Let's Launch!!!

Being in business for nearly five years, I've learned that my customers and clients are truly my bosses.  As much as I want to do want I want, it's you that ultimately controls the inner workings and processes of Urban Chocolate.   I am therefore pleased to announce my newest framework that gives you just a glimpse into the future of the Urban Chocolate brand.  These new services were designed based upon the needs, desires and life positioning of many of my customers and clients who are ready to LAUNCH!

 Launch Your Style with a Closet Consult

A top request from my customers!  I’ve found that the majority of women wear only 10 % - 20% of their closets, 90% of the time. With a closet consultation, I will introduce a unique perspective to your current wardrobe and styling issues.  I’ll show you how to arrange key pieces and shed a new and fresh light on what may have been a daunting encounter for you.   I will assess what your wardrobe has and show you when, where and how to rock it right!  

Learn how to rearrange, purge and add to your wardrobe; the best stores and online sites to shop according to your personal style preferences; how accessories have the power to make or break an outfit and more!  Closet Consults begin at $50.00 for 1 hour and includes a vintage or handcrafted piece of your choice from the Urban Chocolate collection (valued at $15.00).  This is a totally fun and carefree process, but I warn you to be prepared to let go, get rid of or donate pieces from your closet that just take up space. Yea, it may be difficult to do that, but it's a necessary step for growth!

Launch your Image with an Image Consult

 I’ve lately received numerous requests from women who are ready to revamp their image, not only because they want to look amazing, but they're ready to gain that edge when beginning or transitioning into their career or industry of choice.   You'll be surprised to know that your appearance is only a small factor in your image, your image is basically your personal brand.   It’s true ladies, perception is reality. It’s not always about how we look, but how we’re perceived that can greatly determine the aim and scope of our reach.  Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon, said it best. "Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room"

 An image consultation is an in-depth exploration of your professional goals and how to best achieve those goals via your social standings and connections.   Image consults begin at a flat rate of $40.00 for an hour one-on-one consultation and from there includes emails, conversations, soul-searching and possibly a little homework.  This is no cookie-cutter, concrete process, but rather a tailored framework of best practices. 

Launch your Time and Shop @ Home

I've discovered that between your mile-long, to-do list, a demanding career, a family to support and every other obligation in between, it’s definitely difficult to find time to shop for yourself.  So how awesome would it be for Urban Chocolate to come to you, at the comfort of your home or office! Kids running around during your appointment, dinner on the stove while you’re trying on clothes, I understand, life is happening but style must go on!    For a minimum total spending of $50.00, I’ll bring the specific clothing, jewelry and accessories tailored to your specific style(s). 

The easiest way to get to that $50, invite a friend or two to your appointment.  Just that simple!  Your Shop @ Home appointment also includes, style advice and a mini closet consult. 

Launch your Income with Shop My Closet 
Kim has teamed up with Christina, a young lady who is passionate about being stylish and helping her community by shining the light on local, non-profit organizations.  We’ll soon announce the details of our first Shop My Closet benefiting  Dress for Success and The Memphis Food Bank.
Consider increasing your income and joining us but first ask yourself these questions:

• Are you the fashion & style guru of your clique?
• Do you shop so much that you end up with clothes, shoes and accessories that have been worn once or never at all?
• Have you ever looked in your closet and at your jewelry collection and wondered how you could possibly rock it all?

This is the perfect opportunity to sell your new and like new pieces. We’re looking for ladies who are interested in being a vendor for as low as $25.00. Only the fly need apply!  

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Please know that each of these services is totally adaptable - No two clients are alike, therefore all consultations are tailored to fit you and your lifestyle.  I'm always available to answer any questions you have, give me a call at 901-600-4027 to get started.  I'm looking forward to your LAUNCH!

Yes, Your Image is Everything!

So It's been like four months since I posted.  Yea, I've been busy, but I've been busy making progress!  Progress like, The Seen - check us out at www.checktheseen.com.  More about that later though...

I'm hosting a brief seminar on personal branding at the end of the month and thought it would be cool to give away a free seat valued at $35. If you are planning now or ever plan to make money doing what you love, then this course is for you! Your personal brand communicates who you are and what you're about many times without you even having to say a word.  Start now building that brand, it's an essential foundation to your desired success.  

I am S.U.E. Who are You?

It’s unfortunate that we as a culture take our queues from main stream America on how our lives should be patterned.  Which is why, I believe, we as young women in the south have found it difficult to identify our niche in the broad empire of fashion.  Not many have touted the sense of style that can be found in here in my great city. Most would rather look elsewhere, to larger, maybe more chic cities, to inspire them.

 

Well that’s fine with me, but I’d like to think that my personal style was bred, nurtured and matured mainly in the city of Memphis; from women like my Aunt Joyce who I’m sure has the most extensive collection of antique jewelry of anyone I know.  Or maybe from Mother Bradley at my home church of New Nonconnah Missionary Baptist Church, who could rock the mess out of mink stole on a cold Sunday Morning.  I would be insane to not mention my mom, who is a little more plain when it comes to clothes, but so grounded in her appreciation of African culture.  

