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

Kesha , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Simply Charmed Greek® is an online retailer that specializes in greek paraphernalia and other novelty items for members of National Pan- Helllenic (Divine9) sororities. Our mission is to celebrate the essence of sisterhood through diverse collections that reflect:(s)elflessness, (i)nclusivity, (s)trength, (t)rustworthiness, (e)nthusiasm, and (r)eliability.

My original vision for my brand was empowering women through bold fashion jewelry that reflected the importance of self love. A brand that affirmed that as you invest in your self care, you are also allowing yourself to stand in your truth. And over time, my vision evolved as standing in your truth day in and day out is easier to do in community with other women supporting you. When women stand together, there is nothing they are unable to achieve. Contrary to mainstream media, when women are pitted against each other nothing good ever comes of it. Simply Charmed Greek transforms the social narrative of sorority life amongst the BIPOC community driving social innovation through our collections. Oftentimes sororities are perceived as social clubs overwhelmed with discourse due to feuding sorority sisters. Simply Charmed Greek redefines that narrative by using sisterhood and women empowerment as the cornerstone of every collection. Our purpose is beyond just generating profit but repositioning sisterhood at the forefront of sorority life in the retail landscape. Being able to drive social norms through social product innovation allows us to maintain the legacy and tradition of each set of founders that created each of these distinguished organizations. Using non-traditional Greek paraphernalia we are able to help build and strengthen relationships between sorority sisters in every season of life. We aren’t seeking to be apart of just one moment but journeying alongside our customers as they experience life together.

Kesha , 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 was inspired to be an entrepreneur as a junior in high school and to think that that was over ten years ago is still mind boggling. As a junior in high school, I needed one more course to fill in my schedule and at the time I had no idea that this one decision would change the trajectory of the aspirations I had for my life. That course was an entrepreneurship course that was sponsored by YesCarolina. It is a non-profit organization focused on empowering students through entrepreneurship and equipping them with the skillsets they need to operate a successful business. Given the demographics of the county I grew up in, the primary professions many pursued were in the medical field or education. However, this course challenged that status quo because it exposed our class to another path that was possible if we were willing to do the work. This course required students to understand the basics of entrepreneurship from marketing, finances, and product development. With an emphasis on those focal areas, not only was I able to walk away with a business plan but also able to pitch during a state wide competition. And as I sat in the competition, surrounded by young entrepreneurs full of life and energy, I didn’t hear my name called to come to the stage, but an inner voice that assured me that being a business owner was attainable. I did one of the scariest things and took my wildest dreams from a concept to reality and presented it to an audience of strangers.

It was that initial investment in my development as a student that fuels the foundation of Simply Charmed Greek’s philanthropic pillars that were curated to serve our community and pour into the next generation of entrepreneurs.

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

Social media has provided an opportunity for Simply Charmed Greek to maximize impact simultaneously across a wide range of geographical areas. Having that level of impact has resulted in increased brand awareness, community curation, and lead generation. Increased brand awareness required having carefully curated content, showing up consistently, and interacting with our followers. Content is key but also ensuring that is an added value to your audience. Understand what trends they are following and also what their needs are and align with that to build out content. Some business owners would say post everyday, my advice is create a routine that works for you and post during those times so your audience grows accustomed to you showing up. And lastly it is okay to comment and share your support for your audience base, acknowledge they are doing great things and watch how they also return the favor.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I have found that the greatest resources have been found in community with other entrepreneurs . As an entrepreneur you will never know everything there is to know and that is okay. When you recognize there is an area you need to grow in, you intentionally connect with other entrepreneurs where that may be their strength. You take time to learn from them and you all pour into one another. And it is through connection you all are able to propel your business forward. Being in community, I have redefined my marketing strategy, audited my business practices to align with relevant industry trends, and connected with other members to build a sustainable supply chain.

For any new entrepreneur, I encourage you to connect with other like minded business owners as relationships are the new currency when scaling your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.simplycharmedgreek.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/simplycharmedgreek?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Image Credits
Heacox Creative Co.