Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberly Boyd. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Kimberly, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
My self care routine includes therapy, staying in touch with my friends and family, attending church and going to my favorite restaurants. My self care routine is not hard and doesn’t require a lot of time but I sometimes still drop the ball. It’s easy to put everything and everyone in front of the things I enjoy doing but it’s important to make sure I take care of myself to prevent burn out . There have been many times when life got so busy that I stopped prioritizing self care then ended up exhausted and had a bad demeanor. I’m much more effective in everything I do after a great therapy session, church, surrounding myself with the people who matter the most to me and having a good meal that doesn’t involve me having to cook or clean afterward. I love to hang out and socialize.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Auntie Kim’s Pound Cakes was started in 2020 when my husband/co-owner and I decided to turn my baking hobby into a small business. We were immediately hit with an extraordinary number of start up challenges due to the pandemic, but were able to successfully pivot from baking at home to opening a brick and mortar location in 2022. My husband retired from his job at Equifax in order to devote all of his time to this business endeavor. It is truly a passion project for us because we have always wanted a way for us to be more philanthropic in our church and community. By us running a old school ” Mom and Pop” bakery, we are able to home school our youngest daughter, interact with our customers, make more charitable donations, as well as share the love we have for operating a small bakery .
We’re excited about the prospect of growing this family business. Our our daughter is learning school lessons, as well as learning on the job training as our marketing manager. It’s the best of both worlds for her educational exposure. We are also venturing into expanding our online presence by finding influencers who can help us increase knowledge of our brand nationwide.
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?
I’d like to advise folks that there will be many supporters as well as many unbelievers. Always remember that at the end of the day, this is YOUR vision and everyone may not be able to see it as clear as you can. Always believe in yourself! Bet on YOU! Do not give others enough leverage to determine YOUR journey.
The three most valuable and impactful qualities you will need in this journey are: 1) have faith in God and yourself; 2) don’t be afraid to call a friend and/or find a mentor to support you; and 3) DO NOT GIVE UP when challenges and obstacles appear in your way, because obstacles are par for the course. Expect that the unexpected may happen and don’t quit when it does !
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The number one obstacle our small business is facing is the cost of goods. Everything from rising interest rates, inflation, even eggs have outperformed our projected expense for the first year in the brick and mortar. We have had to increase our prices for our products to stay afloat. We are also booking booking private and public event venues such as the Alpharetta Farmer’s Market to increase revenue.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://auntiekimspoundcakes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auntiekimspoundcakes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auntiekimspoundcakes/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-boyd-721877
