after hours with: kristine locker
CEO and founder of your new favorite shopping tool.
Meet Kristine Locker,
Founder and CEO of one of my favorite shopping tools, Locker. I came across Kristine online after using (and loving) Locker’s mobile app. Kristine is a powerhouse in the entrepreneur space, named among Forbes Next 1000 and recently closing a $2.5 million round from Wonder Ventures at a $9 million valuation. Kristine built her dream from 0-1, filling a product market fit and ultimately a strong, women-led community. She is also someone that I felt immediately connected to as we talked - her kindness and openness oozed out of the screen and it felt like I made an immediate friend.
Note that is post is too long to read in your email, I’d move to the Substack app or your browser. Also TW that this post mentions an eating disorder.
We’ve already covered in previous posts that I have a tendency to let my social media saves, open tabs and random “I love that!” screenshots get completely out of control. Insert Locker, which organizes your shopping links and saves into virtual wish lists and collages all in one spot. Dubbed as the “Pinterest for online shopping” not only does it allow you to save and categorize items in a single location, but you can set up categories for comparison shopping, track options for big purchases, and organize items for specific events like a vacation or date night. Personally, I love to see what others are saving so I am always digging into Locker’s recommended outfit collages and most loved collections.
Kristine and the Locker team are building something that Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok have failed to figure out - a collaborative and social-based shopping platform. The dedicated community that they are growing is something that can’t be underscored. @wantlocker is so much fun to follow not only because of the curated brand presence, day in the life videos, and the team’s monthly recaps, but because of the shopper spotlights, user engagement and the community tagging (and gushing) about their favorite app. They are building a collective that other brands should take note of.
Locker allows you to use a google chrome extension for the moments when you’re deeeep in tabs on your laptop or their mobile app which helps you bookmark products and keep track of your wishlist from anywhere. You can start by checking out Locker’s Locker page and get your saving on. Talk about making online shopping less chaotic and more enjoyable - check it out!
Emily: Tell me about yourself!
Kristine: My name is Kristine Locker (people are always shocked when they learn it is actually my last name and not made up) and I am 31 years old. I went to Southern Methodist University in Dallas and graduated in 2015 with a major in Real Estate Finance and two minors in Spanish and Law and Legal Reasoning. In 2020, I decided to leave my real estate career to start Locker - obviously named after my last name but also a perfect fit for a wishlist platform.
Now tell me about yourself without mentioning your incredible role as a founder and CEO.
I am one of two girls. My sister, Kathleen, is my best friend on planet earth. I met my now husband Ryan in 2020 on Bumble. Our first date was a walk around Brentwood and we have been inseparable ever since. We got married in June 2023 and just got the cutest little black lab puppy named Riggs. My favorite activities are going on long walks, reading books and obviously online shopping.
What inspired the creation of Locker at the very beginning?
I love to shop online, not always to buy things, but even just to browse - I love to see what brands are doing, what friends are wearing, etc. Before starting Locker, I used to take thousands of screenshots and save product links in google spreadsheets. Not to mention the thousands of links from the group chats.
Taking screenshots or saving links in all of these different places created a really disorganized and fragmented experience, making it near impossible to even go back and find the product you were looking for.
I took a step back and looked at the overall landscape of social commerce and noticed that the gap in the market was for the real everyday consumer. So I set out to build the platform that was missing, solely focused on shopping for the consumer.
Tell me about your journey to becoming a CEO and founder.
I’m going to go deep on this one...but in college I went through a horrible breakup. And I will also preface this with the fact that I have what I call a 'gold-star personality' which essentially means I thrive off of a structure that gives me something to work towards and then when I achieve it, I feel like I got a gold star. When I graduated college, not only was I still struggling with the breakup but I also lost the structure of school which revolves around working towards a goal.
I started my post-grad career at Goldman Sachs, which everyday felt like drinking from a fire hose and without structure, it felt to me that I had lost every sense of control over my life. During this time period, I developed an eating disorder called Orthorexia - which is an obsession with eating healthy foods. I used the eating disorder to rebuild a sense of control in my life, but unfortunately it snowballed into over a 5 year struggle.
With the eating disorder I became reclusive, lost many of my friendships and even started to push my family away. After years of struggling, my sister finally sat me down and we collectively started looking for the right therapy for me (my sister has her doctorate in psychology). I started seeing two therapists a week and spent the time just trying to learn as much about myself as possible. It was in doing this work that I finally felt the freedom to build something for myself. Locker is ultimately the thing that healed me.
So powerful - I always think about how our lowest moments ultimately get us back on the right path. What has been the most challenging and most rewarding moments so far?
The most challenging moments have been fundraising and building my team. When it comes to fundraising, I am a first-time, solo, non-technical, female founder - that is literally every possible red flag to investors on paper. So for me to fundraise I was forced to really focus on the numbers, with a strong community and stable revenue.
Hiring is also extremely challenging at this stage. It takes a very specific type of employee to want to work for such an early stage company. Building a strong team is one of the most, if not the most important part of a company. Each employee has such a drastic impact on the product and company culture.
The most rewarding moments have also been fundraising and building my team. Being able to finally say we have raised a total of $3.5M dollars is such a wild and exciting feeling. I am so proud of myself for that. Locker is now a team of six and I am so grateful for each member of the team.
What is the most frequently asked question you’ve been asked about what you do?
Probably "How much have you raised?".
What do you wish you were asked more about?
