Dear members & supporters of TK,
Hi all, it’s BK! I’m putting out a hail mary with this post because I need help. Not just anyone’s help - but the right person to help partner with me to bring TK to the next level.
This year, I’ll be steering the ship in an all new direction - and I’m looking for a co-pilot.
So who are they, you ask? I’m looking for someone who will weave the web of our authentic TK communication into the world. TK is so close to getting where she needs to be. I’ve spent the last years building out our pack and ship operations at TK Bishop, creating an outstanding customer service experience, facing tons of challenges and overcoming problems, directing the design direction of our Basewear creations, and (most importantly) establishing our membership program. Folks all over the country have thrown out all of their underlayers and replaced them with Basewear.
All of these accomplishments have made TK a diamond in the rough. TK is a business that is poised for success. The components are built, and the hard part of problem solving is finished. She’s like a 1988 Landcruiser that’s been completely rebuilt and ready to go on new adventures.
UPDATE: 3/31/25
Hello everyone! It’s been some time since I wrote this blog post, and in the meantime I have recouped quite a bit of energy to put towards TK. I'm feeling much more optimistic, and I have met tons of wonderful people who reached out. This experience has also given me a bit more clarity and specificity about how to better communicate what I’m looking for. Here is a direct list of traits and context I’m looking for in this situation:
You might be the right person if you have the following traits:
1. You have Direct Sales/Marketing Experience.
While I have been told I do a good job at marketing for TK (thank you all for your compliments, I truly appreciate them), I know that I need an expert here. The right person brings with them direct experience in sales and marketing roles in the digital era - so much so that they are teaching ME how it works. This person knows exactly what is meant when the word “web of marketing” is said, and knows exactly how to visualize, create, and implement one. If there is eCommerce experience baked into this that would be a huge plus.
2. You are a Natural Born Story Teller
The right person here has an absolute joy and passion for story telling. Their curiosity about telling the many stories woven into TK’s fabric will become the web of communication that expands outwards and helps us grow. They ask the right questions, and weave it into a story with both visuals and words. This person is skilled not just in written communication, but also in graphics: images and video content all as a part of this story telling. It comes natural for this person, and it totally lights them up.
3. You have a Positive Entrepreneurial Business Owner Mindset.
If all goes well the person I am looking for will expand to be at a partner level. This means, I’m looking for someone with the mindset to be able to take on a variety of tasks, wear multiple hats, and also one with the mindset who is optimistic and ready to take on a potentially rocky road ahead of them. There are a lot of factors that could be seen as roadblocks in this day and age - and the right person focuses only on the potential for abundance. They have no doubt it is possible, and know exactly how to achieve it. Ideally, this person has entrepreneurial experience in their past. This is a very different mindset from someone looking for traditional employment.
4. You are Financially Secure, and ready for a challenge!
As anyone who has started or run a business knows - there is no guarantee of success until you create that success. The person who applies to me should be financially secure and ready to take on a side project that they can drive forward to success. This would mean they are not expecting TK to be their main source of income right out the gate. Instead, they are working to create revenue that will allow that to unfold naturally.
When the right person comes along, here's what our dynamic will look like:
1. A Balance of Opposites (yin and yang)
I am looking for the poison ivy to my harley quinn. We bring the same amount of energy, but with different strengths. While I love being behind the scenes running operations, and I’m happy making an appearance in a video from time to time: sales and marketing communication is better handled by an extrovert! Or at least, someone who enjoys communication more than I do. I am quite introverted and much prefer building and tinkering behind a computer. This was always my designated role for TK, and I’d like to go back to doing what I do best, rather than trying to cover the roles I wasn’t meant to do. I’m more of a “skim the text book and figure out how to make it work” kind of person - so finding someone who is more of a “thoroughly read the text book and research how best to communicate it” kind of person would be a great compliment to my own style.
2. My Role as TK Informant and Collaborator (not the boss).
One question I’ve been asked a lot in interviews is how do I see my role with this person and here’s the answer. For this particular role, I prefer to find someone who has the drive and knowledge to be their own boss, manage their own schedule, and lead the project forward based on their own strategy and goals. The great benefit of this is being able to completely create your own schedule - and that means the right person is quite self organized. I’m not looking to manage someones schedule or workload, nor do I want to mentor or teach someone the mindset or skills needed for the position. (I already do this kind of mentoring through my coaching!) However, I’m happy to guide them towards what has or hasn’t worked for TK in the past, and also share all my own information I’ve gained in the process.
There’s only one problem - there’s no more gas in the tank.
So, back to the Landcruiser metaphor - I need a skilled driver with a huge canister of gas. Someone with the skills, passion, energy and belief in what TK can become to help take the drivers seat. They’ll have to come equipped with skills in sales, marketing, and an understanding of how to generate revenue… and buzz! Driving a business forward means seeing the overall vision - the eventual destination - while also being able to tackle the tasks at hand and navigate each turn that comes along the way. It’s not an easy, straightforward, or linear role to fill. Running a small business means wearing quite a few hats - and loving it - not just specializing in one task. It takes confidence, competence, cleverness, adaptability, and a LOT of grit.
I’m looking for someone whose timing aligns perfectly with this opportunity. It could be someone who is tired of working a 9-5 and has the stability and mental fortitude to break free from it. Or, someone who is just waiting for the right opportunity to express their fullest potential on something that allows them to express their directive capabilities. Someone with an inner creative fire that is just waiting for the right timing and environment to spark.
Of course, it should be someone who understands the vision of authentic TK and sees all the work that has been put in thus far. Someone who speaks authentic TK like their native language.
Until then, TK is going into cruise control.
In the meantime, I'm doing TK things as usual, and steering our business towards a fully member supported model. Our membership program and pre-orders will continue as usual (yes, you can still become a member and make an appointment to shop at TK Bishop. I would highly recommend doing so if you want to continue to have access to Basewear!).
We have inventory which will be prioritized for TK Members, and TK Bishop local appointments. This is a strategy that will continue going forward - our Basewear will become less available to the public, and more exclusively available to members and in-person TK Bishop shoppers.
When the right person comes I’m ready to help kickstart the motor and rev up our existing systems back into high gear. I know how to run our operations, customer experience, finances, and overall strategy. We just need the right copilot - or coparent - with a passion to relight the fire.
So, if that sounds like you - or someone you know. The quickest way to touch base is to email me directly at bridget@terakaia.com with an explanation of how this could be the right fit for you. From there, we can hop on a meeting and chat.
Much ❤️
BK
Welcome to the Journal: official blog of Tera Kaia Basewear.
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