We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carla Kemp. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carla below.

Carla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

My daughters and I come from a long line of educators and we understand the importance of representation in toys at play. We know the power that feeling seen, valued and celebrated hold for children’s feelings of self-image and self-worth and we are committed to bringing up the children in our family and in our sphere of influence in an atmosphere of greatness.

With that being said, one day at Christmastime, I was looking for a a fashion doll that my oldest grand daughter, who was 9 at the time, could identify with – one that truly reflected her beauty, her deep melanin skin and her gorgeous locs. I wanted her and her sisters and cousin to all have dolls that celebrated their natural features, dolls they could look at indivually and say “She’s just like me”. But as I searched I was dismayed to find that none even close to what I searched for were sold in stores. There were no dolls with locs and no dolls with the rich skin tone I wanted Tori and my littles to see and celebrate. That realization broke my heart but it also ignited a fire in me. I knew I couldn’t be the only one searching for this. I imagined there were countless parents, grand parents and caregivers looking for the same for their children. That’s when the desire to take matters into my own hands was born.

But LikeMe quickly became more than just Tori doll. Because through the years we had noted the absence of black dolls in many pre-k and kindergarten classrooms, LikeMe grew into a movement with a goal to saturate brick-and-mortar and online stores and to provide city and county schools with a generous donation of our diverse dolls for dramatic play. Aside from making our exclusive dolls accessible, we will empower young girls in ways that go far beyond toys. The LikeMe Club for Girls will be a space where girls from all walks of life can come together to promote unity, sisterhood and diversity. It will be a place for connection and celebration – a sisterhood where young girls can feel supported and inspired to dream big.

We’ve also developed empowering merchandise and colorful affirmation journals. Each journal includes powerful affirmations on every page, reminding young girls, to speak positivity into their lives and believe in their greatness. These products aren’t just accessories – they’re tools to help young girls build confidence and self-love, one step at a time.

This movement is about more than dolls, journals or merchandise. It’s about representation. It’s about empowering a generation of girls to see they worth, embrace their uniqueness and stand tall in their beauty. From our first edition doll, Tori, to the likeMe Club for Girls, to our many other empowering products, everything we do is is thoughtfully designed to build self-esteem, foster unity and show young girls that they are unstoppable!

We are so excited about out mission because it’s all about changing lives. It’s about showing young children that no matter where they come from, they are seen, celebrated and capable of achieving their dreams. This is just the beginning and we cannot wait to see this movement takes us.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am the visionary behind the brand. My 3 daughters, Candice, Merin and Micarie are Co-founders and an integral part of the brand, bringing their unique perspectives and skills to everything we do. Together, we’re building a legacy that gives little girls the tools to see their power and greatness in the world around them.

Our Tori doll, affirmation journals and empowering apparel aren’t just items; they’re experiences designed to nurture and uplift. We’re building confidence and creating authentic representation where its needed most – the early learning level.

We are extremely proud of our the impact we’re making and also, how well our message is being received on our social media platforms. We foster a cycle of inspiration by empowering women in order that they uplift young girls. Our platforms are for bridging generations by celebrating women in order that they themselves pave the way for little girls to embrace their greatness. So you see, our success isn’t just about the products but the lasting influence our overall efforts have on the lives of the girls and who are touched by them.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Certainly! When I started my social media journey, my goal was clear: to inspire and empower young girls to be confident, bold and fearless. However, my followers are not little girls but women between the ages of 30 and 60. They are moms and grand moms using or looking to use their influence to uplift the next generation. By sharing my inspiration and journey, I help to build them up so they can pass that empowerment on to young girls.

I began by:
1. Finding my niche: I created a space to help my audience – mainly women of a certain age-tap into their influence to create lasting change in the lives their young girls.

2, Staying consistent: I stayed consistent with my content, posting regularly and keeping my messages aligned with our values. It wasn’t about getting big overnight, but about staying true to our mission and showing up for our audience, however small in the beginning.

3. Staying engaged: Engagement with my followers was key. I responded to comments, created conversations and shared content based on their feedback. It allowed me to build a loyal community.

4. Collaboration and Growth: I networked and collaborated with others to expand my reach and learn from others.

Advice for Beginners:

*Start with a Purpose: Know your mission and stick to it. Make sure your content is relevant and has meaning.

*Be Consistent: Post regularly and stay committed, even when growth feels slow.

*Engage With Your Audience: Social media is about building relationships, not just broadcasting

Building a social media presence takes time, but by being authentic and consistent, you’ll create a meaningful impact. Keep believing in yourself and your mission and remember that your voice matters.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Yes, I can. One of the most significant challenges in this journey is raising money to bring this vision to life. When it came to designing Tori, we spent countless months working with a design company in a very distant state, making sure every detail of the doll’s design and prototype was exactly right. It was a lengthy and costly process, with each stage requiring more resources than initially anticipated. The costs for design, development and prototype quickly added up to astronomical figures, making the journey feel even more daunting.

But that didn’t stop us. With every setback, we dug deeper into our resilience. We had to think more creatively, seek out funding avenues and build partnerships to make it happen. From seeking investors and passionate supporters, to our current crowdfunding, “Inspire Confidence, Representation and Empowerment” on Indiegogo, we learned that resilience isn’t just about enduring – its about finding new ways to keep pushing forward in spite of the obstacles. The process is grueling but every step is worth seeing the dream become a reality.

Currently, our crowdfunding campaign is in its final week and we’re a little over halfway to our goal. We desperately need the support of nurturing people who are passionate about building self-esteem, encouraging self-confidence and providing representation to push us to the finish line. I urge you to find us on Indiegogo.com by searching “Inspire Confidence, Representation and Empowerment” and contribute to our mission. Your invaluable partnership in this urgent movement is greatly appreciated.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.LikeMedollcollection.com
• Instagram: LikeMeTori
• Facebook: LikeMeDollCollection
• Youtube: TotallyTori12

Image Credits

Photography by Candice Michelle Portraits