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

Kobéy , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I came up with the name of the company because my name Kobéy is unique. Honestly, every name that I wanted to use for my business was already taken and the last thing I needed was a lawsuit as someone starting out.

Also, I felt that utilizing your own name and implementing it into your business shows the utmost confidence that you can have as an entrepreneur. As someone who is naturally shy, this was a great way for me to get out of my comfort zone and push my brand. My name is Kobéy Smith, and I was inspired by brands like Sean Jean, Calvin Klein, Jordan, etc. Each of those brands brings a certain feeling to them and they are named after real people who display confidence (Diddy, Calvin Klein, and Michael Jordan).

Even though Kobéy is my name I made it into an acronym of the 5 pillars that I live by every day. They are Karma, Ownership, Blessings, Entrepreneurship, & Yahweh (Hebrew for God). I implement each of these pillars into my life and my business. I know this will be the best way for my customers and supporters to get an idea of who I am overall.

Kobéy , 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?

I got interested in entrepreneurship after I completed an internship in 2018 called the Entrepreneur Leadership Academy. It was in partnership with Quinnipiac University and Connecticut Arts and Technology out of Hamden, Connecticut. They took 10 Connecticut college students over to Gyor, Hungary to participate in the entrepreneurship accelerator boot camp for a week. After that accelerator program, I knew I wanted to become an entrepreneur.

I got into teaching meditation after being diagnosed with severe anxiety during my sophomore year in college. The doctor who diagnosed me told me to look into meditation as a way to prioritize my mental health. I took a class called Koru Mindfulness which was created out of Duke University and I’ve implemented meditation into my life ever since. I got certified in the Koru curriculum last year. When it comes to the bracelets I originally started making them as a joke to prove to a former friend of mine that I could actually sell products. Lastly, I started the Chattin’ With Kobéy podcast because I got tired of listening to podcasts with no substance. I felt that I could do better and it was a challenge I was willing to take on.

I’m most proud of the fact that I put forth the effort so far. I know I have some ways to go and there is a lot that I need to learn, but here I am living out a dream that I have so far. I have ideas and at times I feel like I am all over the place, but I am learning from each experience that I have come across. There are people who wait for the “perfect” time to chase their dream and due to that waiting they never get started on anything.

I want everyone to know that my ultimate goal with everything that I am doing is to help people. With the Chattin’ With Kobéy podcast, my goal is to share the experiences of entrepreneurship and mental health awareness as a way to let listeners know that they are not alone on this journey. With the bracelets, my goal is to create wearable accessories that have symbolic meanings and will uplift people. Whether it is a tiger-eyed stone bracelet, a bracelet with a peace charm, or a positive affirmation on it I plan on making sure that each bracelet has a special meaning behind it.

Finally, the meditation lessons are going to be a way to teach people of color, especially Black men about mindfulness. Mental health is viewed as a weakness within the Black community and as a Black man who is open about his mental health battle, it is my obligation to make sure that there is a conversation on how to prioritize wellness.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had to pivot in my business a few months into my first year as an entrepreneur. Originally, clothing items such as t-shirts and hoodies were my primary items. I had clothing items that had positive affirmations on them and meditation designs to encourage people to meditate. It was very hard to sell meditation/mindfulness especially when I would be at vendor markets with other popular streetwear companies in Connecticut. There were some events when I made no money and it was embarrassing.

I remember a former friend of mine told me that I wasn’t a great salesperson, and said I should sell bracelets since the clothing items weren’t selling. After he said that, I looked around and saw that everywhere I was I would see people wearing bracelets, and I thought I would give it a try making my own to sell.

That same weekend I went to all the craft stores (Joann’s, Michaels, Hobby Lobby), and bought materials to make the bracelets for an upcoming event in Hamden, Connecticut. I made 20 bracelets for that event and I remember selling 16 in the first hour and selling out the next hour. From that moment I realized bracelets would be the primary product of the Kobéy brand.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The book that has helped me out on my entrepreneurial journey has definitely been “Think & Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. That book has single-handedly changed the way that I view the world, business, and money. Entrepreneurship is a mental battle and the reason why many people don’t succeed in this space is because they don’t believe they deserve to be successful or have what it takes. There are so many hidden gems in that book and I suggest that everyone whether they want to be in business or not should read that book.

As for videos I used to watch these guys on YouTube called the Roommates. They really care about self-improvement for men and they have had so many people on their show that I respect. They discuss a lot of the hard topics that concern men today and they bring in a lot of different perspectives. Overall, I’m inspired by a lot of information as long as it’s beneficial and will help me grow personally.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kobeyenterprises.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kobeyenterprises/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kobeysmith/
• Other: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kobey-enterprises/episodes/Chattin-With-Koby-Pilot-Episode-1-e23die4

Image Credits
The photo of me recording a podcast episode with my first guest Anna DeLucia. The photo of the person wearing the butterfly bracelet is Giulia Gambale.