Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Curt Jordan and Elke Robshaw, Founder of Thriving Kids Parenting, located in Seattle, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our business is Thriving Kids Parenting, and our Customers are parents looking for a way to have a happy family life.
Tell us about yourself
Curt:
My purpose is to be a light for all children so that they may grow up to be prepared for the world. I was born with the virtue of connecting with children and have spent over 20 years working with kids to develop their social and emotional skills through play and movement. In that time, I have developed and learned best practices for helping kids meet their milestones, and I wanted to give that knowledge to parents because I only get to see kids 1 or 2 times a week, but if I can help parents help their kids then that helps more people, and that's my mission.
Elke:
I was extremely impressed by Curt's ability to connect with children, set boundaries, and follow through. Every word he said had meaning, and all his students absolutely loved Curt's classes. I got involved as a volunteer in Kong Academy right after Curt started it and soon realized that Kong Academy's mission aligns with my values, and I got on board as a co-founder.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Curt:
Being in business and being in a growing business. Most businesses fail within the first five years, and we are still growing strong. Being able to earn a living by helping kids and parents gives me even more meaning and pride in my life.
Elke:
All our friends and even business advisors urged us to close our business when Covid hit the world. They thought it would only be for a month or two. However, we realized that our parents needed us now more than ever. We not only stayed open and kept serving our community, but we also grew our business by 10% in 2020 and then again by more than 50% in 2021.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Curt:
Responsibility. When I started a business, I was sadly incompetent but optimistic and had a purpose. The business required me to become better if it was going to survive, and as it grows, it continuously holds me to become better. It's a blessing, but it's painful. For example, I used to have an overwhelming fear of rejection which kept me from filming myself and making videos, as well as not making the right decisions I knew I had to make, and that held me back.
Elke:
One of the hardest things for me is making decisions, not knowing what the outcome is going to be. For every move, there are always several different options, and you just don't know what the impact of a decision is going to be. You don't know ahead of time if it was the best or the worst decision. You just have to go for it, look at the results and adjust if necessary. Sometimes those adjustments might mean you have to scrap the whole idea and find a new route.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find and follow your passion.
- Believe you can, and that's worth it.
- Be Persistent; Things WILL get hard.
- Bonus: Celebrate your victories.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://linktr.ee/kongacademy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KongAcademy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kongacademy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kongacademy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kong-academy/
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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