We had the good fortune of connecting with Kenne Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kenne, what’s your definition for success?
Success, according to Oxford dictionary, is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. To me, success is defined by continual fulfillment of purpose and achievement of desired goals/aims. In 2017, I realized my life’s purpose was to create and I pursued entrepreneurship and visual artistry. After I realized my life’s purpose, I set goals. Oddly enough, there was something satisfying about achieving desired goals/aims. I enjoyed putting pen to paper and checking “to-do-list” boxes. I measured my success by how effective I was at setting clear objectives and reaching milestones. To date, The KK Collection attained LLC status and I hosted my first visual art “Paint and Neo-Soul” event, among many other milestones. I also measured success by how my business and paintings made others feel. Happiness was an emotion I continued to target when clients experienced The KK Collection eyelashes and/or paintings. However, there is still more to accomplish! Success is dynamic. I do not feel we ever truly plateau. We have highs and lows. Success is continual and with each low comes new lessons and new ways to achieve goals.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got to where I am today by hard work. There were zero shortcuts for me. The KK Collection eyelash company was started in 2017 with a simple DBA and a wholesaler but has now grown to a LLC and an upcoming manufacturer. I also got here by building relationships and developing a network of entrepreneurs in common industries. I learned as much as possible from “old heads” and new entrepreneurs. No, it was not easy. I learned the hard way you cannot accomplish certain things alone. You need the support of other professionals or entrepreneurs. The network is crucial because they may have answers to questions you need. I also learned to research! Always, always, always, research. Yes, support from other professionals is awesome but there are zero shortcuts. You have to know the information for yourself. Especially when dealing with your businesses’ finances. As far as painting, oh wow, that’s an essay! I will not give details for the sake of time and not boring the readers. I genuinely want the world to know that The KK Collection is more than just a lash line, its a movement. We want to impact lives through community service and philanthropy. Not a 5013c but we value community service and community outreach initiatives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Itinerary Day 1 Breakfast: Breakfast Club Activity: Biking through downtown Houston Lunch: Jax Grill Activity: University of Houston sporting event (go coogs!) Dinner: Timmy Chan’s Activity: Houston Grooves Itinerary Day 2 Breakfast: House of Pies Activity: Houston Zoo Lunch: Local Foods Activity: Coffee @ EQ Dinner: Turkey Leg Hut Itinerary Day 3 Breakfast: Waffle House Activity: Galleria Mall Lunch: Salata Dinner: The Capital Grille Activity: The Address Itinerary Day 4 Breakfast/Brunch: Phil and Derek’s Activity: iFly Indoor Skydiving Lunch: Mickie’s Activity: NRG Radio Dinner: Golden Crust Itinerary Day 5 Activity: Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church Lunch: This is It

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Two people who deserve a little credit and recognition in my story are my loving parents, Kenneth and Brenda Johnson. They have supported every step in my journey as an artist. They have supported events, attended art shows, and generated business among their peers for The KK Collection. Honestly, their support is what pushes me. I desire to make them proud and ensure to them that their sacrifices for me were not in vain. They are everything to me and some! I owe them my life.

Website: www.thekkcollection.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekkcollectionlashes/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneljohnson/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekkcollectionlashes/?ref=bookmarks
Other: https://linktr.ee/thekkcollectionlashes?fbclid=IwAR1soQ3lCYdeY2GLuRPWq9aSMVUyxNpeUVMBgWkQbsOcZ5gRBmAn6e8R5wQ

Image Credits
Photographer: Alex Jones