Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Krombeen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I actually started my career in a completely different world. I graduated from Clemson University and spent six years in corporate IT sales before eventually realizing I wanted to build something of my own. I started sharing online as a creative outlet while I was still working full-time, and in 2018, I made the leap to leave corporate America and pursue content creation full-time.
At the time, I definitely didn’t have some perfectly mapped-out plan for what this would become. I just knew I loved creating, connecting with people, and sharing the things I was genuinely interested in. Over the years, my content has evolved right alongside my life – from fashion and lifestyle in my twenties to motherhood, fitness, wellness, travel, home, and everything that comes with navigating life in your thirties.
Today, I’ve built a community of more than 165,000 people on Instagram, launched my own product-based business, Shop Cheeky Been, and most recently started writing on Substack as another way to connect with my audience on a deeper level. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with brands I genuinely love and turn something that started as a creative outlet into a career and multiple businesses.
I think the biggest thread through all of it has been allowing myself to evolve. I’ve never wanted to put myself into one specific box, because my audience has really grown up with me. What I share now looks very different from what I shared when I started, but it still feels very much like me – and I think that’s ultimately why I’ve been able to build the career and community I have today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not – and I think anyone who has built something of their own would probably say the same. One of the biggest challenges of working in social media is that the goalposts are constantly moving. Algorithms change, platforms change, the way people consume content changes, and what worked six months ago might suddenly stop working. You have to be willing to evolve without losing sight of who you are in the process.
There have also been plenty of seasons where I’ve questioned myself or wondered what’s next, especially as my own life has changed. I started doing this before I had kids, and now I’m a mom of two running multiple businesses. Learning how much of my life I want to share, while still protecting parts of it for myself and my family, has probably been one of the biggest shifts for me.
And then there’s the part people don’t always see: when you work for yourself, there isn’t really an “off” switch. I’ve had to learn that longevity doesn’t come from constantly doing more. It comes from knowing when to pivot, when to say no, and when something that used to work for you simply doesn’t anymore.
There have absolutely been hard seasons, but they’ve also forced me to get really comfortable with reinvention – which I think has ultimately been one of the biggest reasons I’m still doing this eight years later.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At the core of what I do, I’m a content creator and entrepreneur. I’ve built my platform around sharing my life in a way that feels aspirational but still attainable – whether that’s fashion, motherhood, fitness, wellness, travel, home, or just the very real, sometimes chaotic parts of everyday life.
I think what I’m probably most known for is being a little bit of a “try it first and report back” friend. I love finding something great – whether it’s a pair of jeans, a workout, a hotel, a beauty treatment, or a random Amazon find – and giving people my actual opinion on it. My audience knows I’m pretty particular, so if I’m repeatedly talking about something, I genuinely love it. That trust is something I’ve worked really hard to build and protect over the years.
What I’m most proud of, though, is that I’ve been able to turn this community into something much bigger than social media. I’ve built a career that supports my family, launched my own product-based business, Shop Cheeky Been, and created additional platforms like my Substack where I can share more in-depth content with my audience. Building something from scratch and watching people not only follow along but actually support the things I create has been incredibly rewarding.
I also think what sets me apart is that I’ve never tried to create a perfectly curated version of my life or stay in one specific niche. My audience has watched me go from my twenties into my thirties, become a mom twice, navigate postpartum, build businesses, prioritize my health and fitness, travel, redo rooms in my house, have great seasons and hard ones – and I bring them along for all of it.
There are a lot of incredibly talented creators out there, so I don’t necessarily think being different means finding something no one else is doing. For me, it’s about having a really distinct point of view and a community that knows exactly who they’re getting. I think people come to my page for the recommendations and inspiration, but they stay because it feels like they actually know me.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Authenticity, without question. It matters to me in my work, my relationships, and really just how I move through life. I think we’re living in a time where it’s easier than ever to curate a version of yourself for other people, especially online, and I’ve always wanted what I share to feel like an extension of who I actually am – not a character I’m playing for the internet.
That doesn’t mean sharing every part of my life or putting everything online. If anything, I think I’ve learned that authenticity is less about how much you share and more about being honest in what you do choose to share. If I recommend something, I want people to know I genuinely use it. If I’m going through a hard season, I don’t want to pretend everything is perfect. And if my opinions, priorities, or interests change as I grow, I want to give myself permission to say that too.
I think that’s especially important because I’ve built a career around trust. There are real people on the other side of the screen spending their time and sometimes their money based on things I share. I never want to lose sight of that.
At the end of the day, I’d rather be fully myself and not resonate with everyone than create a version of myself that does. I think authenticity is ultimately what creates real connection – and that connection is the part of all of this that matters most to me.
Pricing:
- Shop Cheeky Been socks retail for $24.99 per pair.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecheekybeen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecheekybeen/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecheekybeen
- Other: https://shopcheekybeen.com/
Image Credits
@agee_k, @svetlanabakerphotography, @drewfurr.co
