KFF Consulting

A minor act of rebellion.

I fell in love with a bag today. It was pushed to me via an instagram ad and I was hooked. Knowing the brand well, I knew that I would love it and visited the website.

I proceeded to screenshot the bag, close the site and DM one of my favorite local boutiques who I know carries the line. “Are you getting this bag? Or can you?” Within minutes I got a resounding “YES!”

The bag is reserved for me at this lovely small business down the street. I flipped the script on how many people support the internet to the detriment of brick and mortars that give so much back to local communities.

Rather than go into a store and discover a well-curated item and then find it for $5 cheaper on the Internet (something that customers would do all the time in my past life as a boutique owner), I fell in love on the internet and then gave the sale to a greater local love. Sometimes these items cost the same amount, sometimes they are discounted and yes, sometimes they cost a few dollars more. It is a small price to pay to keep my favorite places alive.

Win-Win.

How will you shop small and local today? What small businesses do you go out of your way to support?

Featured here: an amazing local gift shop flat of the hill who will get my coveted bag and Charles St Supply CO. the BEST hardware and kitchen/home supply store around!

I often get asked how I can live in a city during a pandemic. What I’ve found over and over again is that I need the life of a city now more than ever.

As an extrovert, the isolation and distance from others has been my biggest challenge. Taking walks outside our local parks and just seeing other people walking dogs, skating on the pond, sharing socially-distant coffee on a bench has given me life.

Today, I was delighted to see our Make Way For Ducklings statues decked out for Chinese New Year. Being 1/2 Chinese this touched me deeply. These ducks (and the wonderful secret people who keep them outfitted) bring joy to residents and visitors year round. And btw if 2021 hasn’t lived up to your hopes just yet why don’t you celebrate with us February 12th and take a do over?

What gives YOU joy, peace, hope during this tough time?

To my wonderful clients who have taken a chance on MY new business, I am forever grateful. I have enjoyed the projects, the challenges, the creativity and the camaraderie. I am humbled and grateful to help your small businesses grow. Thank you. 🙏

During my 15+ years as a small business retail store owner, and now as a small business consultant, I have thought about the many hats we wear as entrepreneurs. Our to do lists are long and often messy. Our original daily goals get altered and pushed aside for the realities of a clogged toilet or client in crisis. And we react. And we pivot. And we change. And we solve.

The art of entrepreneurship isn’t in doing everything RIGHT, it’s in DOING. And thinking quickly and flexibly and realizing life is messy and business can be messy.

Small business owners are unique and malleable and can see the end game while reacting to the obstacles in the way.

Never forget that juggling the balls is your SUPER POWER. You are switching between tasks so quickly that others don’t know it’s happening. And that is not being disorganized. That’s being amazing!

In 2001, I opened my first store, Moxie, a women’s shoes, bags and accessories boutique. In 2008, I gave her a sister store in a nearby suburb.

I LOVED being a small business owner and I adored my shops. I stayed open for 15+ years and closed due to rising rents, world domination by Amazon and other online sites and the popularity of fast-fashion.

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my business. There is such honor in serving communities, employing others and juggling the 100s of daily challenges of small business ownership.

I understand small business. I lived small business and it is now a part of my “character DNA.” That’s why I have chosen to help other small businesses now. I marry my past corporate communications experience with my first-hand knowledge of small business challenges to identify and solve problems which are sometimes hard to see when you are too close to them.

If you need another set of eyes and a resource who gets it, I’d love to chat with you.