President of Keys Soulcare on her dream collab with Alicia, and why helping bring Keys Soulcare to life is her biggest career win so far.
– KEYS SOULCARE
In case you didn’t get the memo, resumes and reputations are only part of our professional stories. Sometimes, the biggest career win is working on something that speaks to your soul. For Kory Marchisotto, Keys Soulcare’s President, it is bringing this community to life. Our recent interview gave us a chance to get deep — and personal — about the connection between her highest vision for herself and Alicia’s vision for bringing a groundbreaking endeavor (a.k.a. Keys Soulcare) to life.
Read on for peeks behind the scenes, career tips, and personal reflections that left our souls a little more lifted, too.
Can you talk a bit about what led you to partner with Alicia to bring Keys Soulcare to life?
I like to say that true happiness is when you can no longer tell the difference between your dreams and your reality. I’ve been in the beauty industry for over 20 years, and I’ve never been more inspired or touched by an encounter. Translating Alicia’s essence into a lifestyle beauty brand has been the most soul-enriching project of my career. As Alicia generously shared her vision and the power of meaningful words, she challenged us to reach for the highest vision [of what it might be].
How did that moment inform what we’re experiencing now?
Our initial idea was to create skincare, but we realized that Alicia’s vision had the power to transcend beauty and to create something far deeper. We were inspired by her song lyrics, and we asked ourselves, “If we do the unthinkable, would it make us look crazy… or would it be so beautiful?”
That “all in,” body, mind, and spirit connection is something that our community has so resonated with, though!
Completely! And, again [to borrow] Alicia’s words, “Once you free your mind, there’s beauty in everything.” Specifically in the beauty space, there are all these cares — skincare, nail care, haircare — but the essence of soulcare is that beauty is not one thing that comes from one place. It’s an energy that lies at the intersection of body, mind, and spirit; setting an intention and practicing rituals to take care of the whole you.
How did professional and personal courage play into this for you?
For me, it’s not one “C” — it’s three: curiosity, courage, and conviction. It starts with Curiosity — having a voracious appetite for listening and learning, and constantly expanding your horizons by spending most of your time with what you don’t know.
Courage, for me, is being bold enough to think without borders or boundaries. To see beyond yourself, your role, your industry, and blaze a new trail — or even create a new category, which is what we did with “soulcare.”
And then Conviction, of course, because the path from idea to execution is not linear — it’s long and winding and filled with roadblocks, so you have to carry your ideas and action plans with relentless conviction. And that’s something that Alicia inspires in me — and in everyone around her. Don’t let anyone dim your light or tell you you can’t. And when they do, and they will — turn that into a fire in your belly to show them that you can.
What big lessons are you learning about yourself?
The power of affirmations. Very early on in the journey, Alicia taught us that she stands in front of the mirror every day and repeats affirmations to herself. I had never done this before in my life. And now every day, I stand in front of the mirror and tell myself, “You are strong, capable, and unstoppable.” Kicking off my day by setting an intention and repeating those positive words to myself has completely changed my whole perspective and has become a ritual for me.
What’s your definition of success right now?
I define success by the number of people I can lift up along my journey. I find my greatest joy in helping people recognize that they’re more capable than they give themselves credit for, helping activate their superpowers, and shining a spotlight on their success. My proudest moments are watching others shine.
Keys Soulcare is consistently recognized as a place that puts being “human” into its strategic decisions, culture, and identity. What is this era we’re living through teaching you about leadership?
You have to be true to your values, and you have to be accountable for those values. Our core, fundamental purpose — that we’re for every eye, lip, and face — is inherently inclusive. When you have a clear vision, mission, and values, you have an authentic path forward. You don’t just say the words; you live them.
You’ve shared how grateful you are to wake up every day and do what you love with people you admire, for brands that you believe in. What impact has that reality made in your life?
Three words: The Highest Vision. I look back at my career and while I’m grateful for every brand and person I worked with, I also see that there’s a difference between the Kory now and the Kory who was “on” during earlier parts of my journey. The difference here is I’m free to dream. There are no borders, boundaries, or handcuffs to [stop us from] moving forward with what might seem like a crazy idea. Dreaming this highest vision with Alicia — and then working with the incredible team here to achieve it — has truly been a dream come true.
If someone wanted to receive your advice or your take on finding their way to a place like that, what would you tell them?
Have a clear and honest understanding of yourself — and that requires self-reflection. What makes you tick? What does it take for you to be your best self? What are the conditions necessary for you to thrive? That’s the most important starting point. Then go find the conditions where you are free to allow your best self to happen.
What resonated with you about Kory’s story? Connect with us and share some of your own in the comments!
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