Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Powers
Hi Kim, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After working for 11 years in college athletics I chose to stay home with my two young children for two years. Around the two year mark of being at home, I discovered the beautiful building where Leeta Ruth is now located, for sale in Ludlow, KY. With zero background in business, I took the leap of faith and launched the boutique on the first floor of 325 Elm St in downtown Ludlow in the fall of 2016. It is named after my great grandmother Leeta and my grandmother Ruth, both women that I hold in high esteem for their artistic ability and beautiful style. I opened the boutique with the mission to use style as a method for building community among women and since 2016 we have hosted over 50 events bringing women together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think entrepreneurship is ever a smooth road. The fashion industry is a difficult one in the sense that clothing and dressing is a very vulnerable experience for women. There is a lot of self worth and identity wrapped up in how we choose to dress our bodies. It has been my greatest honor to help women dress in ways that build their self worth but it has also been a learning curve to understand how women relate to their bodies and how I can choose clothing pieces that empower them. I have learned so much over 8.5 years and I think I am much better now at stocking the boutique and working with women than when I started this business.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Leeta Ruth, I put a huge emphasis on the importance of “building a wardrobe” versus just shopping without intention, buying items for events last minute, etc. I believe in the power of a wardrobe to impact how a woman shows up in the world but I think that wardrobe has to be built intentionally over time in a way that allows her to dress easily and feel empowered by her clothing.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The information that inspires me both personally and professionally is largely rooted in women’s holistic development, how women show up in the world, and where we source our love, worth and power. Clothing is simply a reflection of this. Some podcasters and authors that I am enjoying recently are Kelly Brogan, Elise Loehnen, Gervase Kolmos and Dene Logan.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leetaruthboutique.com
- Instagram: @leetaruthboutique
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leetaruthboutique
