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

Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

While relaxing in my apartment in Bali one day, I had an incredible urge to take my photos and turn them into an educational coloring book. It was an urge I couldn’t push aside. I could have the description on one page and then the picture to color on the page next to it. This was going to be great.

By this point I had been traveling around the world for 2 years and had accumulated a lot of photos. I absolutely love photography. Always one to trust my gut (it has never let me down), I decided to push forward with the idea, even with no knowledge in graphic design.

Kimberly, 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 had a herniated disc, and it was the most painful, horrible year of my life. I wouldn’t wish the nerve pain I had on anyone. Going through all of that stress and pain, I needed something to look forward to. I work remotely as a Project Manager and decided I would ask my job if I could go part time and travel around the world. A friend of mine had just done the same, and the entire year she was gone I couldn’t stop thinking about her trip and how wonderful it would be if I could follow in her footsteps. I took the leap, my job said yes, I sold almost everything I owned, and embarked on the most wonderful two years of my life.

I had always loved photography and took this time to dive into it. I created my own photography website, uploaded prints for sale, advertised myself as a photographer for hire on my site….and it never took off. I am horrible at marketing myself. But I didn’t let that discourage me. Afterall, I was having the most wonderful time on my trip, and was full of gratitude. Once I had my coloring book idea, I learned about Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. There was a way I could simply upload it and they would print, assemble, and ship it for me! This was great! Then a friend of mine told me there is also a way to run ads through Amazon to market it, and that you only pay the small amount you set if someone clicks on your ad. Perfect.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I am probably the most financially risk-adverse person you will meet. Almost 2 decades ago I had a boyfriend who told me he lost $35,000 when his business failed. Even though he said he learned so much from that experience and that he knew his next business would succeed, I felt so much anxiety from that story. Remembering that story again, I knew that I would have to find a way to do this as risk-free as possible. I decided, “If I fail, all I will lose is my time, and I will learn a skill in the process.”

The first thing that popped into my head upon getting the coloring book idea was, “I wonder if there is an app for this”? I could do this quickly! To my delight, there was. I found a few apps that can turn ones photos into coloring pages… but I was soon disappointed and saw that these apps were not going to get me anywhere (lines left unconnected, some lines very faint, other lines very thick, and there wasn’t any way to edit the lines). I was going to have no other choice than to learn graphic design. A friend of mine gave me a two-hour tutorial and I watched A LOT of videos. The coloring book took me a couple years to do (graphic design is hard, after all it is a degree!), but many videos, help chatrooms later, and a few focus groups, I finally finished it.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I hope this coloring book will spark the love for travel in children. Traveling has been one of my greatest joys in life and I hope I can inspire others to do the same. There are so many places to explore, beautiful sites to see, people to meet, foods to try, cultures to learn about, and so many different ways of life to appreciate.

Contact Info:

• Other: COLOR SOUTHEAST ASIA: An Educational Coloring Book for Kids, Ages 5-12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089HXV7GF/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_ZAAM6RJFBM0A4HBFZ7JB

Image Credits
I have the rights to all of these images.