Changing With The Seasons And The Times

written by Jennifer Smith

Just like the changing of the seasons, life has a way of changing your seasons personally and professionally.

Keisha grew up in Silsbee, Texas and danced her way through college – confident she’d either open a dance studio or dance into the world of Physical Therapy as a Dance Therapist. But, just as the seasons change so do our career aspirations. Keisha graduated college with a B.S in Dance and Masters of Ed in Human Performance and Sports Sciences.

Now residing in Mt Juliet, TN for 12 years with husband, Chris Anderson, dancing continued to play a role in Keisha’s work ethic and skill development as she went on to dance professionally for the NHL Nashville Predators. However, she was consistently drawn to positions of sales and marketing in the beauty industry. “I was essentially a shampoo sales representative for a number of different companies, I covered a large multi-state territory and worked with hundreds of salons and day spas over the span of 10 years.”

Life has so many changing seasons, though, doesn’t it?

“Sales requires a lot of old-school shaking hands and holding babies, so you have to be very personable, very social and engaging – and FUN! People want to buy from people. It’s old-school business 101 that tends to get lost these days.” Keisha’s husband, Chris is also in sales as a District Manager for Electrolux. “He likes to think he’s taught me everything I know about sales…we’ll let him think that! Haha!”

During this time of being a beauty rep, Keisha realized a need in the beauty industry. Her clients were trying to increase their product profit margins, but she noticed they were missing the bar on advertising and branding on social media.

“If you’re not on social media, your business simply doesn’t exist in today’s world, however, the presence and power of social media has created an additional full-time job for business owners – they simply don’t have time to invest in social media correctly.” – explains Keisha.

So, a local photographer friend and colleague, DayNa Gliebe, and Keisha decided to put a few options in place for small businesses. “We knew there was value behind custom brand photography and social media, so we started putting a few options in motion to offer prospective small businesses.”

True to herself and her newfound Southern Social, Social Media and Public Relations Agency, they took unique and beautiful photographs with a southern heart and soul and a warm personal feel. “Marketing and social media can be so hands-off, you can truly do it from anywhere in the world, but we always want to include that personal touch.” Before taking the business full-time, they had a book of clientele who saw the value in what they were creating.

One week, Keisha was calculating her travel time for her corporate sales job and it came to 37 hours DRIVING on top of her 40 sales hours in just one week. “It was just so much time away from home, and not doing something that I was 100% in love with. I knew something needed to change, but taking that risk and starting your own company is so scary! DayNa asked ‘How would Southern Social look if you invested those 37 hours driving into your business?’”

Yet, the season changed again and she quit corporate to dive into running Southern Social full-time.

She took control of her own travel hours and stopped missing softball and basketball games. Now Keisha works her own hours and spends more quality time with her kids, Aubrey (11) and Harley (10), being able to be more present for softball, basketball, and volleyball games.

Keisha explains, “Being in the sales industry, Chris and I both value the importance of face-to-face communication and try to instill that in our kids. It’s so hard when texting is so accessible. Teaching the kids the importance of leveraging social media the RIGHT way is a daily conversation in our home. It’s not going anywhere so we both want our kids to be educated on every aspect of social media. The dangers, the benefits.”

In just two years, Southern Social has recently announced their first international booking! While they serve global clients in the beauty and direct sales industry, they also partner with local clients including AR Workshop, White Lily Boutique, Generations Dental and Third Coast Salt. All of her local clients are family-focused, personal and charming, in line with the Southern Social brand. Keisha says serving her local clients is like coming home, “These are the people we’re at basketball games and football games and dance recitals with. These are the people our kids are actively involved with.”

Keisha is also a Body Positive Model and a recently signed model with The Block Agency. She works with TJMaxx as one of their regular Curvy Models and has been able to invest time into being an advocate for women and body positivity.

The flexibility with her career has also allowed her to become more actively involved in the community, leading the Wilson, Women and Wine Facebook group. “So many women and businesses move into the city and they need to get connected and find other like-minded women who can help them find their place, their babysitters, their friend network and even a career if needed. Being a mom is hard, being a woman is even harder – we need a safe judgment-free space sometimes to be ourselves.” The group schedules events for women to network, vent, encourage one another and just sip a cocktail and be connected. They always pick a locally- owned business to help create and support more community. “Selfishly, it’s for our sanity and it’s just fun.”

Keisha has seen her life change seasons so many times. “People always ask ‘Where do you see yourself in five years? What my company does wasn’t really an option five years ago, so who knows where I will be five years from now,” she says. “Wherever it is and whatever I’m doing, I just want to have fun, be true to myself and spend time with my family. I’ll change just as the seasons do.”