I need not look far, deep or wide to know where my love of all things stylish was birthed.  And I wave my southern flag proud.  Yea, I may draw a little inspiration here and there from New York or I may see a celebrity on tv rock something I like, but let’s not get it twisted, I am stylish because I have chosen to seek out , at a very young age, the color, lines, shapes and tones of my surroundings.  So to all my southern belles, searching to find your place in the vast land of fashion and style, Urban Chocolate is here to help, but you've got to help yourself first by knowing who you are and finding refuge in the many variables that come together to make you, you.

Heads Up… I’ll be running a contest asking you to define your personal style.  Details coming soon, so be sure to follow the blog!

A True Renaissance Man

 I think every woman can agree there’s just something about a man with style, but there’s something even greater about a man with style, with a love for Christ, plus a God-given gift, and an eagerness coupled with a willingness to work for change in his city. 

I’ve dang near stalked (sorry Joseph) this dude since I was introduced to his Flight of Fancy tees over a year ago.  He’s since ventured into  various forms of art and design and I recently had the exciting opportunity to pick his brain about his awe-inspiring passion. 

Please allow me to introduce to some and present to others (that’s a throwback introduction of MC thing I picked up in the Baptist Church) none other than a modern day Renaissance Man, Joseph Boyd!

Give us a little background on your passion for art or design, but first tell us where your true passion lies.

Well, my love for art I think started back when I was a child studying and drawing dinosaurs, comic books, and video game art. When I was younger I would rip pages out of video game magazines in stores so I could go home and draw the characters (Lord and Mama please forgive me). Drawing spilled over into me doodling in class which I’ve done my entire scholastic life (My college finance notes are covered in drawings and odd figures).  I fell in love with sneakers and started drawing them in junior high. I began painting shoes my first year of college and started my t-shirt business my senior year of college (you need a nice shirt to go with your nice shoes).

 

My true passion is just to create. I have to use my head and figure things out and learn all the time. I always had an urge to create: building, painting, drawing, outside, inside, fashion, computer graphics, electronics, and things that have nothing to do with art. Because of the life I lived, I’ve been a “Jack of All Trades” my entire life.

 Most of us know you by your sneaker and tee designs, but tell us what else you've got going on now?

I’ve kind of stepped outside of clothing and went a more traditional route in art by painting on canvas and other surfaces. As an artist, you have to grow and broaden your canvas. I couldn’t begin to name the multitude of things I’ve done and had a love for outside of art/painting over the course of my life. I am working on my own sneaker. So, Lord willing you all will be wearing ME from your head to your toes!

I've noticed you to be a fellow Memph-geek. Tell me why it is important for you as an artist to promote and cultivate a love of this rich city?

 Honestly, I wasn’t always so eager to help or stay in the city. I always loved my city, but I couldn’t see myself growing here at all as a person and with my business. After a lot of prayer, talking to people, and being a part of different events, I came to realize that this city has an abundance of talent that needs to be nurtured and broadcasted to the world. There’s more than just Elvis, BBQ, rappers, basketball players, and First 48 Episodes coming out of Memphis. We have artist, actors, dancers, film directors, designers, etc. Memphis has this negative connotation attached to it that prospers via the media (most times our own). The world sees and reads about it, they begin to form a misconstrued idea of the city that they spread to their friends and in turn keeps people away from the city and also pushes people out. This city has the potential and resources to become more MUCH more. Change has to start with self, If you don’t want to change then don’t preach about change. When we all decide that we want this place to change our next step must be to get up and do something about it together.

What are some of your favorite places to visit in the city and why?

 I don’t get out as much as I used to, but when I did it was primarily to eat. I love food, I really and truly try not to eat at chain restaurants. It’s this place downtown called Winkey’s on 4^th I don’t know if they are still there, but it was this hole in a wall restaurant with real soul food, I’m talking hot water corn bread, pinto beans, sweet potatoes, made to order catfish…AHHHHHH! I’m about to find out if they are still open! Soul Fish café is good in midtown. Music wise I like BB Kings down on Beale St. really any place where you can listen to live music especially jazz is good with me.

    

Share with me a little about your faith and how important it is to you.

 It’s not possible to share a little lol, but if you’re ever around me or if you’re a friend of mine on facebook or relative then you know that I’m a devout Christian and my love for Jesus Christ is out of this world. I didn’t live a “hard” life, I was blessed to have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, clothes on my back, parents stayed together for a while; but even after they split they were still there for my brothers and I and blessings actually came from it. A lot of people don’t know about some of the things I’ve been through and the amount of failures I’ve had in my life (Successful people fail A LOT before the success, so don’t give up.), but HE does and has always been there to help me back up, He placed my feet on solid ground every time and made me even stronger than I was before each fall, He reassures me that He would never leave me, He comforted me in my darkest times, He loves, listens to and understands me when no one else does, because sometimes you have to stand alone, but as long as you’re standing in Christ you’re going to be all right. I do everything through God, and give Him all the glory before, during, and after whether I win, lose, or draw. I don’t make a move unless He says yes. I have total love for everybody because of Him. It comes a time in some people’s life that they have absolutely no one. I don’t want anyone to ever feel unloved, satan begins to step in and do his work when that happens. God will always love you, in addition and because of Him and what He has done for me, to everyone in the world: I love you, you don’t know me, but I love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it! 

