Today we’d like to introduce you to Khaila Sloan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Khaila. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised on the southside of Chicago, IL. Honestly speaking, much of my upbringing can be credited for establishing the foundation of who I am today. Growing up in Chicago taught me what it means to be rooted in Christ, the importance of African-American history and culture, and how to dream big.
When I was 15 years old, my family and I moved to Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. I attended my last two years of high school and continued on to college in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) Somewhere in between high school and college, I can recall obtaining confidence and sureness about myself. Having to move to an entirely new city at such a pivotal time in my life forced me to learn the significance of adapting and showing up as my best self.
In college, I studied Mass Communications, which is what ignited my passion for journalism and writing. It was also a time period that solidified my characteristics of being a leader and go-getter. I’ve always known that I wanted to be “the boss” or person that leads the pack, but as I go through life experiences, my vision for what that looks like big picture gets clearer and clearer.
Immediately after college, I moved to Los Angeles, CA where I began working in entertainment journalism, social media management, and production. I was very fortunate to have the support and encouragement of my family, however, I solely depended on myself to make things happen financially. During this time period, I hustled, HARD. At 21 years old, I was working live production (such as BET Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Kid Choice Awards), traveling across the nation as a full-time executive assistant, and working as a social media manager. Working behind the scenes, I began to learn about digital publication, the fashion and tech industries, along with brand deals and tv production. I absolutely LOVED the work I was doing, but after a year of living in LA and weighing my options, I decided to move back to Dallas.
While LA was great, I knew living in Dallas would be a much better move financially and would provide space and opportunity to really hone in on my personal career goals. This is when I knew that starting The Minor Detail and creating a business out of it was something I really wanted to do. I could take my past experiences and everything I learned, apply them in Dallas and create my own space.
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?
Oh wow, no. Haha. This past year alone has been a roller coaster. Honestly speaking, I am still on said journey. I think the biggest struggle for me has been getting out of my own way. Most instances, I can see clearly the direction I want to go in, but I have a tendency to overthink and become a roadblock of my own. Many of my current struggles simply involve being young and transitioning in this space that no one really tells you about. In your 20’s there is so much happening and so many choices to make. Reality is, there is no right answer, nor is there a blueprint, so going through the process of “adulting” and maturing can feel draining at times.
As a writer and creator in general, the ideas are ALWAYS flowing, which is great. However, when it comes to executing, it takes a lot of discipline and focus to do so, especially being a 1 person squad. Not to mention, I also work a full-time corporate job. So yes, being discipline in multiple areas and finding that balance can get a little overwhelming at times.
Also, candidly speaking, in the age of social media, mental health has been a priority for me. Around the same time, I introduced The Minor Detail, I also began dedicating time to therapy. While I don’t view mental health as a struggle, self-work does call for you to slow down at times in order to process. Initially, I didn’t want to slow down, but I am learning that being aligned with myself and core values allow me to push through and stick to the script.
Please tell us about The Minor Detail.
I am the creator of The Minor Detail, a lifestyle blog created with both passion and purpose in mind. As women, our capability is unmatched. However, because there is no exact blueprint for our individual journey’s we can become discouraged at times. In a world that encourages us to be everything but our true and honest selves, I have not only created this space as a resource for my audience but as a space to be completely transparent with myself. While everyone’s journey is different, I believe that fostering positive relationships with like-minded individuals along the way can make the process so much sweeter.
I think what sets me apart from others involves a few things: #1. God. I take my relationship with God extremely seriously and am a firm believer that His will for my life is exclusive to me as an individual. That said, my journey and gifts aren’t comparable to the next person’s. #2. Authenticity. I take pride in remaining authentic and creating a space for others to do the same. These days, I feel like everyone operates based on perception. It is my mission and desire to create room for honesty and transparency. I also really love keeping it real. Real conversation. Real emotion. Real experiences. Which leads me to my last point, #3. My ability to provide experience. Whether it be writing, content creation, hosting an actual event, I love to provide experiences that make people feel good. I am extremely observant and detailed and through my work, I am able to connect with others to make them feel seen.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have so many!!! If I had to choose one though, I’d have to say Christmas time with my family. Every Christmas holiday as a child was special. My brothers and I would decorate our Christmas tree with my mom, my dad would hang the Christmas lights on the roof himself, and we would do cliche things like make snow angels and drink hot chocolate. My grandparents (dad’s side) that lived out of state would also fly into town for the holiday and we’d have Christmas dinner at my grandparent’s (mom’s side) home, which might I add, would be decked out in decor courtesy of my Grandfather. Although dinner typically started a little behind (understatement), my grandmother was and is the best cook I’ve ever known (sorry mom). My dad’s birthday is also Christmas day and he typically worked evenings every year growing up. A lot of my motivation and hustle stems from watching how hard he has worked to provide experiences. Family is actually one of my core values, so these memories are nostalgic and will always be special to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theminordetai.co
- Email: khaila@theminordetail
- Instagram: @khailariel
- Twitter: @khailariel
- Other: Pinterest: @khailariel
Image Credit:
Curly Hair/White Top: Brittney Janae @brittney.janae
Pink Fur: Bre Jackson @lovethatgirlbre
Remaining Photos + Personal Photo Taylor Hunter @goldentimetay
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