Today we’d like to introduce you to Kali Ah Yuen.
Kali, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. I grew up in a small area called Pearl City and that’s where my love for music, dance, and all things creative started. I then moved to Plano, Texas where I would establish myself in regards to my career. Growing up, I was very influenced by the lifestyle of celebrities like fashion designers and recording artists. I remember specifically watching this show on MTV called “The Hills”. It followed around a fashion student, Lauren Conrad (LC) and her lifestyle working for a fashion public relations firm. I found it so inspiring and knew once I entered college that public relations and communications were what I wanted to major in.
Throughout my time in school, I honed in on my journey in music. I had been writing music and singing since a child, but this is where I thrived in it. I started recording and putting out songs on streaming platforms like iTunes and SoundCloud. This was when I realized my passion for public relations could relate to any creative lane I wanted to go into. It could help with branding myself as an artist and other creatives, as well. After a few internships and graduating, I started getting into the DFW creative scene – going to local shows, fashion events, album releases, etc.
I started to realize that even if California and New York were big dreams I wanted to live out, my journey starts here in Dallas. This is where I met one of my best friends, and now my business partner, Shabby Talebi. We started a few side hustles here and there with social media and public relations. After a few months, we realized that there was a place for us in the Dallas market as an authentic PR firm that revolutionizes some of the traditional techniques and strategies of marketing and communications. Then, People’s Revolt was born. From there, it’s almost like the cliché saying, but the rest was history!
We’ve now been in business for a little over a year and a half. We have been able to collaborate and help many creatives from musicians to fashion stylists to women empowerment organizations. We have a lot of things in the works. Still, we wouldn’t be here without the support of our friends, families, and fellow creatives like Artist Uprising, Premier Live Experience, Rebellious Society, and others in the Metroplex.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many entrepreneurs, the road has not been the smoothest. Although it has been very satisfying and fulfilling, I have come across struggles along the way. There are many times when I’ve doubted myself, been oblivious to certain situations, and not made the best decisions in regards to my career. Being an entrepreneur is not a 9 to 5. You are taking your work with you anywhere you go at all times. This can take a toll on you if you’re not caring for yourself like you properly should be. I have found myself working 10, 12, 14 hours a day, without taking breaks. This has had a heavy effect on my mental, which is typically when doubt sets in. I’ve learned to overcome this by trusting the process and understanding that Rome wasn’t built in one day.
I’ve also put my all into different situations that would drain me with no benefits to my career or personal life. This would be situations like working for free too much or events falling through. It’s good to understand that failure is inevitable. I’ve learned to cope with this by trusting my gut instead of false hope and feeling the energy out in any situation I put myself in. It’s saved a lot of time and disturbances to my peace of mind. Aside from that, it’s been dealing with mental issues while running a business. I have anxiety and am prone to seasonal depression. However, having a great support system and my faith has and will continue to take me a long way.
Please tell us about People’s Revolt.
People’s Revolt is a public relations and marketing agency created by myself and Shabby Talebi. It is a lifestyle brand made by creatives, for creatives. Our ideas lay in providing a platform for people to share their passions with the world. We pride ourselves on genuine relationships, honesty, and open communication. As a visionary firm incorporating traditional and innovative strategy and brand management, our mission is to achieve the client’s ambitious marketing goals and communications objectives by providing strategic counseling, creative solutions, and timely resources. So, we’re mostly known for public relations, social media marketing, events, and branding.
We’re most proud of the emphasis we put on collaboration over competition. We love bringing creatives of all walks of life together and really help them along their journey to spread awareness of the dope things they all do. We’ve truly created friendships with many clients and colleagues. Long story short, we’re all about death to mediocrity and revolting against the norm.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory as a child would be all the trips to the beach I took when I lived in Hawaii. It was such a carefree time that I would spend with my family. We would typically set up a temporary campsite with a popup tent and picnic blankets, grill on the bbq, blast Hawaiian music, and just let loose. It was best when we were camping—waking up to the ocean waves crashing on the shore and the sun slowly rising. Nothing beats saltwater therapy! It’s the simplest things I find the most beauty in. I never forget these memories because it’s the Aloha, or in other words, the carefree spirit of Hawaii and the locals that I try to stay in tune with and carry with me no matter where I go.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7188 Envoy Ct. Dallas, Texas
- Website: www.peoples-revolt.com
- Phone: 214-223-6249
- Email: kali@peoples-revolt.com
- Instagram: @peoplesrevolt
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peoplesrevolt/?ref=bookmarks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/peoples__revolt?lang=en
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peoples-revolt/
Image Credit:
Amanda Emily Henderson, Black Spadez Media
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