We had such a busy month in February with our first Buying Trip [we headed to Vegas!], getting the shop re-organized in our new location, along with events scheduled in collaborations with Little Icons, and The Women-To-Womens Portrait Series that we kinda of missed the ball in getting our February Babe of the Month posted! That being said, we have the loveliest of Babe’s all lined up for March!! Meet Kim – she’s a risk taker, a lover of plants, and a petite little thing with a big personality. Kim’s a true creative spirit and are so excited to share why we she inspires us on the daily.
To give a quick recap of our Babe highlight, here’s the jist: to us, a Babe isn’t just a foxy lady – to be honest, looks have nothing to do with it at all! A Babe is kind, smart and strong. She gives back to her community and sets an example by supporting those around her. In March, we celebrate International Women’s Day and think our Babe feature defines this role impeccably. Women supporting women.
As an added feature in support of giving back, each quarter we choose a charity to support with proceeds from the sales of our BABE sweaters. For the first quarter, we’ll be donating 10% of sales of the sweater to The Children’s Wish Foundation, a cause we love to support!
So let’s meet Kim, shall we?!
- You’ve made the move from being in front of the camera for CTV to being behind the camera for a production company, can you tell us a bit about the reason for that change?
That was the scariest change I’d ever made in my life. It still scares me. But I’d rather be scared and excited than comfortable and uninspired. And for the last couple years of my on-air career, that’s how it felt. I’ve always been a creative soul but somehow my personality led me to television. Don’t get me wrong, I had a blast… and as the saying goes “everything happens for a reason”. While co-hosting the morning shows in both Edmonton and Vancouver, I met the most amazing entrepreneurs in North America. I always thought – how courageous it is for these people to start their own businesses! My imagination would run wild, but the risks seemed too high. I had a comfy job, a nice paycheque, and most of all stability. Plus I worked so hard for almost a decade to get where I thought I wanted to be. I finally made it… and that’s when I think it went wrong. I burnt out without realizing. Viewers saw a peppy smiling face in the mornings, and all I saw in the mirror was someone who was never good enough. Between a toxic work environment, early morning hours, and impossible expectations – my mental health deteriorated. There was no “straw that broke the camel’s back”, honestly it just built up little by little until it finally toppled over. And sometimes, this is the best thing that could ever happen to you. My husband and I had filmed a couple of videos on the side every once in awhile after my morning shifts and over the weekend. I remember how much I loved telling stories and how happy it made these people. Then, in 2017 we made the leap. I quit my job… and along with my husband we started Plaid Collar Films. We take so much pride and joy in filming videos for couples getting married and other entrepreneurs. Their reaction to watching their films for the first time fills my soul so much more than being on TV ever did. There’s something to be said about taking your side hustle and turning it into your full time gig.
- For creatives feeling the creative burnout or lack of inspiration can be very real. Where do you get inspired, or where/how do you fuel your creative inspiration?
I think we are bombarded with so much content on social media. It’s non-stop. And it’s easy to get caught up with how many “likes” you get. The numbers game can get discouraging, so a lot of creatives resort to making content that they think will get them re-posted, shared etc. Sometimes I’ll look at the explore tab in Instagram and I swear I see the same picture in fifty different versions. Yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… but to be a TRUE artist/creative is to find your own style. Even if it’s not the “popular” thing to do at the time, I respect artists who think outside the box. My favorite creatives are the ones who might not post everyday, or have as many followers, but every single picture or video is interesting and unique. Their posts make me stop and look at the entire square in detail on my phone. I look at their composition, how they light their subjects, and colour palette. I’ll take their inspiration but put my own style and flare on it. Eventually, you find your own “je ne sais quoi” that other people stop and look twice at.
- You also have an incredibly impressive green thumb and your instagram gives us major plant envy! Where did your love of greenery come from? Did you move all of your plants with you from Vancouver?
Haha is it that obvious that I love plants?? Yes, it’s my obsession. My mother is a horticulturist at the University of Alberta in the Agriculture and Forestry faculty. We always had plants in the house and as I grew up – it definitely stuck with me. When I was a teenager I always said I was nothing like my mom…. Turns out I’m exactly like her! Having plants at work or home breathes LIFE into a space. Trust me, even if your house/condo/office/apartment isn’t that stylish just add some greenery and BAM… you got yourself a sanctuary. And yeah, I moved my plants from Vancouver to Edmonton. We had the choice of bringing our vacuum or my rubber tree. Guess which one was more important.
- Also, care to share any fool proof greenery tips with those of us like myself who tend to struggle with this? (Or are there good ‘beginner plants’ for those of us who struggle to keep greenery alive)
Through trial and error, I’ve come up with these few tips:
- Plants generally like bright, diffused light. So even though you have a bright room, the sunlight coming through the windows may in fact be scorching your leaves! I’ve killed many plants this way (RIP Steven, Delilah, and Aloe Vera Wang) So one day, I went to a hardware store to buy frosted glass in a can. I use Rust-Oleum Frosted Semi-Transparent Finish on my windows. I spray the windows that get harsh sun rays to diffuse the light. My plants are happy and healthy!
- IF you CANNOT make the permanent step of spraying your windows, I suggest using peel-off stained glass film (cheap from Amazon). BONUS: It casts amazing rainbows across your room and for some reason, my plants seem to grow faster.
- Choose one room in your home that you consider the “green room”. Control the moisture by running a couple humidifiers or diffusers. This emulates a tropical climate. I always have at least one on.
- If you keep forgetting to water your plants (don’t feel guilty, we’ve all done it) – buy an Aqua Globe. These will water your plants up to two weeks it’s amazing. It disperses the right amount of water every time and consistently!
- What’s your best tip for new businesses starting out or new entrepreneurs?
The first couple of years are going to be tough, no doubt about it. Learn how to do your own taxes – keep your receipts! Or hire an accountant. You’ll be thankful once tax season rolls around.
You’ll hear the word “NO” more than yes at the start, but don’t let it discourage you. Keep collaborating with other entrepreneurs and learn from them. I can’t tell you how many times we did things for free.
Don’t look at someone else’s work and be jealous at their success. Supporting your peers does not diminish your own accomplishments. This should only push you harder.
Be kind. This is an obvious one… but I’ve seen so many people burn bridges, and it got them nowhere. And don’t pretend to be kind, actually learn to be a good person and push the negativity out of your life.
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Amen to that! Thanks Kim, you are a true inspiration. It was our pleasure to get to know you better, and can’t wait to see how your creativity grows with Plaid Collar Films!
Some of our other Babe features || Zehra || Jennifer || Jayme || Karissa || Jessie || Nicole
the skinny's closet 