Meet Susan Kanoff | Nonprofit founder, style/beauty influencer, and cancer patient advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Susan Kanoff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Susan, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
As the founder of Uncommon Threads, The Midlife Fashionista, and co-founder of Kicking Cancer in Heels, there is a “common thread” of empowering women. I truly believe that when women support and believe in one another, we become stronger together, thus benefitting our communities. Although each endeavor is a bit different, they all have the same mission–women’s empowerment.

I started Uncommon Threads in October 2016 as a natural fit for my social work job (working with low-income families to move them out of poverty) and my part-time gig as a wardrobe stylist and style blogger. The program served over 2,700 women in need in 2022, and will soon be replicated in another area of the U.S. Uncommon Threads taps into the power of fashion and personal development coaching to help women build self-esteem and self-confidence. Not only does the program provide clothing as a basic need (defraying expenses for struggling women), but it also helps them to feel strong and confident to take ”next steps” in life.

The Midlife Fashionista was started in 2015 as a style blog, and has morphed into a large social media platform that helps women over 40 (in my case 60!) overcome stereotypes related to aging. Although The Midlife Fashionista showcases mainly fashion and beauty, I also push women to step out of their comfort zone and show up as their best selves at any age. In addition, I cover lifestyle, travel, and health topics.

I co-founded Kicking Cancer in Heels with Michele Nadeem-Baker, a well-known cancer patient advocate. Kicking Cancer in Heels is an online platform to support and bring hope to women impacted by cancer. Both Michele and I bring our personal experiences and knowledge to the table as we are blood cancer patients.

Although each segment of my career is separate, they are also tied together by my passion for empowering women.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m the type of person who “just does it”. When I get an idea, I act on it. Sometimes it’s a good thing, and sometimes I have an ”aha” moment of “what did I do?” However, jumping in has actually been the catalyst for taking action and creating something out of nothing. And every time I create, I want to do more.

Uncommon Threads is a combination of my two careers as a wardrobe stylist and social worker. It organically morphed right out of my social work office where I collected clothing to distribute to women in my program. After several years of doing this, it was apparent that I needed to create a nonprofit to serve even more women. There were lots of obstacles along the way including time (I was working two other jobs for the first six months after starting the program) and money.
I pushed myself physically far beyond my limits, working late into the evenings and weekends. I can’t be sure, but I believe that the physical and mental exhaustion may have been a factor in my leukemia diagnosis in 2018. Lesson learned the hard way–health is everything! However, I’m very proud of all that I accomplished through Uncommon Threads (over 7,000 low-income women served since the program’s inception) and program replication in the works!

The Midlife Fashionista is a business that I’m very proud of. I’ve overcome my own fears of being in the spotlight, public speaking, and learning new skills. I’m thrilled to say that my 40,000+ following is all organically grown and my blog www.themidlifefashionista.com has close to 2 million views.

And last, Kicking Cancer in Heels is a new initiative that I co-founded to bring hope, inspiration, resources, and support to women impacted by cancer. I look forward to growing this important platform and helping women to live fully despite a cancer diagnosis.

I’m proud to be a 61 year-old woman who continues to learn, take risks, and create new initiatives. I hope that I inspire others to throw age out the window and do what makes you happy. We can be our own worst critic (and sometimes enemy) which can hold us back. “Just do it.”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in the Greater Boston area which has SO much to offer.

We would have a day in Boston visiting the Seaport area, Newbury St for shopping, and eat our way through The North End and Faneuil Hall.

I’d also take my friend to some of the seaport towns such as Newburyport and Portsmouth, NH for scenic walks and of course a lobster roll.

We’d also take a ride to Newport, RI to walk the Cliff Walk and tour the mansions. The shopping in Newport is amazing as are the restaurants!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been many inspiring people in my life, but I have to give most of the credit to my amazing husband and children who unconditionally support me in all areas of my life. I’m lucky.

Website: www.themidlifefashionista.com www.uncommonthreads.org www.kickingcancerinheels.com

Instagram: @TheMidlifeFashionista @KickingCancerInHeels @UncommonThreadsBoutique

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-kanoff-12130213/

Twitter: @FashionCoach

Facebook: The Midlife Fashionista https://www.facebook.com/agreatnewlook/ Uncommon Threads https://www.facebook.com/uncommonthreadscloset

Other: Kicking Cancer in Heels FB page https://www.facebook.com/KickingCancerInHeels/

Image Credits
Sarah Jordan Photography (photo with clothes) Annie Rae’s Photography (photo in long coat)