Fashion has been part of my heart for as long as I can remember.

Even in high school, I was drawn to the creativity and self-expression of clothing. I was so fascinated by fashion that I chose it as the subject of one of my three required term papers. I wanted to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, but life had other plans.

Instead, I attended Michigan State University, where I earned a degree in marketing and took every elective I could in merchandising. After graduation, I even spent a month in Paris studying merchandising and immersing myself in the world of fashion.

And then, as life sometimes does, it took me in an entirely different direction.

I ended up spending my career in the corporate world in information technology. But somewhere beneath the corporate responsibilities, the creative part of me was still very much alive.

In 2009, I registered the domain name Spirit of Strength, not yet knowing all that those words would eventually come to mean to me. In 2019, I opened an online boutique, but quickly discovered that running a boutique alongside a demanding corporate career was more than I wanted to juggle. So I put that dream on hold.

Meanwhile, another passion was growing in my life: horses. My first 2 horses joined the family in 2016 and I have so much gratitude for the ways my life was forever changed.  

After finding out what is happening to our wild mustangs I briefly started and ran a nonprofit to try to help as much as I could.  

Meanwhile, I also began exploring the extraordinary connection between horses and humans. I studied with Hillary Schneider, through her Horse Medicine Leadership Program.  Michelle Peterson, of Medicine Horse Healing, has also been one of my mentors.  From a horsemanship perspective, Phil Oakes, of Truth Based Horsemanship, has taught me invaluable lessons not just about horses but also about life.

I believe the herd and I are here to help you remember that we live in the field of infinite possibilities. The realm of magic and miracles is right here...if we can align to it.  When we are in that alignment....we also align with out inner wisdom.  Our inner magic.

When 2025 arrived... the corporate world decided I was done.

After the initial fear subsided...I realized it was a blessing.  It was time for me to do what I was meant to be doing!

What could have felt like an ending became an opportunity to finally follow the dreams that had been waiting patiently for me. My creativity came flooding back, and the vision for Spirit of Strength Boutique began taking shape.

Today, Spirit of Strength Boutique is the realization of a dream that began many years ago. But it's also about something much bigger than fashion.

I believe every woman has her own unique wisdom, her own story, and her own magic. And I believe the clothes we choose can be a beautiful expression of that individuality.

My hope is that when you walk into my boutique, you feel welcomed, celebrated, and free to be exactly who you are. Whether you find a fabulous pair of jeans, a piece that makes you smile, or something you never imagined yourself wearing, I want you to leave feeling a little more connected to the wonderful woman you already are.

I believe true strength comes from embracing who we are and having the courage to express that magic within.  To share it with others.

Embrace who you are.  Express the Magic within.

From my heart to yours,

Karla