New Job, New Title Who Dis?
This month we’re doing something different. I wanted to take a moment and interview my gracious Co-Founder Kimberlie Milton, because this month marks a SUPER important MILESTONE for her and us here at Restore More. This month, Kim decided to transition to the team FULL TIME, and if you’ve ever left a secure job for a DREAM, then you know how scary that is!!!
In the Spring of 2018, Kim and I were on the phone one day, and I mentioned a barely clear idea to her that would eventually become Restore More. I asked her to join me, whatever that meant, and oddly enough said “YES!”. I think that’s a testament to Kim’s personality when she trusts you, she will support you and show up for you time and time again. With her enthusiastic “YES” we set out for our first meeting at Cenacle Coffee Shop & Bistro, a black owned business, in Austell. We had no idea then what we’d become, but we had a vision of her coming on full time within 5 years. Though far out, it seemed realistic since we were starting from scratch. No clients, no capital, no extensive networks, and no prior business knowledge.
Over the last two years we’ve read, studied, watched films, wrote down our ideas, refined them, went to conferences, joined a Social Innovation Fellowship, gained a business coach, networked our buts off, gained a client roster we’re extremely proud of, and created multiple revenue streams. Due to all the traction since Covid we’re at a point where if Kim doesn’t come on full time then we’ll be at a disservice to our best partners. So with another leap of faith, and a dedication to showing up Kim is now here full time, and for us that’s pretty EPIC! So enough of me rambling here’s Kim answering a few questions I gave her no warning about ….lol.
-Claudine
Why did you decide to transition now, in the midst of a pandemic?
It's crazy because the pandemic is the reason why I decided to make the transition. When we started the Monday Night Circles it was a way for me to process the pandemic and racial injustices. Through those nights I was really able to see and feel the impact of healing during these challenging times. I knew then that now is when our resources and services were needed the most, and I wanted to be a part of that healing for our communities on a full time basis.
What unique gifts do you contribute to the team?
I like to think that my superpower is bringing people's visions to life. I've always found that my sweet spot is making things that are dreamlike concrete, and I find so much joy in showing those things to the dreamers I work with. I also like to bring order to things, I feel like I'm that cog in the wheel that ensures that things keep going. I don't mind being in the background either. I don't like being the main voice or the main focal point, but rather I like to be in the support role.
What do you hope to accomplish now that all your brain capacity can focus on Restore More?
Yeah, so the first thing is just wrapping my head around the fact that I can focus on fully building my dream. So fully putting my energy into this and accepting it is a huge deal. I also want to bring brand awareness. I like to make things pretty, and I feel like I have an eye for what is attractive. I want our brand to be like that, because I know we have amazing content and I want to be able to present that in the best way, on the best channel, with the best graphic, in the best design possible. I want to make sure that our brand is best dressed, so to speak, because this work is amazing and important.
What advice would you give to yourself two years ago when we began this venture?
Yoooo, that’s crazy! I would say believe in your capacity to grow. I would tell myself to lean into what you believe in, because it will grow. Trust your talent, because even though others may not have recognized all the things that you bring to the table you have skills and talents that make you unstoppable. I wish that I would’ve had more of the confidence that I have now, so I would tell myself, “Sis you got to just do it, and trust the process”!
What have you learned about yourself since becoming an entrepreneur?
What I have learned about myself is that I'm an entrepreneur! HA! I mean I never never ever ever ever considered that I would be a person who would build something from scratch and have it be the thing that not only supported my livelihood, but also brings amazing goodness to the world. I grew up thinking I would be a part of an organization, and try to make change within and go through the ranks and do what I needed to do. But now that I'm an entrepreneur, I've learned that it's okay to have had all those experiences, because they support me now. I now accept and embrace that I have a different way of approaching a problem. It reinforces the notion that if you do the work the life that you want will come, and so as an entrepreneur I have definitely learned to lean into what makes me happy and feel whole.
P.S. Thank you for all your support throughout this journey, without you there’d be no Restore More. We’ll be forever grateful for the way you all show up again and again!
- Kimberlie
