I am Kelly Dooley, I was raised and currently reside in Orange County, CA; graduated from Boston University with my B.S. in Print Journalism in 2005; and then graduated from New York University with my M, A. in Media, Culture, and Communication Studies with an emphasis in social media and luxury consumption in 2008. I then launched my first company, BodyRock Sport, in 2010, at the age of 26, after training for a marathon and being unable to find a fashionable sports bra with a pocket, applying the knowledge that I acquired at each respective university with my innate proclivity to disrupt emerging industries with style and unwavering intention. I have never lived within the confines of the imaginary box that characterizes the matrix that suffocates society through subconscious programming that starts from the second we are born. Luxe Branding Haus, Luxe Rebellion Styling Haus, and Maven’s List take the vast majority of my time outside of my incredible 6-year-old daughter Zoe, who is the light of my life and the driving force that keeps me laser focused and devoted to the USP that aligns with my soul. This branding trifecta collectively provides the solutions to every problem I have encountered as a passionate entrepreneur. My overarching objective is to be both a panacea and a talisman by providing clients, collaborators, and business partners with all of the razor-sharp intellect and mentorship that is integral to successfully bringing an innovative brand to market. If you follow the fundamental road map that has been cartographed throughout my career, you will inevitably turn your vision into reality without being targeted by the gluttonous predators that suck dreamers dry as they pursue the unique paths that light their inner fire.
Tell us about your childhood and where you grew up
My Dad passed away when I was 7 years old in 1989. Prior to that, I went to work with him often, at Dooley Enterprises, in Anaheim, CA, which remains a successful company to this day, currently run by my cousin Chris. My Dad was a disrupter and was the first to immerse me in the world of entrepreneurism. I assembled bolts for 5 cents each and got excellent grades, always competing with no one but myself. I learned how to cook and clean at age 7 and always made sure my Mom had a clean house to come home to after work and that my older brother had a delicious meal prepared for dinner. I also volunteered at St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton, CA, throughout high school and often worked at a thrift shop with my Grandma. I was a cool nerd who sat in the front row with my hand raised with an innate love for fitness, fashion, reading, travel, and writing. Despite my Dad’s premature death, I had a wonderful childhood and also learned a lot from my equally business-savvy Mom, who worked incredibly hard to ensure that I would have the best education and would be able to fearlessly follow my dreams with the utmost confidence. My Mom remains my biggest critic, my hero, my source of inspiration as a resilient woman with a heart of gold, and also my biggest cheerleader outside of Zoe of course.
How did you get started as an entrepreneur?
Every aspect of my path is purpose driven. With BodyRock Sport, my objective was to empower women to love the skin they’re in. As a single Mom who just turned 40 and who has experienced incredible blessings as well as an overflowing well of lessons — which my business partner and I call BLESSONS —, I hope to inspire other women to pursue their dreams with conviction regardless of their circumstances. Because my daughter’s ancestral roots are both white and black, I have an insatiable desire to invest in projects and collaborate with black-owned companies. In addition, the vast majority of my clients are required to integrate cause-based marketing into their brand DNA. I am also mental health and domestic violence advocate. I go out of my way all the time to make sure others feel loved and understood and I ride to the end for every member of my soul tribe. I honestly wanted to become a journalist but through my studies at Boston University, I realized that I would only want to be an investigative journalist (my emphasis was Crime Studies) and that would have been too precarious for me to pursue professionally. Stepping into my power unapologetically and living my truth can be a trigger for anyone who is easily offended. I am so blunt that weaker minds can smoke and figuratively suffocate from my strong presence alone. Becoming an entrepreneur was the only way I could fully honor my soul. I cannot breathe within the confines of societal norms and just the thought alone of the “white picket fence” makes me cringe. Furthermore, I have absolutely ZERO tolerance for complainers, complacency, and cynics. I am an educated empath and the diverse aspects of entrepreneurism make my creative embers fire at all cylinders. I am all about the good vibe tribe where humans can march to the beat of their own drums without having cinder blocks placed on the entrepreneurial wings that make them fly high.
What is one business lesson you would tell a startup founder?
QUESTION EVERYTHING but don’t overanalyze ad nauseam. Be sure to conduct research when someone gives you a price, as there is always room to negotiate. I used to unknowingly waste a lot of money by having blind trust for service providers and over promisers. Naivete is costly.
