Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Branche Smith III, Kimberly Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Branche Smith III, Kimberly Smith, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Kingdom Building Threads is a business that is solely focused on the heart posture of Christ. As there are two owners to this business, Kim and Branche’, we have aimed at using our first letter initials of our names as an opportunity to expand it into KB Threads.
Why don’t we just use KB and point it back to ourselves? Well our business would have never been about, if it weren’t for the fight for our relationship, which is now a new covenant. How did we fight for it? We put Jesus in the center of it. We bowed our hearts in worship and reverence as we became closer to Him. Afterwards, the testimony of our relationship then became the fire towards our passions. Kim’s passion being clothes and fashion, while Branche’s passion being writing, combined with their hearts for God. Those passions together and a willful heart that surrenders to the Holy Spirit and you have the birthing of KB Threads.
Hence, our mission statement, “The heart of a Kingdom Builder is a heart that is devoted by faith in Christ. As a business, we acknowledge first in being a vessel for Christ that solely depends on the help of the Holy Spirit. In whom, motivates our creative efforts to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven that is within. From the sound of God’s calling, we envision. By His voice, we create. By His Word, we design.”
So, yes we strive to be a business of excellence but we also understand this business is a vessel for God to do His mighty works in and through. With us being the creatives behind every segment of KB, (graphic designers, content creators, marketing, sales, etc.) we cannot create unless we stay or get back into alignment with God and His will for us. We choose to be vessels first before we are business owners.
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.
We are a business that sells Christian faith-based apparel. Yes, we sell apparel- but it is deeper than clothing. This is our ministry, the clothing is just a plus. How we come about our ideas and our vision is by how we live our lifestyle as believers. We pray, indulge in our scriptures, we fast, partake in ministry, and commune with other believers. Overall we learn to live a life like Christ and allow the spirit of God to create through us. We are business owners that are still developing in the creative skills in which bring about the vision of KB. Aside from our day jobs, which are completely different from graphic design, merchandise, and marketing, it is only because of God that we are able to provide our customers with excellence in this business. By being on the creative team at our local church, learning how to use cameras and Canva for the first time to now being able to use various platforms to create high quality pieces that share the gospel all in matter of 3 years- it can only be God.
In addition to various mentors pouring into us, we are a self-taught business that collaborates with the community God has placed in our midst here in Sacramento. Through Kingdom Building Threads, we have also been blessed to create merchandise for multiple churches and ministries separate from our own business. That is just the heart of KB. By collaborating and working with others in our community to essentially advance the kingdom.
To be holy, is to be set apart. Kingdom Building threads being a vessel that works side by side with the holy spirit guiding us along the way is the only reason we believe our business is set apart. May this business forever be a reflection of that.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson we had to unlearn, which is contradictory to a lot of businesses, is that we cannot idolize the profit that can come from selling clothing and apparel. Being a small business owner that is just starting, we have to remind ourselves that the mission behind our business is the reason we do what we do. As long as we are creating and releasing products that align with our mission and values, we trust that in due timing the results will follow. In addition, we had to unlearn comparing our brand to others. In a world that is oversaturated with fast fashion and consumers who can fall into seeking quantity over quality, we aim to sell our products with intention. That takes time. We are a 2 person business, we had to learn simply that good things take time. Being okay in the season God has placed us in, and knowing that there are seasons of waiting and being okay in the beginning for the fruit to come later.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
We market our brand where it is best and most commonly absorbed, the church. In starting KB, our first efforts for creativity were founded at our local church. We both joined the creative team in social media and photography. In that, God welded a way for our testimony to be seen and heard in our efforts in serving His church.
Once emerging KB from just casual conversation, we then started learning graphic designing and bringing our visions to apparel. Expressing the visuals that God’s Spirit placed upon our hearts and exploiting them to the inner crowd of the church ministries. What started as serving on the creative team has now led us to being in partner with many different ministries for our brand and its creative visions and efforts. Through our young adults group, worship team at church, Christian music artists, pop-up events, collaborations with different brands, family, and friends. We have progressed in reaching many crowds. All by giving God the glory.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kingdombuilding.store
- Instagram: Kngdmbldng
Image Credits
Kimberly Smith & Branche’ Smith III