Quick Fire Seven

1)      Best advice you’ve ever gotten?

They’re simple, but effective “Hard Work pays off” and “Never give up”

2)      What and/or where do you see yourself in 10 years?

 Lord willing, my own sneaker line with wife and kids.

3)      Who is your favorite designer? I always liked Marc Ecko because of his artistic background and graffiti style.

4)      Who has the most amazing style to you (can be anyone)? Two: Andre 3000 and Pharrell

5)      Describe yourself in four words: Godly, gifted, ambitious, loving

6)      Let’s say you have the opportunity to do anything else you want BUT work in fashion, what career path would you choose? Always wanted to be a Paleontologist or firefighter

7)      Favorite bible verse? Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings

His responses validated my stalking attempts, I mean how could you not follow a dude with this much ambition and humbleness.  Be sure to send some love his way at  
flightoffancyshop.bigcartel.com

A Little Off the Subject but...

Disclaimer: Many of you won't read this in it's entirety because it is rather lengthy, some of you will read simply because you enjoy reading, others will read, ponder and move on.  The most important of you will read and pass it on or read and react.  I pray it is the latter.

I was watching the news last night, this morning rather, about 3 a.m. and happened upon a short maybe one minute long story covering  a shocking secret by Tim Gunn that he hadn't had sex in 29 years.  He went on to tell why, because the person with whom he was involved and loved very deeply dumped him because of his low, almost non-existent sex drive.  In tears as he shared his story, I found myself weeping with him, not for him.  How transparent and vulnerable he was to open up to total strangers about an issue seemingly so private and secure.

He went on to share that he was comfortable in his situation.  There were no apologies given for where he stood with his sexuality. I now see Tim in a totally different light.  His once pale complexion and almost ghost-like appearance now appear to me as pure and unscathed; God revealed to me in that very instant that is how he intends for all his daughters to be, until married.  It's hard ya'll and I admit I have fallen, but I fight every temptation, best I can.  Yea, on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the most challenging, I rate this task a 50. 

Starting this organization for pre-teen and teenage girls, I realize now more than ever that God will hold me accountable for every word and deed executed before such a vulnerable audience.  I’ve got to be able to share from experience that she really is worth the wait; that God did create a man for her who will love her totally and completely for her and not simply lust after her for what she does; that  music lied to her when it told her she was nothing but a piece of ass, that the videos were spitting straight game when they told her she had to be a size 4, 6 or even 10 for a man to love her; that sex feels good in all, but I’m sure that there’s nothing more pleasing, beautiful, and intoxicating than making love to a man who promised before God that he’ll be there the next morning and five years after that and 50 years down the line.   

I enjoy working with young people, it keeps me young and more importantly they teach me to not be so far removed from the pulse of our culture.  One activity I’ve found to resonate well with the youth groups I’ve worked with is to have them read the lyrics to a few of the top ten billboard rap songs…keeping in mind that these are the songs that have the heaviest rotation on mainstream radio, which more than likely means children as young as 8 are listening.  Eight out of the ten current songs contain sexually explicit lyrics.  

I, like you, agree that music is not the enemy, but regardless of who the enemy is, we’ve got to understand that we’re dealing with a totally different kind of monster here, a corrupt culture. I digress, cause I can write a book about this so called culture…

Take away the head bobbing 808 and a beat synthetically designed to captivate you and here you have it…

Dance (A$$) – Big Sean
Wobble-dy wobble-dy wa wobble wobble
I'm st-stacking my paper my wallet look like a bible
I got girlies half naked that shit look like the grotto
How your waist anorexic and then your ass is colossal, whoop
Drop that ass make it boomerang
Take my belt off bitch I'm Pootie Tang

Tippy tow tippy tay you gonna get a tip today
Fuck that you gonna get some dick today
I walk in with my crew and I'm breaking they necks
I'm looking all good I'm making her wet
They pay me respect they pay me in checks
And if she look good she pay me in sex, do it
Bounce that ass it's the roundest
You the best you deserve a crown bitch

LOTUS FLOWER BOMB - WALE

 I could wear you out inside I could tell you like persistence,

but I make you cum in tri's I just think we need one night,

can't decide if I came right, Easy baby my thing tight, but that lotus flower just ain't right

I ain't thinking I ain't right, can't decide but I can't fight

Easy baby you the bomb and all, but I be damned if I do not land mine

 Or at least try, can I speak up? was it peace out? can we eat lunch?

Can we take shots with your flavor, flat drinks we call

 A cups I just think I need one night, slightly more if it's done right

With that gorgeous face, I don't know your name,

 it ain't important babe cuz I'mma call you Mine

Work Out – J. Cole

Let me see you get
High then go low
Now, girl won't you drop that thing down to the floor?
I’m here for one night, how far will you go?
I wanna see you (work out for me, work out for me)

If you, like me, are fed up with this crap, then I urge you to join me and my friend Asharkii in the movement of Talitha Cumi.  Click here for details.  We don’t have it all together, but why wait? 

-Kim