Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kali Picard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kali, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
The birth of Borderless Color came from my love for helping others and my passion for the arts. Borderless Color is an inclusive art studio, meaning we teach everyone regardless of disability. Prior to launch, I reached out to a few friends who have children who are neurodivergent. I set up a few classes and tested out my new idea. It went well. Marrying art and speech therapy was effortless and organic, therefore taking the leap of faith to start Borderless Color was a no brainer.
Kali, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For the past 8 years, I’ve been working as a speech language pathologist, using art as a means to supplement our income. I’ve been painting and creating my entire life and have used art as a tool to help me better understand the world around me.
As a child, I had a language delay. I used art as a visual cue to foster expressive language. In other words, drawing the world around me, talking about it with my family, helped me learn new words and catch up with my peers.
Years later, I keep thinking about art and how powerful of a tool it was in helping me. Why not use that tool to help others find a voice? I’ve gone through years of training, have a masters in speech-language pathology, and have worked with so many different individuals with varying diagnoses. The skill sets and background in art are perfect for starting an inclusive studio.
What makes Borderless Color unique is we accept both neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. We believe in inclusion as a means of growing awareness and compassion for others unique perceptions of the world.
As of now, we’ve engaged in community projects, such as working with a local SPED class using color theory to create ornaments, then having the students take a field trip to hand deliver the ornaments to the nursing home. These students typically do not get a chance to serve and be leaders in the community, but with this activity, they were. Our mission is not only to make art accessible to everyone, but to instill self-confidence and a love for the arts.
Our courses are focused on process and play. There is no pressure about the final outcome focused on activities that are developmentally appropriate for our students. We tailor our courses to our students learning style, scaffold tasks to make lessons challenging but not impossible.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Persistence. If you keep showing up with passion and energy each day, people stop and take notice.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
When you first start a business you’re in the red for a while. It may take years before you start making a profit and that’s a risk every entrepreneur takes.
A lesson I had to unlearn was this: just because I’m not turning a profit immediately doesn’t mean I am failing or going in the wrong direction. It just means I have to keep showing up and trying. Each day, we keep growing and our students are thriving. Success is measured so many different ways. As a new business, all the wins are incredibly important.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.borderlesscolor.com
- Instagram: @borderless_color
- Facebook: Borderless Color
Image Credits
Headshot – Brittany Boudreaux