I’d say "my why" - like why am I building Locker? Or why am I the right person to be building Locker?
Where do you seek inspiration?
I do my best thinking in the shower, on a drive, or on a walk. I also really love to surround myself with smart, humble, incredible people. I have an amazing network of other female founders who are now some of my best friends. They all inspire me everyday.
What is your favorite collage or collection right now on Locker?
Have to shoutout Kit from the Locker community, her Fall 24’ collection is so good.
What advice would you give yourself back when you were just getting started?
Always trust your gut. Start everything before you think you need to. Your network is going to be your net worth.
What are your top three products that you are a walking billboard for?
Anything Crown Affair, I think I own everything they make - I love a slick back look, so the cleansing scrub and leave-in conditioner are my favorites.
Elta MD tinted sunscreen - I’m don't love to wear a lot of makeup, so this is my face protection + a little tint.
What are your favorite brands at the moment?
Reformation, Crown Affair, and American Vintage. Currently trying to coordinate a Reformation factory visit as a Locker community event!
That sounds so fun! What beauty product do you buy on repeat? Do you have a go-to splurge vs. save product?
On repeat, I love Nudestix makeup. I am obsessed with their bronzing stick - I reorder it constantly. Nudestix allows me to have a no-makeup-makeup look and their compact packaging is something I can throw in my purse for on the go. I also just bought the Rhode blush in sleepy girl, the soft mauve color, and I am obsessed. I actually love all of the Rhode products (I just secretly don't think they smell very good).
My “splurge” product is the La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream Moisturizer - it is honestly so ridiculously expensive, but I have been wearing it for 8 years and I am addicted. My "save" product is aquaphor - I am not a lip product girl...no lip liner, lip gloss, lipstick, only aquaphor lol.
I have all of my beauty go-to’s linked on my beauty collection on Locker.
Top three favorite items in your closet right now and why?
I have been really into wide leg jeans. I have been wearing my Levi’s low rise dad jeans on repeat. They finally have made jeans more comfortable again.
I have been loving my white Bottega Mini Jodie bag for summer.
I am also very into sets (I swear they are a part of my identity). Sets make style seem so effortless. I have so many fun sets in my summer collection on Locker.
Top three items on your wishlist right now?
I think I might want a new Bottega bag for fall - I am just not sure which one. I am have also been eyeing a new pair of Chanel flats. And then Ryan and I just moved so we really just need to focus on furnishing our home.
What’s one thing in your closet you’ll never get rid of?
My bags. Bags are something that I invest in and plan to keep for life. I also hope I get to hand them down one day!
What do you think will be your favorite trend for fall?
Going back to American Vintage, I really love a big oversized knit paired with boxer shorts and a kitten heel - I think it is a super effortless, casual, but cool look. I also think like last fall that denim-on-denim will be big again and then colorwise, I think brown and maroon will be the colors of the season.
What are you eyeing right now for your home?
My husband and I just moved and we have literally no furniture, so we’re eyeing so many pieces. You can take peek at everything we have on our home wishlist in my home collection on Locker.
What habit would you most like to break? What habit would you most like to start?
Habit to break - I have this disorder called Trichotillomania - it is a mental health disorder where you pull on your hair. I do it when I am really focused but it is definitely something I would like to work on breaking.
Habit to start - I would love to start time blocking my calendar. I think blocking time for work and to relax would help me be more efficient day to day.
Your go-to’s when you’re having a rough moment, day or week?
A walk and talk, always. I love to walk and when I walk I always try to call my mom or my sister. Something else that always helps me get out of my own head is trying to help other people. Doing something for someone else always helps put life back into perspective.
What area of your life, right now, makes you feel the best?
This might sound cheesy, but honestly it is building Locker. I am so proud of how far we’ve come and the community we have built. I can't wait for what is to come!
What would you recommend to read, watch or listen to at the moment?
I just read The Women by Kristin Hannah and it was incredible - all of her books are amazing. My favorite genre is WWII so I also loved The Nightingale by Kristin.
To watch… honestly I just finished Love Island USA. Everyone is also saying to watch Presumed Innocent so I will try that one next.
If you got to choose one celebrity to switch bodies with for one week who would it be?
Hailey Beiber and Margot Robbie - probably pre-pregnancy though. They are both stunning pregnant and not pregnant but I am just not ready to be pregnant yet lol.
Funniest thing in your purse right now?
Coins...I have a skill where I can spot any coin on the sidewalk and I always pick them up so I always have loose change in my bag.
What is gracing your beverage rotation?
Iced decaf espresso with coconut milk. I make mine with my Nespresso every morning. I am also just a plain water girl so I drink lots of water throughout the day and then in the evenings I've been addicted to the De Soi Spritz Italiano. I put it in a wine glass with ice and it just feels fun.
What’s next! What are you most excited for as you take on the rest of 2024?
We have some really exciting product launches coming up for Locker in Q4 that I am so excited for! On a personal level, I am just excited to be an aunt - my sister had twin girls in January so I am just relishing in this time. And then also just really excited to be furnishing our house so we can start hosting friends and family!
Hope you loved the first After Hours feature - I can’t wait to continue sharing the voices of the people I adore and who are sources of so much inspiration! Make sure you follow and send love to Kristine and check out Locker.
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This series is so fun! I loved learning more about Kristine and want to check out Locker now!
Love this! I’ve been using locker for a few months myself!