Daily Inspiration: Meet Cherokee McKinney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cherokee McKinney.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was heavily involved in sports and fitness. But, the idea of owning my own athletic wear brand didn’t emerge until the summer of 2020.I always had a passion for health and fitness and I sort of live in workout clothes, so I decided to finally pursue brand ownership by starting Cherry Brand. I built my knowledge of business operations, niche market research, and the process of sampling products all while pursuing my doctoral degree, to say the least, I had my hands full. After two long years, I finally released my brand to the world in August 2022. The love and support I have received on my brand thus far has been nothing short of a blessing. I am excited to continue growing Cherry Brand and perfecting my craft.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not been easy nor smooth starting this brand. Since quality was so important to me, I went through a variety of vendors to find the look and quality I wanted to bring to my brand. I acknowledge that I still have a lot to learn as I navigate my way through the bumps I may hit as a new brand owner. My biggest struggles along the way were the times when I had to put building my brand on hold to focus on school.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m currently in a Doctorate program to achieve my degree as a Doctor of Occupational Therapy. As stated before, health has always been a passion and from there, I found my purpose was helping the world rehabilitate. The field of Occupational Therapy is so unique because this is a profession that believes in holistic care and respect for those we serve.

I’m proud of the fact that through all adversities and struggles that I was able to continue my marathon and achieve all the goals I had set for myself. I’m most proud of the perseverance, resilience, and connections I have developed over these years that will help me reach my next set of goals.

I feel one thing that sets me apart from others is my level of determination towards my goals and how I push others to pursue their goals regardless of current situations and/or fear of failure.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
One surprising thing most people might not know about me is that I have a unique interest in wildlife. By no means am I the fishing and hunting type of girl, I’ve actually never tried either. But, I literally love watching and learning about different species from all around the world and I often base my travels around the animals I wish to see.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thecherrybrand.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecherrybrand.co/

Image Credits
@beyondillustration