Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirsten White.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The Black Market: Georgia (TBM) came into fruition when I relocated to Georgia and quickly realized that I didn’t care too much for any of the existing black-business apps. They either focused on the entire country, which resulted in very few businesses to look into here in Georgia, they did surface-level research by only listing businesses that were already so well known they didn’t need the exposure, or they just didn’t work due to not being very user friendly.
Knowing that Georgia is the absolute LAST place in America that anybody should have these issues when searching for credible, black-owned businesses, I decided to take matters into my own hands and create what I wanted.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I love what I’ve created, but I’d be lying if I said the creation and upkeep of my app didn’t have me ready to pull my hair out. It’s a labor of love that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Things like ensuring a business is reputable, making sure a business is actually black-owned, reading over user reviews of businesses already listed, updating the monthly events page, and so on are very challenging, especially when working solo.
I learned the hard way that the best way to overcome challenges is balance. Burnout hit me hard after I finally launched the app on the Google Play Store and Apple Store but it was my own fault. If I wasn’t working my 9 to 5, I was up all hours of the night working on my app. That type of schedule catches up to you after a while. I found my way back after a year and came up with a schedule that allowed time for work, play, and most importantly, rest.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Career wise, I’m simply an HR professional. Creatively, while I’m not necessarily known for anything as of yet, I’m personally most proud of my app and the children’s book I recently self-published with Barnes & Noble. It’s called K. Renae’s Alphabet of Affirmations.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
When I first started, I wished I’d understood the value of clear-cut steps and realistic goals. Everything fell into place over time, which is great, but it didn’t have to be as mentally draining as it was. I was doing myself a disservice by only focusing on the big picture vs. small goals I achieved on the way to my end goal.
As for those who are just starting out, I’ve finally figured out at my big age that networking is your best friend. It’s never too early to begin building your professional network. That applies to both personal and professional endeavors. I’m a “do it all on my own” type of creative but when you think of how big your dream could become, you start to realize how unrealistic that mindset really is. Do yourself a favor and network!
Pricing:
- Monthly Business Listing Rate: $4.99/mo
- Annual Business Listing Rate: $49.99/year
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/tbm.ga?fbclid=PAAaZbYa0-ZlH9yAUZbQjSJvB3M8QsZ-uiSpe5Im9vbHuAzN5KHEAl_ZqkPNk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbm.ga?igsh=ODA1NTc5OTg5Nw==
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbmgeorgia?s=09