Charlotte’s Karly Barker—mom of four and founder of Courtside Kids—runs her life like her brand: flexible, fast-moving and built to keep up. What started in 2022 after her son asked for “cool” clothes is now a growing line for boys and girls in 100+ stores. Living steps from her kids’ school, her days blend work and home in a “beautiful kind of chaos.”
5–7 A.M. WAKE, WORKOUT, QUIET TIME
The goal is always to wake up before my kids and make a 5:30 workout class at Studio Fire. On the days I can get that time—workout, a little scripture, a quiet minute to think—I’m a much better version of myself. But I’ve learned parenthood is all about flexibility. Some mornings, my toddler is up before the sun, and that becomes the start of the day. That’s okay too.
7–9:30 A.M. GET THE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL
By 7:00, our house is busy with breakfast, missing socks and water bottles. My husband is hands-on in the morning, which makes a huge difference. The three big kids are out the door by 7:15, then it’s a quick reset—checking schedules, getting ready and preschool drop-off around 9. By 9:30 or 10:00, I’m officially in work mode.
10:00 A.M.–NOON DESIGN WORK
We now have two full-time and a handful of part-time employees in and out, so every day looks different—which I love. A big part of my day is product design and storytelling. We typically have a design meeting around 11, and we’re almost always working a year ahead. Right now, we’re designing Spring/Summer 2027.
We pull a lot of inspiration from Baxter Mill in Rock Hill, which is one of the largest textile archives in the country. We’ve turned vintage wallpaper into prints for our collections.
12:30–2:30 P.M. PHOTOSHOOTS AND KID SCHEDULES
Afternoons are focused on marketing—social, email or ad strategy. This year, we’re testing a drop-a-month model, which means a lot more storytelling and content. We work closely with Proper House here in Charlotte; they really feel like an extension of our brand at this point. This is when we try to squeeze in photo shoots. Since our models are kids, schedules revolve around school and sports. By late afternoon, my car is usually filled with props, shoes and whatever else didn’t quite make it back inside.
4–6 P.M. IT’S A FAMILY OPERATION
I try hard to step away by 3 or 4 to be with my kids. Before Courtside, I was a stay-at-home mom, so I don’t take the afternoon hours for granted—carpool, practices, just being present.
The kids are constantly in and out of my office, a converted guest house, so it’s very much a family operation. Our operations manager was our nanny before, so the kids are comfortable around the business.
My 8-year-old loves helping fulfill orders—and is shockingly good at it. My 11-year-old is always pushing us to do something “drippy.” This summer’s neon pink and baby blue combo? That was him. And my 13-year-old keeps me honest—she’s definitely my toughest critic.
6–8 P.M. DINNER TIME AND BEDTIME READING
Family dinner is really important to me, even if it’s pulled together last minute. I rely on Instacart and outsource where I can. I’m not afraid to say I have help; it’s the only way we make it all work. We keep meals simple—tacos, burgers—but we always try to sit down together.
Bedtime has become one of my favorite parts of the day. Even just 10 minutes of reading or talking with each child gives us quality time that really matters.
8–10 P.M. EVENING WORK AND DATE NIGHT
Once the kids are in bed, I’m back on my computer connecting with our factories in Vietnam. They’re about 12 hours ahead, so evenings are the perfect time to catch up.
We also really value date nights. My husband has a goal of working our way through some of the best restaurants in Charlotte. So far, Supperland and Kindred are our go-to spots. We love how Charlotte feels like a big little city, how you can zip uptown for a Broadway show and be right back home.