Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Kearney.
Hi Marissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was shopping at a local Target in 2020 and to my surprise, found a Black Santa Clause figurine and other items that acknowledged that Black people also enjoy the spirit of the holidays. It inspired me and I decided to begin creating content that offered a different view of the “while Black” shopping experience and to highlight Black-owned brands being sold.
Shortly thereafter, TargetWhileBlack and RetailWhileBlack were born.
I’ve been able to highlight a lot of great Black-owned and founded brands. I have also been able to learn more about the retail business through different partnerships along the way. It’s been great finding my voice through the content I’ve created and offering a platform to many deserving businesses.
We have been fortunate and grown to over 550k followers across all platforms, but most importantly we have shown the quality of Black-owned businesses and the importance of representation in the stores. It makes the shopping experience better.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In the beginning, there was endless criticism and a lack of funding.
Finding your community online is not easy. If you have ever read the comment section, it can be extremely negative on your favorite creator’s page, it was most likely because the algorithm brought people who did not align with their content. Until I found my Target audience (no pun intended) I had a ton of DMs questioning my existence.
Eventually, I learned to turn my comments off to people who did not follow me. This also limited my growth (the more comments the better) but it was more important to me to have a safe space. I have only recently opened them again. Additionally, I spent a lot of money initially. I tried every brand I could to ensure I had an educated opinion.
The amount of research into each brand and what they needed was enormous. But I had to make it work because knowing each brand (their stories, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses) allowed me to be credible. Your credibility as a creator is the greatest currency.
What does success mean to you?
For me, success is growth. I have spent a significant amount of time curating an audience that understands my mission. Now we have a journey we need to complete together.
Each time people walk into a store I want them to think, “how can I be a more conscious buyer”, or “can I find a diverse/small/local business that makes this item in-store”. So far, I have changed the thinking of over 500K people.
As long as I continue to grow and spread my mission–I am successful.
Contact info:
- Website: https://www.targetwhileblack.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/targetwhileblack/ , https://www.instagram.com/retailwhileblack/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RetailWhileBlack
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TargetwhileBLK
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/910324819675898/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@retailwhileblack
