Kelly Cooper made her dream a reality when she ditched the 9-5 to start her digital boutique clothing label, Tomato Superstar. Although grateful for her time spent with the U.S. Airforce, her creativity was stifled and her inner fashionista yearned to be discovered. She also couldn’t help but feel that she was missing precious moments with her children and she knew something needed to shift. As a full time parent the journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t easy, but the freedom was worth every obstacle she endured.
With an extensive military background and zero professional fashion experience, Kelly didn’t know much about the business side of fashion except that there was a gap in the market. Not only was there a lack of stylish, reasonably priced clothing options for her own two children, but the messaging directed towards them was negative and reinforced the exact opposite beliefs that she wanted to instill in them. With a desire to inspire and empower her daughter, Kelly included her in the creative process and it was actually Hannah who conceived the brand name, Tomato Superstar. She chose the name as it symbolizes the individuality and uniqueness that all children possess.
Kelly dove head first into the artistic side of her business, but like many entrepreneurs with no mentor to guide them, she has struggled with failures along the way. She has had to learn to be patient with herself and has developed a thick skin in order to ignore criticisms from those who judge her ambitions of entering into this competitive industry. Interestingly, one of Kelly’s favorite parts of this journey has been these obstacles which have forced her to grow and evolve, which she is extremely grateful for. Maintaining a positive attitude is what’s led to her success and kept her there, and she has ingrained that encouraging energy into her mission.
The label preaches empowerment and resilience towards young women and the message has certainly resonated, as the brand’s following continues to grow upwards of 36k authentic followers. In addition to this incredible objective, Kelly also integrates values of social justice by donating a portion of all sales to non-profits combating human trafficking around the world.
Cooper is proud of her evolution and encourages others to follow their dreams. She has grown both personally and professionally through the challenges and tribulations of entrepreneurship and wouldn’t trade anything for the freedom it allows her. You can shop online for boho chic clothing, inspirational stickers, and even facemasks for the young women in your life at www.tomatosuperstar.com.