Today we’d like to introduce you to Lakisha Clark.
Hi Lakisha , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey started long before KISH Waist Beads became a business. For over 30 years, I worked in retail leadership and operations, where I developed a deep understanding of customer experience, merchandising, and creating spaces that make people feel seen. While I was successful professionally, I also found myself searching for something more meaningful and aligned with who I truly was.
What began as a personal connection to waist beads slowly evolved into something much deeper. I became fascinated by their cultural significance, their symbolism, and the way they encouraged women to reconnect with their bodies with more awareness, softness, and intention. Over time, creating waist beads became both a creative outlet and a healing practice for me.
I founded KISH Waist Beads as a sacred, intentional brand centered around embodiment, self-awareness, and feminine wellness. Today, I create handcrafted waist beads infused with intention, crystals, and energy work, while also offering adornment experiences and Reiki sessions that allow women to feel safe, grounded, and connected to themselves again.
My business has grown through community, storytelling, pop-up events, and genuine connection. What makes this work meaningful to me is that it goes beyond jewelry — it creates conversations around healing, body awareness, confidence, and self-evolution. Every strand I create represents a chapter, an intention, or a reminder for the woman wearing it.
I’m still evolving, but where I am today is the result of choosing alignment over simply going through the motions. KISH has become a reflection of my personal journey — one of growth, healing, creativity, and helping women reconnect with themselves in a softer and more intentional way.
Alright, 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?
Not at all. It definitely has not been a smooth road, but I think that’s part of what shaped both me and my business into what it is today.
One of my biggest struggles has honestly been fear — fear of fully taking the leap of faith to turn my business into full-time work. For a long time, I balanced building KISH Waist Beads while also working in corporate leadership and retail management roles. Having stability while trying to nurture a purpose-driven business created an internal tug-of-war between security and alignment.
At the same time, entrepreneurship forced me to truly learn myself. It revealed my fears, my habits, my strengths, my insecurities, and even the ways I needed healing. Building this business has been just as much of a personal and spiritual journey as it has been a professional one. There were seasons where I doubted myself, struggled with consistency, questioned whether people would truly understand my vision, or wondered if I was capable of building the life I actually desired.
I’ve also faced the normal challenges many entrepreneurs experience — financial pressure, burnout, trying to grow organically through social media, balancing multiple responsibilities, and learning how to market a business that is deeply personal and unconventional. Since my work centers around healing, embodiment, spirituality, and intentional adornment, I’ve had to learn how to communicate the deeper value of what I offer beyond simply selling jewelry.
Physically and emotionally, there were moments where I felt exhausted from carrying so much at once. But those moments also taught me resilience, discipline, softness, and trust in myself. Over time, I realized KISH was never just about waist beads — it was about creating spaces where women feel seen, safe, empowered, and connected to themselves.
I’m still growing and evolving through the process, but I think the beauty of my journey is that it’s real. It hasn’t been perfect, but every challenge helped shape the woman, healer, and entrepreneur I am becoming.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m the founder of KISH, a wellness and adornment brand centered around intentional waist beads, embodiment, and feminine self-connection. I create handcrafted waist beads using crystals, color symbolism, and energy-based intention, while also offering adornment experiences and Reiki sessions that encourage women to slow down and reconnect with themselves.
Although I love the creative side of designing waist beads, my favorite part of this work is the connection I build with women. I genuinely enjoy hearing their stories, learning what they’re navigating in life, and creating pieces that reflect where they are emotionally, spiritually, or personally. Some women come to me during periods of transformation, healing, rebuilding confidence, or simply wanting to feel more connected to their bodies again.
I think what people know me for most is the experience I create around my work. My goal was never to just sell waist beads — I wanted women to feel safe, comfortable, and seen. Whether it’s through a pop-up event, an adornment session, or a conversation at my booth, I try to create an atmosphere where women can show up as themselves without pressure or judgment.
What sets me apart is the balance between creativity, intentionality, and genuine connection. My background in retail management and merchandising taught me how to create elevated customer experiences and visually engaging spaces, but the heart of my business comes from the human side of the work. I care deeply about how women feel when they leave my presence.
What I’m most proud of is building a business that feels aligned with who I am while also impacting other women in a meaningful way. Seeing women become more confident, more mindful of themselves, and more connected to their personal journey reminds me why I continue to do this work.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’m someone who is constantly learning, reflecting, and trying to better understand both myself and the people I serve, so I’m always drawn to resources that encourage growth, self-awareness, creativity, and emotional intelligence.
Two podcasts I genuinely enjoy are the The Diary Of A CEO podcast and the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast. I love conversations that explore mindset, healing, purpose, relationships, business, and the human experience in an honest way. Those types of conversations have helped me navigate entrepreneurship, personal growth, and even the internal challenges that come with building a purpose-driven business.
When it comes to creating, music is a huge part of my process and energy. I love listening to Moonchild, Erykah Badu, and other soulful, earthy artists while designing waist beads or preparing for events. That type of music helps me slow down, stay grounded, and create from a more intentional and connected space. My brand is very sensory and emotionally driven, so atmosphere matters a lot to me.
I also rely heavily on practices that help me stay mentally and physically grounded — things like meditation, movement, journaling, prayer, and spending quiet time reflecting. Entrepreneurship can easily pull you into constant productivity, so learning how to stay connected to myself while still pursuing my goals has been one of the biggest lessons of my journey.
On the business side, my background in retail leadership and merchandising taught me a lot about customer experience, presentation, and human behavior, so I still pull inspiration from branding, visual storytelling, and wellness spaces that create emotional connection instead of just selling products.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kishwaistbeads.com
- Instagram: kishwaistbeads
- Facebook: Kish Waist Beads
