MEET THE BLOGIFAM: Kristen Klochko- Project Manager, Brand Relations + Ecommerce

AND WE’RE BACK! Hi guys, Lexi here. Today, we’re sitting down with Kristen – the legend who helps to bring our product designs to our virtual shelves and YOU!

Making our products shoppable is definitely a process and takes a lot of prep work before it finally launches but with spreadsheets and due dates, Kristen helps to make it all happen. More importantly, she helps to spread the word of our luxe activewear by getting our products to your fav influencers. 

It was so fun getting to connect with her 1 on 1. Her story and background are so admirable and I hope you guys love tuning into our little interview as much as I loved hosting it. 

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Lexi: Let’s start with the most important details – what’s your name, title, birthday and of course, zodiac sign. Wait also… where are you located?! 

Kristen: All of the good questions. I’m Kristen, located in Michigan, and I’m the Project Manager of Brand Relations + Ecommerce! My birthday is June 1, so I’m a Gemini. 

Lexi: Ahh and your title recently changed which is so exciting!!! Congrats on that! I feel like you’ve had such a journey being involved in the brand. How did you first hear about POPFLEX/Blogilates?

Kristen: Wow that’s a whoooole story. Let’s go back to 2012 (it definitely has been a journey). I originally found Cassey on YouTube in my college apartment, like most girls probably have who know her. I started following along to her videos and doing the workouts with my friends. We actually did the 100 Burpee Challenge together along with some other og workouts. Post-college, like in 2017, I had the opportunity to get certified in POP Pilates®.

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For about 2 years, I was teaching POP at a rec center where I was doing my Masters at the time, and then, got to go to the instructors retreat in 2019. There, I met other POP instructors like Jaimee and Jules, and I finally got to meet Cassey and Sam, and omg even GEORGE!

Fast forward to 2020, I went to LA to film a POP Pilates® video with the team. Jules and I got to talking and I pretty much told her that I was working on my Masters and if she ever needed help with anything, I was her girl! She actually emailed me back a couple of days later with a few opportunities for me to start working with the brand more. 

Okay now we’re going into that part of 2020 where the world shuts down (aka COVID). Sam reached out to me, asking me to help out with customer service and from there… it’s history.

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Lexi: That’s a BIG journey!!

Kristen: Haha it really is and honestly, it’s not what I ever saw myself doing. Like I was pre-med in undergrad, hardcore into science and now I’m here.

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Lexi: It’s crazy how things work out. Before working with the brand, what did you see yourself doing, career wise?

Kristen:  I actually decided my 2nd semester of senior year to not do pre-med because… I’m crazy. I took a year to just work, which is when I got certified in POP Pilates® and I did a few part time jobs in between, just trying to “figure it out”. Through those jobs though, I made some connections and had the opportunity to go back to school for 2 years so I got my Masters in Business. 

I love business but I also love fitness and health so my goal was really to do something in that realm. I think looking back, subconsciously, I didn’t want to do business because I come from a family involved in the business world so, I wanted to do something different.. like pre-med haha. 

When you’re in high school, I was always told to do what I love, which at the time was biology. Overtime, I learned that you can love to learn something and be interested in it but maybe, it’s not something that you’re good at or should be doing. In college, I did have that moment of “mmm this isn’t working for me”, but I didn’t want to quit, I wanted to keep going. But finally, at the end, I realized I didn’t actually love what I was doing. Going back to school for business and dabbling into different things lead me to where I am now. 

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Lexi: It’s definitely amazing to see you doing what you love now. Your journey is so admirable – seeing the front end of the brand through POP and now the back end actually working with the brand now. 

When you are back on the front end shopping for POPFLEX, what’s your size/collection you're most like to browse through? 

Kristen: Size wise, I'm a shmedium. Technically, based on our size chart, I'm a size small for top/bottom but, I like to grab mediums in our leggings just for a little extra stretch. Favorite collection, ahh is a HARD question. I’d probably have to say Botanical Blossoms. It’s so pretty!!! It’s fun getting to see the collection come to life, like I knew of this collection last year when we started designing it. 

Lexi: I felt that. I have zero reason for all of my Cloud Hoodies living in Hawai’i but I also can’t stop collecting them. What’s your staple piece? 

Kristen: I live in Cloud Hoodies. I have like six of them. Or, the water bottles. I have all of the Starry water bottles and I ALWAYS have one with me. I need her. 

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Lexi: As much as we love leggings and hoodies, how would you describe your style when you’re not in activewear? 

Kristen: Definitely neutrals. I love browns, oatmeals, and tans. And then I spice it up with gold jewelry. I have a star necklace that my grandmother gave me years ago and that’s always a staple for me. 

Lexi: Let’s get a little more personal. Are you an introvert or extrovert? 

Kristen: Extrovert for sure. I could talk to the wall. 

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Lexi: Totally opposite of me - the wall and I would sit in silence. What are your typical weekend plans? 

Kristen: Hmm, if it’s the summer, I’m probably at the gym in the morning, maybe hanging out outside, and then finishing out the day with dinner with friends or, on someone’s boat. 

Lexi: Before we checkout, what’s one motivational message you want to leave our readers with? 

Kristen: Okay. This is super relevant to my personal life and almost anti-me but, whatever will be, will be. I feel like it’s very cliché but it resonates with me. If I do my best with something, the result just is what it is and I don’t need to question myself. COVID and this job have taught me to just go for it – you’ll grow in this journey. Take the risk, do it. Try new things. 

Special thank you to Kristen for sitting down and chatting with me, and sharing some laughs.♡ Check back to meet the rest of the Blogifam soon!