Meet Trailblazer Khleo Armstrong

Today we’d like to introduce you to Khleo Armstrong.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It’s so crazy to look back on how I got here. The many lessons and obstacles I had to even write this. I had already overwhelmed my self with the question of how my sister and I started this and closed the interview immediately to collect my thoughts. I and my sister started our online store HeyFriday back in 2013. It started as just a hobby but over some time we wanted to create a platform that showed what we were capable of doing creatively. Then, it grew on to the idea of how do we sell clothes but also give a message on how to be confident with yourself? That’s the key ingredient we are working on now. We don’t want to just sell clothes, we want girls to be confident in whatever lane they choose. We don’t want girls to be like us, we want girls to embrace their journey as we take them on ours.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There were many struggles along the way.

One was how do we start a business?? What do we do? I mean luckily, my sister DeAnna is an internet guru and can research her ass off but google was our main friend to this. And of course, this all had to be an experiment of trial and error. Because we were new to this ourselves. We had to learn things about owning a business the hard way but that is the main thing that helped us grow. We had to understand how to spend our personal money the right way to invest in our brand.

If I could give any advice to young girls like myself; if you’re a creative, then start investing in workshops that teach you about the business side of things, start learning about money and power of credit. I used to only focus on the visual part of the brand because that’s what I love to do, but there are many components to a store.

I would also love to tell women to embrace their journey even though social media will have you second guess yourself at every angle. I can honestly say I still have my days, but this is part of my story to teach confidence. The first step is telling people that Im still learning it myself. And no one has all their shit together. No matter how good the filter is.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am an art director here in Atlanta. I specialize in bringing creative ideas to peoples images. Ive styled many videos and commercials and right now, I am focused on editorials and my brand HeyFriday. As of now, I’m working on creating my own lane here in the ATL. I hope to bring a platform to the creative community by exemplifying confidence on my own terms. I think what sets me apart is my wanting to be transparent and vulnerable, rather than trying to portray this idea of having it all together. I think I am relatable and open to talk about my flaws, and want to show my behind the scenes journey.

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
Growing up, I’ve always played dress up. My sister and I always created sets and took pictures. As a kid, I was always gathering the neighborhood kids up to do some type of creative project I had stirred up in my mind. My family never put limits on my siblings and my creativity and that’s why I think I am this person today. My mom always told me “nothing beats a failure but a try.” I was always told just to go for it. Literally, the idea of you can do ANYTHING you put your mind too. So, I don’t really have another thought process. Ive always been groomed to be this creative force.

Contact Info:

• Website: shophf.co
• Email: khleoa@gmail.com
• Instagram: @khleo.a
• Other: @shophf.co @khleo.a

Image Credit:
Troy @troyunlckd, DeAnna Armstrong -photographer for HF, website creator, Mike Boyd, Scrill Davis

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