, but the lesson we’ve learned is about tenacity. Stay determined and if something doesn’t work out, just keep moving forward. One decision at a time. One day at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thelocalsoul.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.localsoul/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Local-Soul-102275448260100/
• Other: Social Media: @the.localsoul

Image Credits
None