MEET THE MAKER: FROM BOARDROOM TO CHEEKYBOOM
UPDATE: Krissi has now moved to Eagle, ID with her family but will always have strong ties to Magnolia and the Seattle area.
This blog was originally published on Vixen Collection’s website.
You’ve probably seen her around The Village and most likely have heard her voice. 🤩 Meet Krissi Thomas, a lifelong Seattleite and 20-year resident of Magnolia. As the founder and maker of CheekyBoom—a lifestyle brand rooted in the belief of being bold and living loud—she’s always had a way with words, both spoken and written.
She’s also been in the marketing and advertising world for over 28 years working with the smallest businesses to the largest global brands. So how does she do that, start a business, and keep up with her family? Spoiler alert: She’s got crazy high energy and is bored out of her mind if she’s sitting still!
I wanted to learn more, so we sat down over a cocktail 🍸(of course!) and here’s how it went down.
“Words are everything to me. They’re powerful when used in a positive way and that’s what CheekyBoom is all about. I want the words on my cards to connect with people in a way that makes them feel empowered.”
📸 Ampersand Studios
Me: You’ve been in corporate America your entire career, so how did CheekyBoom, a brand that proclaims, “swear words accentuate the f*@king point,” start?
Krissi: HA! Yes, that is very f*@king true! When you work in corporate your entire career you’ve gotta find breaks from the grind. One of the ways I did this was by starting a greeting card line on Etsy that ended up being, well, very cheeky with a whole lotta boom! The first card I did was for a friend who had just undergone brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. He walked out 2 days later on his own and I sent a text saying, “HOLY SHIT BALLS, YOU’RE AWESOME!” That was where it all started. I made a card out of that text because he wanted to give it to his doctors! It was so much fun that I just started creating funny cards when I needed a break. They were cathartic, really. To this day my best seller is “Hey you, you’re pretty f*@king awesome. Keep that shit up. Seriously.” And I still crack up every time I get to send one out!
Me: So, how did you go from greeting cards to necklace cards? Those are selling like hot cakes at Vixen!
Krissi: Ah yes. Those are amazing to write and where I’m focusing my time now! These are all about empowerment. It gives me so much joy and purpose to write, design and procure the necklaces while putting a powerful meaning behind each piece. My necklace line is truly a favorite because I feel like I am connecting with people through words, and the necklace becomes a token to remind you of those words. Best part: I’ve packaged them as an all-in-one gift! BOOM!
Me: What do you mean by that? All-in-one gift? I want the readers to understand this.
Krissi: So, the packaging is a greeting card that’s blank on the inside. The necklace hangs on it and it comes with a gold metallic envelope. This way you are buying the gift and the card all in one! Pretty slick, huh? And hey – I say ‘treat yo self’ too! I have customers who keep coming back for them because they wear the necklace based on how they feel for the day!
Me: That is effing brilliant! So, I know you write all the cards. What do you mean by design and procure?
Krissi: Yes, I write all the cards myself. I also design and produce them by hand. And for the necklaces, I design those and work with a supplier to bring them to life. Then I package everything up, right here in the hood!
Me: So here you are, creating these amazing pieces and selling them at Vixen and online. What’s next?
Krissi: OH MAN! I have so many ideas and plans for this lifestyle company! As you know, it’s one baby step at a time and my goal is to make this my full-time gig. I’m working on a bracelet design now so that will be coming out this year, too. Same concept with an all-in-one card and gift. Plus some new, very cool, jewelry pouches to keep your bling all sparkly and shit! Ha ha ha!
Me: That is so wonderful! I’m excited to see all of it come to life and have more of your stuff in the shop! You’re obviously busy AF! Tell me, what do you do when you are not creating or working with your marketing clients?
Krissi: I’m just trying to keep up with my 2 daughters and hubby! We love dance parties at home. We drink lots of coffee. Making homemade pizza is a family Friday fav! And, mindset training is always at the forefront to keep us striving for our greatness. That’s my crew in a nutshell!⠀
What a fun conversation and inspiration! I’m so excited to see where CheekyBoom goes and you can be assured that Vixen Collection will be there every step of the way, cheering you on! Go Krissi, go!
You can find CheekyBoom at the shop and online. Follow her on Insta @cheekyboomco
xxoo,
Courean
p.s. Boe approves, too!
Extra Credit
Find Courean at her Magnolia Village shop: Vixen Collection
Follow @shopvixencollection