Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mandy Cordia, Founder of The Kindness Cause, located in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Kindness Cause is an e-commerce site that partners with nonprofit organizations to create, curate, and sell fashionable gifts that give back to easily support causes and issues when life is too busy to volunteer.
Tell us about yourself
I've worked in retail since I was 15 years old and spent the majority of my career as a corporate retail fashion buyer. I genuinely loved my career, but my outlook on the work changed after having children and crash-landing into burnout during the pandemic. I started therapy, and one of the most significant discoveries was that I had been neglecting my passion for giving back. Before having children, I volunteered my time to several charitable organizations. Life had become so busy that I no longer had time to volunteer. I started to buy gifts for my friends and family that supported charitable organizations as my way of giving back. The gifts became conversation starters about important issues and a way to learn about different nonprofits. However, it often took a lot of work to uncover and learn about the nonprofit benefiting from my purchase, and the giveback was often vague. As a product person, I didn't always love the selection offered. There had to be a better way. I decided that my many years of retail experience, coupled with my love of helping others, put me in a unique position to tackle the problem head-on, and The Kindness Cause was born.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It was a big accomplishment for me to launch this business. In the past, I was notorious for quitting on myself and my personal goals. I had a lot of mental hurdles to overcome to make this business a reality. It also was not easy to walk away from a great corporate job and a consistent income. So, launching the business and having the business still going successfully is a big accomplishment because it means I didn't quit on myself. The personal and professional growth I've had in making this business a reality has been well worth it.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
There are a lot of hard things about being a business owner, but I think the hardest part is discovering all the things you don't know. As a corporate retail buyer, I had my job down to a science. However, as a solo entrepreneur, I'm now responsible for accounting, social media, marketing, and website design, to name a few. I often have to remind myself to be kind to myself when I feel that these tasks take longer than they should.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Hire or outsource your weaknesses. This will free up time to focus on your strengths.
- Whatever you had budgeted for your initial marketing budget, double it or triple it.
- Be flexible. Be willing to adapt, and be willing to pivot as quickly and as often as needed.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://thekindnesscause.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekindnesscause
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekindnesscause/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lvkindnesscause
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-kindness-cause/
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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