Dream Hotels Blog

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we sat down with Queen of Confidence, Serena F**king Kerrigan. Take a look into her world and find out how she became the fearless, independent and self-sufficient woman we all look up to. 

Describe yourself in three words

“Confident, Positive, Sensitive”

What’s your favorite city you’ve been to?

“This question gets me every time. It’s too hard to pick just one. I am planning to go to Tokyo in November and I literally can’t wait! If you’re reading this: DM me your recs!”

What do you love about NYC?

“The people, the energy, the creativity, the hustle… the open-mindedness and independence instilled in me since I was a young girl growing up on the Upper West Side. My mom told me she chose to immigrate to NYC because of the Frank Sinatra lyric, “if I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere” and it sounds about right.”

What piece of advice do you have for Gen Z young women?

“I cannot imagine being so young and having access to so much information and not be constantly comparing myself. My advice would be to stop focusing on others and focus what you can control instead: your own narrative.”

What are you most proud of?

“I’m most proud of the brand I have built, which, at the end of the day, is about making people happy. The sense of fulfillment and stability I feel from loving myself empowers me to go after my dream. That dream is to inspire others to feel the same way: to love themselves unapologetically and believe in their own power.”

Where does your biggest source of confidence come from?

“Myself. However, I am deeply indebted to my mother for always giving me the reassurance I need when I have bouts of insecurity.”

What does being an independent woman mean to you?

“Being financially independent and feeling genuinely fulfilled without a partner. I used to base my self worth on attention from men and I hated feeling the lack of control. I worked diligently through self-affirmations and therapy to learn how to love myself without depending on the admiration of others.”

Who is your biggest inspiration?

“My parents. My mother immigrated to the U.S. after becoming a doctor in Argentina and then became an established TV executive. My father paid his own way through university and became a successful screenwriter and film & TV director. Both of them pursued what they genuinely love doing and ultimately taught me to value my time over simply making money.”

How do you get yourself out of funk?

“I let myself feel it for the day (like really feel it), but I promise myself to move forward the following day. This means waking up, working out and getting back to work with a positive attitude. Making a to-do list always calms me down. I remind myself to always take things one step at a time.”

What would you tell your 15-year-old self?

“Everyone is insecure and will try to dim your light so they can feel better about themselves. Keep being you. (Also, you’re going to get into an amazing college and forget about that junior in high school who broke your heart!)”

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

“CEO SFK LFG!”

Lastly, what are your travel essentials?

“Can’t travel without my Silk Slip eye mask, my Cabeau travel pillow, CLEAR membership and dried mango slices. I prefer to take early bird flights so I can sleep and wake up fresh!” 

With her Q&A’s being nearly addicting, and her confidence being contagious, trust us that SFK is someone you should have already been following. So, take our advice, and click here.