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

Hi Kaija, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Kaija Malia, LLC. is the result of when purpose and passion collides. From a young girl I always had a passion to help and inspire others. As I journeyed through life and developed into a woman that passion also developed and I ultimately discovered that the things that I was passionate about was also my life’s purpose. As a result of my life’s challenges, victories, strengths and weaknesses, the idea Kaija Malia LLC. was discovered. The business currently has 3 entities which is Kaija’s Kloset, Luv Yourself First, and Kaija at Home. The business initially started with my love for fashion, I loved to express myself and to allow my creativity to shine through my style. I desired to shine that light on others, to inspire them to look their absolute best and Kaija’s Kloset, a women’s online boutique was launched. My desire to uplift and inspire grew deeper while meeting women from all walks of life and I discovered that I wanted to uplift women through principles of faith not only to love how they looked outwardly but to love who they were inwardly. From that desire the business branched out into a women’s empowerment network called Luv Yourself First. Luv Yourself First’ mission is to inspire women to love whatever they’re good at, wherever they are in life, their skin color, their strengths, their relationship status, their shape and everything about themselves. To understand that loving themselves doesn’t have to be a selfish love but that it is totally embracing and loving everything that they are while endeavoring to become a greater version of themselves. Kaija at Home is a product of that self-love, it is loving the fact that there are many facets to me. Not only do I love being a business woman, wife, and mom but I love beautifying my home and embracing the simplicities of life and it is my desire to inspire people to do the same.

Kaija, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a wife, a mother, and a business woman. A woman full of complexities, flaws and strengths. I love God , family, fashion and home. I am the CEO of Kaija Malia LLC which is the home for Luv Yourself First Women’s Empowerment Network, Kaija at Home and Kaija’s Kloset. It is my goal to empower people from every walk of life to love everything about themselves, not selfishly but inclusive of everything that makes them who they are.

The way to get into the creative business that I am is to simply locate your passion, strengths and weaknesses. Do your research, find your niche and just do it! Start the business, the vlog, the podcast and be authentically you!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to learn not to compare my success to the success of others. Social media can be a gift and a curse because while it gives us the world at the touch of our fingers, at times it also paints the picture that success is instantaneous. So I had to learn to admire but not to duplicate what I see because seeing a persons success is only half of the story, those same people experience failures too.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think we have all experienced a common reason to pivot and that was the Global Pandemic. It forced us to be resourceful, when the world as we knew it changed. It taught me to use what I have like my innate ability to be creative. So while the boutique wasn’t as successful because it was simply no where to go to wear nice clothes. I leaned into my natural ability to style and decorate my home. That same creativity and style that I used for the boutique I pivoted and used to style my home.