Ronning ~ Local entrepreneur fuses art and community

By Abigail Blonigen

"I’m the CEO my parents wanted me to marry,” reads one of Kia Ronning’s sticker designs, several of which sold out the day they went on sale.

Ronning has always been a creative person, but had never thought about turning her talents into a business. That was until she posted a T-shirt she made for her child on social media and was contacted by Natasha Lancour of RoyalRoots Garden asking for Ronning to come up with a design for her business.

One thing led to another, and Ronning launched her company, Keeks Kreations, in January 2021, officially becoming an LLC in June of that year. She makes tumblers, keychains, home decor, shirts and more, all of which can be customized to fit a business’ brand or a customer’s style.

“(The business) started as a hobby to reduce stress, to make some cool stuff for my kids. And then one person believed in me and I was like, hey, yeah, I think I can do this,” she said.

Since then, through community connections and word of mouth, Ronning has created merchandise for the YWCA, the University of Minnesota-Duluth track and field team, Deep Cuts barber shop, Cheesecake & Company and more.

Ronning tends to follow her curiosity when it comes to creating, with a specific focus on Black and queer empowerment, as she is a Black pansexual woman herself.

“I definitely do follow my joy, and that's what leads to my different creations — things that are super important to me like Black History Month and Pride Month. Those are two of the main things that really inspire me the most,” she said.

Since launching her business,

Ronning has come up with special collections for Pride, Black History Month and Juneteenth each year. Her commitment to these causes extends beyond her designs, as she does work in the community as well.

In February 2021, Ronning launched the Northland Black Business Showcase to uplift other Black-owned businesses in the Twin Ports. The event was so successful that some vendors nearly sold out of their products.

“The support from the community was so fierce at this event. It was so amazing,” Ronning said.

Ronning organized the showcase again in February 2022 and is already excited for 2023. She hopes to grow the event each year, with the hopes of one day filling the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.

“It paves the way for more Black businesses to come forward and do their thing and get out there,” she said of the showcase.

Ronning’s passion for the community extends to her professional life as well, as she is co-coordinator of MEGA (Making Equal Genders Awesome) at Men as Peacemakers in Duluth. This program works with local schools to facilitate conversations around gender, race and teamwork in a safe space where students are encouraged to ask questions.

“Their minds are so pure,” Ronning said. “They already have such unique minds of their own. We have several kids who identify as trans or gender-fluid at such young ages, and when we have those conversations, there's no one in the room making fun of them for being

Ronning herself has two kids, ages 10 and nearly 2, and a husband who has been a relentless supporter of her business endeavors. She grew up in St. Paul and has lived in Oklahoma, Indiana and California, officially making the Twin Ports home in 2016.

Juggling a family, full-time job and small business often results in late nights and lots of coffee, but the joy it brings Ronning makes it worth it.

Ronning encourages folks wanting to start their own business or side hustle to take the leap.

“Find support, because it's out there,” she said. “There are so many people who love supporting small businesses. … My advice would be to take the leap, especially if you have the time. Take that leap, believe in yourself, and find the people who are going to support you.”

Keep up with Keeks Kreations on Facebook at @ keekskreations1, Instagram and TikTok at @keekskreationswi or online at keekskreations.com and be on the lookout for this year’s Pride collection, launching in June. D