Member-only story
Learning to bring my authentic self to work inspired me to start Keaton, the capsule wardrobe for modern office
In Spring 2019, I started Keaton after years of struggling to find work clothes that made me feel confident and powerful as a young professional. Our clothes feature easy-care fabrics and functional details based on feedback from hundreds of women. Keaton’s mission goes beyond product design. I learned the hard way that confidence comes from feeling comfortable bringing one’s whole self to work. In building Keaton, we are creating a future where young women feel truly empowered to bring our authentic selves to work. Follow us on our journey!
I started my career in the corporate world as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. When I graduated from college and started work, I was ready to chug the company Kool Aid, rack up the airline miles, and pull all-nighters at the office. I remember eagerly taking notes at our first orientation session when our facilitator started describing the “ideal” McKinsey consultant. He used the term “Gravitas.” He went on to describe how this ideal employee speaks with purpose and authority, “takes up space”, remains poised and solemn in his or her bearing, and always acts to be taken seriously. At this point, I became quite nervous. A person with gravitas probably does not use emojis and double exclamation points in emails (I do)…
