Today we’d like to introduce you to Kali Perkins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In October 2016, my life changed in a way I never expected. I was in a serious ATV accident that left me
with multiple injuries. I had severe blunt force trauma to the left side of my body, causing a skull fracture
the size of a man’s fist, 5 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and a collapsed lung that resulted in needing a
chest tube. I had to have brain surgery to remove the bone fragments that were piercing into the area
surrounding my brain and replace that portion of my skull with titanium mesh. I spent 1 month in the
hospital and in Brooks Rehabilitation Center in Jacksonville, FL. I then had to endure a year of outpatient
Speech, Physical, and Occupational therapies.
In the time leading to my surgery, my parents were told it would be weeks and months of therapy before I
would be able to even sit up on my own, let alone talk. Little did they know what God had in store. The
day after my surgery, my doctors came in to find me sitting up and talking all on my own. They were so
shocked, they had to check and make sure they were in the right room. While the road has not been easy
and I still had to go through a lot of rehab and therapy to relearn things that used to be so simple. I thank
God that I could have been much worse.
That experience shaped who I am today. In 2017, I became a certified nursing assistant and spent five
years caring for others, including working through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Helping
people has always been in my heart.
In 2020, everything shifted again when I started working at a kids’ boutique and discovered my love for
fashion. I juggled three jobs at once to save up and finally take the leap into building my own boutique.
If you had told me as a girl spending her 18th birthday relearning to walk where I would be today, I never
would have believed you. I have come so far and have defied so many odds. I am living proof that, no
matter what challenges life throws at you, with enough faith and determination, anything is possible.
My mission is simple; I want to encourage people to see more than what is right in front of them. Through
my boutique, I hope to give people the confidence to feel inspired, supported, and genuinely themselves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Living with a traumatic brain injury has definitely not made my life easy. I deal with issues such as
short-term memory loss and difficulty staying focused. Because of this, I have to be sure to write
everything down, as I am likely to forget it otherwise. As a result of my injury, I also have a brain
condition called Broca’s Aphasia, which basically means the part of my brain that controls my speech and
language comprehension was damaged. I may be thinking of a word in my head, but I’m unable to say it
out loud. This makes it hard for me to communicate and speak with people. This can be difficult for me,
especially when speaking to people on the phone, because I can’t always comprehend what the other
person on the line is saying.
I also have physical limitations due to my collarbone. Things such as lifting boxes, setting up pop-up
events, or even working with my heat press can be difficult.
It is challenging in general to run a one-woman business, and it can be discouraging at times, but when
you truly love what you’re doing like I do, it makes it so much easier. I have worked so hard to get where
I am, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be doing what I love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While I occasionally sell “boutique” apparel like Zenana, Peach Love California, Mary Square, etc., most
of my business revolves around custom orders. I am most known for my denim jackets and graphic tees. I
have also worked hard to create my own brand, “Southern Obsession Co.” and make/sell my personal
brand hats and tees.
One thing my customers can count on is my turnaround time. I pride myself on being able to provide
custom quality apparel in a short amount of time. I’m proud to know that even through the toughest times,
I have stayed grounded in my beliefs and morals, and that is what’s got me so far. I have been blessed to
create a great community and am grateful for every interaction I get to make with my customers. I have
been able to make connections with so many amazing people. It is always very special to receive sweet
messages like “I know you’re probably busy, but I’d like a custom shirt because you’re the only person I
go to for my custom stuff.” I’m just so glad that I can help people’s dreams come true, even if it’s just in a
small way.
What sets me apart from others is my determination and drive. I am dedicated to my brand and my
customers. I have found that people order with me, not because it’s me, but because they see my passion
to truly bring their ideas to life. Another thing that makes me different is my ability to travel. I have taken
my enclosed trailer all over to set up pop-up shops. I have even been asked to set up at houses and parties
to provide custom designs for events.
How do you define success?
Success to me is seeing all my hard work pay off. It is so satisfying to hear positive feedback from my
customers or to see others wearing my brand, just knowing they enjoy my products means the world to
me. Success to me isn’t about how much money I make but how much of an impact I’ve made on others.
I’m here to grow a community and help bring a little bit of joy to people’s lives in any way I can. Lastly,
but certainly not least, success to me is fulfilling God’s purpose in my life, knowing I’m glorifying him in
all my wins. I know that without him, I wouldn’t have made it this far. In everything I do and every order
I make, he will always remain the backbone of this business.
Pricing:
- Graphic Tee’s range from $15-$35 depending on size and preferred brand such as gildan or comfort color
- Sweatshirt range from $28-$50 depending on size and preferred brand such as gildan or comfort color
- Custom Jean Jackets range from $35-$115 depending on how much detail the customer would live such as fringe, pearls, detailed sleeves, etc
- I also offer wholesale prices for business’ that would like bulk orders or even customer’s that would like group matching shirts such as family shirts. These wholesale prices vary depending on what they’re needing. But I do not charge for each shirt, I average out the total of the shirts
Contact Info:
- Website: https://southernobsessionco.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1SBW3HdrSo/?mibextid=wwXIfr
