Thank you! It's Our Anniversary!
From the CEO:
I cringe looking at my first business card. It was so plain and understated. Beige marble background with bold black letters. "Kimberly D. Clarke, Virtual Assistant, Business Consultant." The name of the company was in a smaller font, to the right side, right above my location and phone number. It's amazing. I had been freelancing (and working) in Administrative, Consulting, Management and other related roles for more than 6 years before I ever considered needing a business card, or forming a business around what I did. By 2009, I had already helped form multiple companies, among other things, putting together strategies and design templates for them. I had been freelancing so long, when it came time to choose a name, logo and plan for the business, I immediately hit a brain freeze. I'll be completely honest, I let my boyfriend (of that time) project his fears on it.
"Why would you do that?"
"So, how much more you gonna be out of the house?"
"You really think you gone make more money by doing all that? You do just fine now, Kimberly! You need to just relax. You're never satisfied."
"You already do too much for people. They already don't pay you enough. You gonna put money back into a business. That doesn't make sense."
And, worst of all, "what if it don't work, baby? You don't need that stress."
I figured out much later that he was more concerned with me being domesticated to his service than he was with me. Even after leaving that relationship, I still had my own fears. Not of failure, but of success. Afraid of being the leader. Afraid of standing out. None of my friends were doing anything like it. I was afraid of how badly they would talk about me. It was like high school all over again. I was ashamed of being the "too tall, too corny, always has to be right, thinks she knows everything girl who never stopped talking about anything other than what everyone else was talking bout." Even after forming the business, I never promoted, never talked about it. My own family had no idea. It was by God's grace clients came to me. I was deathly scared and lacked all confidence in myself. I was just fine doing the work. But then, the unthinkable happened. My father died. Something about losing my father made me step up. It made me grow up. And, the series of changes I went through, over the years following that tragedy, though terrible, have produced a better me. A me that believed in me. A me that has led us here. Here we are, seven years later, celebrating that decision to believe in myself, and others, and this dream that became a reality. In the words of Elbertina Clark-Terrell, "though we are tried like silver in the fire, we come out as pure gold."
I say all of that to encourage you to never allow anyone to place fear in you. Your dreams are real and can become reality...just believe. And, work at it. You couldn't have told me this would be my reality. It started so casual. Never would I have imagined we would get here. There is power in gratitude. For every phone call you make, every inquiry you send in, every dollar you spend and every ounce of confidence you've ever placed in me, this team and this company, I sincerely THANK YOU! There is no For Grace Enterprise without you. Happy June and we look forward to 70 more years serving you and helping your dreams become reality.
P.S.: Enjoy some savings this month in celebration! 10% off all services! It's how we say thank you!
Sincerely,
Kimberly D. Clarke
(Proud) CEO & Administrator
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