Meet K.t. Braxton

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful K.t. Braxton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

K.T., looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My parents instilled a work ethic in me from a young age. I was raised by tremendous forces who were the epitome of work hard, but play hard. I must admit I learned a bit too much of the work hard part, and I am still learning the play hard part.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am unashamedly Christian and unapolgetically Black. That shows up in all I do. I am the CEO of Braxton Management, Kenny’s 622 Trowbridge, and the Don In Heels Inc. Additionally, I am the author of “The Don in Heels: the Inner Thoughts of thee Minnie Mogul”. I have recently leaned into my nature as an “analytical creative”. I am adamant about utilizing our gifts to the fullest no matter how many primary gifts we possess. I want God to get the glory out me, and serving people is at the core of everything I do.

Braxton Management is ten years old this year and that is so wild to me. I was in undergrad with zero dollars, but I founded my second business and services has evolved. This firm specializes in Administration and Operations Management. Our offerings include but are not limited: fractional COO or full service operations management, virtual assistance, project management, consulting, and workshop facilitation. This firm has a growing team. I have engaged with interns and contractors over the years, but on track with our growth plan I hired my first W2 employee in 2024. I lovingly refer to Braxton Management as my day job. It reflects my analytical side, desire to find and maintain order, and support organizations who uplift communities.

Kenny’s 622 Trowbridge is the most personal venture. It is named after the address of an old family home on the North End of Detroit stolen in the long game of gentrification. It is an ode to my family and speaks to my love of food and community. Food all around the world regardless of cuisine type is a symbol of love and community. In my personal life, it is the biggest way I show love. With cooking and baking being my passion and therapy, it was hard to share this part of me openly but I am grateful I took that leap when I started in this company in 2019. Currently, I primarily offering personal chef services, cooking classes, and menu curation. Though food has become business, I still love every bit of it and try to create in the kitchen just for fun to keep it fresh.

The Don in Heels Inc is the vehicle to release my creative works, the first of which was my first novel published last year. Music is one of my first loves, and I am slowly pushing myself to reconcile with my voice and show the love and care it deserves. I want to spend my life pouring out because my God has poured so much into me. In the background, I am working to bring a concept to realization which has been in ideation since 2022. This new offering will allow Kenny’s 622 Trowbridge to expand services and support other food and beverage entrepreneurs and novices in Detroit and beyond. More initiatives will role out linking creativity, community, and business as time progresses. I look forward to sharing the journey.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Resilience, adaptability, and honesty have all been paramount. To anyone early in entrepreneurship or really anything new, those three qualities are key. Life is not as easy as some people say, though we often make it harder than it needs to be. We have to learn to cope and move forward. Hiccups will come but you can’t just fold at each one, or what’s the point? Being resilient is necessary, but why make it through all the hiccups if we don’t learn to adapt to the new environments. Landscapes will evolve, so we have to learn to evolve and adapt. That does not mean lose your integrity and values, but it means our offering or approach to providing what we have to offer may need adaptation to count. Lastly, “honesty is the best policy” still holds true. There is power in honesty and integrity, even when they are not the popular choices.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am open to strategic partnerships, and this more than ever I have focused on that. I believe firmly that humans are not islands. We need each other in some capacity, and this is relevant to business also. I am seeking people with scruples who understand and respect cultural differences, who want to see everybody succeed because they know we all can if we work our strengths, who uplift communities in impactful ways, and who complement the qualities and skills I possess and vice versa.

Contact Info:

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