Chaos getting you down? Feeling blue? Not sure where to get inspiration?
My next guest on What's This Place Podcast is someone we can all turn to as we collectively figure out our next moves in this complicated, chaotic, effed up time.
And if you have your life completely together right now, I don't know who you are! Because what is going on economically, politically, personally, mentally, racially, healthily, it’s pure chaos! (FYI, I wrote this 3 weeks ago...little did I know the world would get even more bonkers.)
Now, why would a fashion designer have any wisdom beyond the sewing machine? Well, Kingi Carpenter, the owner of Peach Berserk,
has managed chaos and a disrupted business landscape for much of her career. She has lived through the Retail Apocalypse and she's got a few things to say about it.
She is a multi-hyphenated entrepreneur: fashion designer, retailer, artist, book publisher, teacher. And I would like to add, soothsayer: As I was editing her interview I kept thinking “This quote! I should live more like this!”
You might think: I thought she closed down a decade ago!? Well, she did. But after a fire destroyed much of her life's work, she is open again on Queen Street West.
This episode is about more than retail. It's about following your inner calling and listening to your own wisdom.
Kingi Carpenter truly lives the words we read in self books, the ones selling you the 10 things, the top 5 things, the How to Win or Get Better Habits, the number one most important thing to do today....
Isn't it time to put the books down and just start living? Isn't it time to stop feeling like we aren't doing enough? Are we post self-help yet?!!
Kingi Carpenter would tell you to...well, I'm going to let her tell you herself in a special Two Part episode of What's This Place cuz she says it way better than me.
So have a listen.
If you like what you hear please share it with an entrepreneur, retailer, maker or artist in your life.
What Else Is Happening?
I am experimenting with ways to get people inspired to shop local so I started an Instagram Live Event every Saturday morning for the next 3 weeks. We talk style, fashion & retail and I would love you to join in on the conversation. Join me Saturday mornings at 10am for 15 mins of...let's call it "window shopping"...but doing it from the comfort of your home.
This is an EXPERIMENT...see, I have already put Kingi's advice into practice by DOING instead of TALKING!
On an Instagram Live I wont be able to see you (so stay in your PJ'S!) but you can write questions and comments and I can see those. Make sure you hit Follow so you get the Live Alert!
I hope to "see" you there :)
I Designed An Album Cover!
My partner recorded a new album during the pandemic and he let me take a crack at the album design! In the end, my design got picked (by his fans) over the others. I'm pretty chuffed about that.
His songs really hit all the pandemic feels. He wrote WANT right before the pandemic but the words become more and more poignant as this new era progresses: Yesterday's gone.
Tomorrow is blazing
Today there's no time
And I think we want it that way.
If you are looking for a new album to play on repeat please have a listen.