Children's Books as a Therapeutic Alternative -Books2Inspire

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kira Parris-Moore, Owner of Books2Inspire, located in Durham, NC, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Hi, my name is Kira, and I own a small business publisher based out of Durham, NC. My company is called Books2inspire, and we believe that the "written word sparks change." My books focus on building social-emotional learning and inspiring creative intelligence. They are for ages 4-12 and are in simple language for children to understand these complex topics. My customers tend to be families with small children or working professionals who work with children, such as teachers, therapists, principals, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, librarians, etc.

Tell us about yourself

I have a professional background in mental health as a licensed child and family therapist and have worked in this field for almost 20 years. I was inspired to write books back in 2019 when I learned that my autistic son, Trey, had a passion for cooking. This knowledge opened up possibilities for a different kind of future for Trey (he has moderate autism), and I wanted to encourage other families that were dealing with this challenge to see that their child/children can still go on to do great things! So, this was my inspiration for creating my book series, to give hope and education on different behavioral health challenges and to ignite the passion for creativity in all children.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is that I was able to get my books into most of the public libraries in Durham and surrounding areas. Now children that are local can enjoy my books in their local library and know that an author from their community wrote them!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things for a business owner is marketing. I am not a marketing expert, and because of that, I find marketing to be my biggest challenge. They are so many books out there that are published each day, and to stand out amongst all that competition can be challenging. It's hard to find your audience in a sea of so many other authors. However, I welcome the challenge and am learning and growing in marketing each day!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Be kind to yourself and realize that starting and running your own business is a marathon, not a race.
Networking is very important, and so is collaboration. Be sure to collaborate with like-minded individuals, and do consider mentorship!
Be cautious with how you spend your money and don't go bankrupt trying to run your own business. Do what you can to keep your overhead costs low, which is easier if you are only online and not a brick and mortar.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://books2inspire.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/books2inspire
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/books2nspire/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InspireBooks2

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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