We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Iimani McKnight a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Iimani, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

After years of navigating both corporate and freelance roles, I found myself feeling depleted. The excitement I once felt for my work was overshadowed by an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. As I looked around, I realized that I wasn’t alone in this experience. Many of my fellow creative professionals were grappling with similar feelings, both in and out of the workplace. It became clear to me that we, as creatives, have very unique mental health experiences that aren’t fully understood or acknowledged.

Creating on demand and in high-pressure situations, as many roles require, has a specific effect that is under-discussed. It’s almost the complete opposite of what true creativity needs to thrive. In working closely with influencers and creators, I saw firsthand how they were constantly “on,” unable to truly unplug or take time off, because their jobs and livelihoods were tied to social media—a space that is ironically one of the leading causes of depression today.

This realization was deeply personal for me. My own experiences, coupled with the stories of my peers and clients, made it impossible to ignore the growing gap between the mental health and wellness movement and the creator economy. I had supported and worked alongside extremely talented creatives, witnessing them push through their personal challenges just to get through their creative work. Yet, creativity is such an act of expression, tied so intimately to our feelings. It’s strenuous, even harmful, to continuously set aside those emotions in order to create. This dissonance, I knew, had to have a lasting impact on those who had to do it day in and day out.

Recognizing this, I knew something needed to change. There was a dire need for an approach to creativity that didn’t come at the cost of mental wellness. This is how SOFT STUDIO was born—a creative consultancy designed to bridge the gap between the demands of the creator economy and the need for mental and emotional wellness. I knew that if I felt this way, and if others around me felt this way, there was a larger community out there struggling in silence. The logic was simple: if we don’t take care of our mental health, our creativity, the very thing that fuels our work and passion, suffers. SOFT STUDIO was built on the principle that nurturing creativity should go hand-in-hand with nurturing well-being.

This endeavor wasn’t just worthwhile—it was necessary. At SOFT STUDIO, we hold ourselves, our brands, partners, and clients to a standard of interconnectedness, community care, and social sustainability. We’re creating a space where creatives can thrive, not just in their work, but in their lives. For me, the journey to founding SOFT STUDIO was about more than just filling a market need—it was about creating a supportive ecosystem where creatives can do their best work without sacrificing their mental health. In bridging this gap, we honor creatives for their personhood, not just the work they produce.

Iimani, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a proud graduate of the illustrious North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, where I majored in Sports/Recreation Management and Marketing. My time there was pivotal in shaping my passion for storytelling, community organizing, and leadership. I was actively involved in extracurricular activities, from writing for the school newspaper, The Echo, to participating in student government and scholarship pageants. These experiences allowed me to explore my interest in storytelling, particularly through the lens of community and leadership.

While at NCCU, I had the opportunity to work with an emerging lifestyle brand, Lifekit, owned and operated by an alum. This experience was crucial in bridging my interests in fashion, marketing, and community building. It was during this time that I began to see the potential of combining these passions into a cohesive career path.

After relocating to New Jersey, I dove headfirst into roles that aligned with my growing interests. Though I always maintained a 9-to-5 job, I kept myself busy with various creative projects. I worked with brands like Akoo Clothing and PlayCloths, and along with some close friends, co-founded a creative agency called House of Bricks. At House of Bricks, we wore many hats—hosting our own events, producing events for other businesses, coordinating photoshoots and video shoots, and even producing a branded podcast.

My most recent role before joining SOFT STUDIO was as a Creative Director for a well-known and emerging lifestyle and apparel company. In this capacity, I organized photoshoots, developed brand strategies, produced experiential marketing events, and played a key role in elevating the brand’s visibility.

Currently, at SOFT STUDIO, I offer a wide range of traditional creative marketing services, but what truly sets us apart is our focus on wellness and creative leadership development. We’re not just about making brands look good; we’re about building and rebuilding socially sustainable ecosystems where creatives can truly thrive. As I work towards my Health and Wellness Coaching certificate, my goal is to share this growing body of knowledge with my community, increasing access to wellness resources and supporting the mental and emotional well-being of creatives.

What I’m most proud of is how I’ve been able to merge my passions into a cohesive career that not only allows me to express my creativity but also makes a positive impact on the creative community. The main thing I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know about me and my work is that I’m dedicated to not just creating beautiful and effective campaigns but also to fostering environments where creativity can flourish without sacrificing mental health. My work is driven by the belief that when we take care of our minds and our communities, our creativity—and by extension, our work—can reach its fullest potential.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The driving force behind my creativity journey is the desire to challenge and redefine the existing narrative around creativity. There’s a pervasive stigma that creativity and art are inherently chaotic or unorganized, and I want to replace that with the understanding that creativity can actually be a source of ease and calm.

For me, creativity doesn’t have to come from a place of struggle or disorder; it can flourish in an environment where wellness and balance are prioritized. As I continue to grow in my own wellness journey, I’ve found that this focus on well-being enhances every aspect of my life, including my creativity. It’s a symbiotic relationship—when I’m well, my creativity thrives, and vice versa.

Another crucial aspect of my mission is to help minority businesses start, grow, scale, and thrive without sacrificing their well-being. I bring my marketing acumen to the table, helping these businesses achieve success through tested and customized brand strategies and marketing plans that are tailored to their unique needs. Additionally, I emphasize creative leadership development, ensuring that business growth is sustainable and aligned with the well-being of the leaders and teams involved. I firmly believe that it’s possible to be both a highly expressive creative and to be well. The two can and should coexist. My goal is to create spaces and systems where this balance is not just possible, but encouraged and celebrated. Through SOFT STUDIO, I’m committed to fostering this mindset and helping others achieve it as well.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A significant lesson I had to unlearn was the role fear played in my decision-making. For a long time, I was caught in the mindset of “once I get to this level in my career, then I’ll focus on SOFT STUDIO.” Everything was contingent—if and when this happens, then that will happen. But I realized that this thinking was rooted in fear, and it was holding me back.

I had to unlearn my own fear as an enemy and start using it as a motivator. I had to remind myself that yes, I was scared, but I had been scared before, and I still got things done. The biggest hurdle was unlearning the fear of the unknown. I had to accept that everything I want in the future requires me to go through that unknown territory. It wasn’t an easy lesson to unlearn, and honestly, I believe God forced me to take the leap.

At the end of last year, I was laid off from my highest-paying role yet as a marketing leader. It was a jarring experience, but in hindsight, I realize that had I not been laid off, I would have kept putting SOFT STUDIO off. That experience made me understand that you really just have to go for it. All the ifs and whens aside, you have to believe in yourself, trust God, and do good work. Success looks different when you’re doing your own thing and making your own lane, so you’ll always have some fear to push past. But now, I see fear not as a barrier, but as a signal that I’m moving in the right direction.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sssoftstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iimaniwashere/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iimani-mcknight-1927257b/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/sssoftstudio/

Image Credits
Headshot taken by Teya Knapp (@teyaknapp)