KISH: How does your personal experience as Black Female Business Owners inform your business practices?
Kara & Tamara: Our personal experience as black female business owners have influenced our business practice in many ways. We wear being black female entrepreneurs like a badge of honor recognizing that we are walking, living, breathing proof of the educational progress and economic necessity of diversity and inclusion in this country. We recognize that being black female entrepreneurs means that we have to be more proactive to get access to opportunities. We have needed to advocate harder for ourselves, have more grit, be more agile, and certainly more strategic. We encourage brands to have representation that looks like the people it serves, and therefore it is a business practice to educate people on that positive impacts of that. Black females run tight ships, that is the culture of our company, that is the culture of black excellence. We have never felt that we needed to be better than our white counterparts because that theory would suggest that is the bar! We believe that we go toe- to- toe with the top companies in the Nation. We are the front runners of excellence in our innovation, solutions and our ability to drive results.
KISH: Can you tell us about a particularly challenging or monumental deal that you have secured recently for a client?
Kara & Tamara: We were able to secure a double digit 7 figure clothing deal and a 4-picture movie for a client who is rather unorthodox. The client is Jeremy Meeks. Securing deals for him is always feels great because people have counted him out because of his prior mistakes. But he is actually one of the hardest working, kindest, compassionate souls on the planet. To witness the universe, return the greatness he puts out into the world ten-fold makes us proud. He deserves it.
KISH: Why do you feel it is an important business decision to be certified for government contracts and grants as a marketing company?
Kara & Tamara: It gives an additional level of access, credibility and opportunity. It separates you; it propels you and it is intended to level of the playing field of privilege. Businesses should position themselves to secure any and all certifications that can accelerate success.
KISH: Can you talk to us about your work with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the California Housing Finance Agency in relation to the upcoming election?
Kara & Tamara: This year, this vote, we ALL need to vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do. It is truly that simple. Supporting the DCCC with ensuring that message resonates in the black community is an honor and it is this legacy building work that we are most proud of. Additionally, our work with the California Housing Finance Agency affords us to the opportunity to advocate for people who look like us in such a hands-on way that feels less like work and more like passion. We take a lot of pride in having even just a small hand in contributing to something larger and greater than just ourselves.
KISH: Tell us about yourselves and your company?
Kara & Tamara: We are purpose-driven individuals, we consume purpose-driven brands and therefore needed to build, a purpose-driven agency. We are polar opposites in many ways except in the areas that our baseline for partnerships to thrive; respect, integrity and work ethic, those are the things that we have in common.
We’re a neo-corporate, multidisciplinary branding, marketing and advertising agency that merges structured business, fluid creativity and cutting-edge innovation.
KISH: How long have you been in business?
Kara & Tamara: 9 long, fun, emotional, roller-coaster-like years.
KISH: How did you connect and partner?
Kara & Tamara: A mutual friend’s birthday weekend is how we met, now how we ended up partnering is a much more complicated story. The short version includes Kara’s only sister being diagnosed with terminal cancer and passing away, Tamara moving cross country for her boyfriend at the time which ended up not working out, both stories led us to California, to help each other transition, blossom and discover our purpose. It had a lot of twists and turns but ultimately the universe was aligning us to be life partners.
KISH: How has Covid-19 changed your business so far?
Kara & Tamara: A lot of stretching, trusting, risk taking and pivoting. We are proud to say that we will double our income from last year.
KISH: You have a wide array of clients ranging from corporate, to cannabis to talent like Jeremy Meeks… what attracts you to clients and how do you decide who you target as clients?
Kara & Tamara: What attracts us to clients is a like-mindedness. We love working in a vast array of industries and with inspiring people. We feed off of positive, results driven people.
KISH: What is one deal you’ve each made in the last 3 years that you are really proud of and why?
Kara & Tamara: A recent deal that we made that is a far departure from the typical deals we do was with each other. We did a handshake deal to finally write the book we believe will be life changing to anyone who reads it, it is on self-sabotaging behavior and how to get out of your own way to achieve success in business, relationships and ultimately self-happiness.
Last modified: August 26, 2020
