We were lucky to catch up with Kamry Steger recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kamry, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
I can honestly say I’ve never had the desire to return to a regular job. The average child typically has a “dream occupation” that they desire to have when they become an adult but I was never that child. I just always knew I wanted more. My mother is the most ambitious woman I know, but I watched her work tirelessly for corporations that never gave her the respect she deserved. I worked numerous jobs out of high school that ranged from the auto industry to human resources so that I could provide for my children. And though I was always blessed to have a steady source of income, I knew that those “regular jobs” weren’t meant for me. I can’t imagine going back to missing out on precious moments in my children’s lives and not having the freedom to move on my own terms.
Kamry, 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?
My name is Kamry Steger and I am a financial coach and advocate creating an avenue that speaks to inclusion for all people no matter race, class, or mental/ physical ability. Being raised in the City of Detroit, I always had the heart to serve and make a change in my community. Coming from an environment where dreams are just dreams, poverty is a generational lifestyle, and success is working tirelessly to accomplish someone else’s dream, I knew that I was destined for more. I studied Psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and this Psychological background instilled the skills necessary to make an impact in underserved communities. My main focuses are Improving the stigma against financial literacy in low income communities, and advocating for inclusion across the country with my non-profit organization H.I.P.S. (Hidden In Plain Sight) which provides families who have (or are expecting) disabled children with hope, resources, and support. There’s nothing that brings me more joy than knowing that someone’s life was impacted because of something they’ve gained from my services.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The ironic thing about this question is that I’m still in that pivotal phase as we speak. I’m very transparent with my entrepreneurial journey and the main thing I often tell others is that at one point I became a “serial entrepreneur”. Starting multiple business ventures because I had the skill and knew that I could gain from it. I’ve done everything from marketing tools to books and courses. And while some people might find that effective, I knew that my purpose was tied into serving and making a difference. Once I became more intentional with my time and the change I wanted to see, I realized none of those other ventures fulfilled me in the way that my life does now. So in this season I’m transitioning closer to my purpose.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When it comes to social media there are many things that play a factor like knowing how the algorithm works, marketing, timing etc. However, the one piece of advice I can give anyone is to always be yourself. Gaining a large amount of followers was never my goal, but I continued to show up as myself daily and the followers came. As cliché as that sounds, the people on the other side of that screen can tell when you aren’t being authentic. Be yourself, and show your audience that you are a real person that goes through real situations. The more you show who you are, the more likely you’ll grow an active and engaged audience.
Contact Info:
- Website: hipsofmichigan.org
- Instagram: hips_organization