We’re thrilled to tell you about a new website we recently launched for Kindred Parents! Our relationship with Nikki started back in the day… Ok, not too long ago! I’d been chatting with Nikki off and on for a while before she decided to take the branding plunge. I’m so glad she did, because I had a blast working on this brand with Nikki! It’s quite modern, youthful, and edgy without being totally over the top. Take a look:
The color palette is one of my favorites I’ve ever worked with, and Nikki was a dream to work with — during the concept presentation, I warned her that one of the concepts may look a bit “plain” compared to the rest, but that I had intentions, if it was chosen, to do all sorts of pattern work and make it fun & whimsical. I was so thrilled to find out that it was the concept that Nikki preferred! I find that it’s quite versatile. Not pictured? The circular watercolor logo comes in *all* of the palette colors! I love that!
Shortly after the brand was complete, Nikki got in touch with us about a website. She was such a pleasure to work with, and she offers a really neat & unique experience at Kindred Parents. We’d definitely recommend any of our Canadian followers near Port Hope in Ontario stop on by. We wanted Nikki to tell us a bit about KP, what motivates her, and what this process was like for her. Take a look below!
Tell us a little about yourself & what motivates you, personally.
Originally from rural Northumberland County in Ontario Canada, I spent the last 10 years in Toronto enjoying city life, studying Child and Youth Care and working in Student Affairs at Humber College. Throughout my academic and professional career I have developed a passion for education and working with families, which has been the motivating force behind starting my own family-oriented business.
2015 was busy year, full of change for my family. I was planning a wedding, working, and completing my undergrad degree, when we found out that we were expecting our first baby! Everything changed for me then, though I was graduating I knew I wouldn’t be jumping right in to the workforce right away like my classmates, rather, I would be embarking on this whole new adventure of parenthood-and what an adventure it has been!
After my daughter was born I started seeking out various groups, classes, and anything else I could find in my area to get out of the house, connect with other new moms, and have some fun with my new baby. Luckily for me, there was a lot available to me in the city. It wasn’t long before my husband and I started thinking of moving out of the hustle and bustle of the city to be closer to our families, and I started to think about what would be next for me professionally. With my passion for working with families, together with my background in program development and adult education the idea for Kindred Parents began to emerge.
How long have you been thinking about taking this step & do you wish you’d done it sooner?
The idea for Kindred Parents had been floating around in my head for about a year, but with having just had a baby I wasn’t sure if this was something that was feasible for me and my family at this time. I started doing some research and developing my business in my ‘free’ time, which any full-time mom will tell you is very limited, but the more work I did, the more momentum I gained, and things really started to come together.
When I found out this past summer that I was expecting again, I had a few moments of serious self-doubt wondering how I was going to pull this off, and I even considered putting the whole thing on the back burner for a while. Ultimately, I made the decision to push ahead because something was telling me that now was just the time, and I didn’t want to hold back out of fear. 
Can you tell us how you arrived at the point that you are now in your business & where you’d like to be in 5 years with it?
The journey to where I am now has consisted of many months of planning and evolving my vision for the type of business I would like to run. Countless hours of research and development have gone into the creation of my business plan. I am proud to announce that all of our financing has just come through, and we are set to open the Kindred Parents Studio and Boutique in Port Hope, Ontario, next month!
While I am very much focused on all of the exciting work I am doing right now to get my business up and running, it is so important to always be looking to the future. In 5 years I would like to see Kindred Parents established as a beneficial family resource, where new and expecting parents and young families can find a sense of community and support. While we plan to launch with a modest selection of Parent-Child classes created around themes of music, art, fitness, physical development and more, we hope to continue to grow and expand our services to meet the diverse needs of families in our area.
What do you find particularly motivating with respect to Kindred Parents?
The reality is early parenthood can be really a challenging and sometimes an isolating time, especially for new moms. I really want to provide parents with a place that they can learn and chat about parenting topics, connect with other families, and have fun with their little ones. As a new mom myself, I personally attest to the benefits of these type of programs offer. I very much look forward to using my background and skills to bringing this type of service to my community.
Do you have any words of advice for people thinking about taking the same step as you & launching their own business?
I think one of the most important things to remember in launching your own business is that you really need to be willing to put in the work, it really isn’t going to happen overnight. You also don’t want to just jump in blind, so it is important to do your homework and get feedback. What helped me the most was connecting with programs that offer mentorship to up-and-coming entrepreneurs, as this will help you to start considering things you may not have thought of. With my background not being in business, becoming this has been a huge learning curve for me so having professional support has been invaluable. What has kept me going through everything is that I really believe in what I am doing, and I like a challenge!
You can check Nikki out at KindredParents.com. And, if you’re local to her, here’s some additional contact info!
100 Peter Street, Lower Unit
Port Hope, Ontario L1A 1C3
Phone: (905) 800-1414
General Inquiries: info@kindredparents.com
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