Community Driven Kala

We started a “Foundation to Time Freedom” webinar last month coaching guests in finding life priorities and then finding the time for those priorities. I realized how much our guests don’t know about what makes us, us. We’ve been sharing so much about our current lifestyle, but have not made an effort to share how we got to this point in our lives, or what our experiences are that truly makes us experts in our field.

Finding Passion For Our Community

JESS

I want you to know that we, both, started from humble beginnings. I started life in foster care, then lived with my grandmother and single father. Growing up, I was a latchkey kid- with a ton of freedom to explore and create. I was always independent and wild but looked to people in my community for support. Amazing people like my teachers growing up and my childhood best friend’s mom filled that void I was experiencing.

As a teen, my dad married and I felt I needed to rebel: high school drop out, ran away, living on the road, drugs… the whole thing. This was my new community, a place where we were all equals, and doing the same things. Then, I decided to settle down and found a new community, my family. We’ll chat more about my love for my family another time. At this point, I was 18 years old. I went back and graduated high school, and found my passion for teaching. I knew I wanted to be a parent, a teacher, basically to be surrounded by love.

The Montessori school system was my next step. I began working in private schools, then developing school programs, then opening new schools. This was a new step in community building, and I loved it. I was moving up the ladder, I was seen as the “problem-solver” and the one who could put out any fires at my work. Then I met Bekah, and she pushed me towards entrepreneurship. I didn’t understand any of what she was saying at first, but over time starting my own business is what led me to yearn for more community involvement.

I remember making agreements with myself and with my angels as I witnessed the flow of my life… which is to give back, generously. Being a successful business owner is incredible, but it is not enough for me. I strive to better the community with my businesses, coaching and events and love to collaborate with other business owners who are striving for the same.

BEKAH

I had a similar experience, being adopted into a big and diverse family, growing up and coming into my own. I had a difficult time with my mom, with my family, and had to learn to be independent from the time I was a 14-year old. Community was key for me in sports, in friendships, and also as a bubble away from home.

Community then became what was driving me to better myself in business. I made some headway myself, becoming a financial planner and growing my client base. I was hungry and willing to work hard. Then I met my mentor, and was able to find a community that emulated the success, wealth, and results I wanted in life.

When I reached my breaking point in 2012 brought on by overworking and severe exhaustion, I took the time to stop and reinvent myself. Once I found more worth in who I was rather than what I did and my community noticed. I continued to learn, and continued to teach others.

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Together, we are a powerhouse. Our partnership is one of a kind and we know it (or, I could say “we create it”). We both know that our life experiences are an expression of our inner work, which we’ve both done a lot of. There’s nothing special about either of us, really. We are just driven by our philosophies, and community engagement is one of those philosophies. All of you who are here at Kala with us mean so much to us. We would love to thank you all, but don’t even know how to get our love across. We hope this is a start to get our story across and to start thanking you all!

I hope our guests took a nugget (or two) of our love for our communities. Together, we can improve how we create, innovate, and manifest our lives. Thank you for being a part of our journey!