We recently connected with M.K. Harris and have shared our conversation below.

M.K. , appreciate you joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

The biggest lesson I learned from my previous career was to set boundaries. I worked in finance for a non-profit organization 5 years prior to launching Peace of Cake Personal Concierge. On paper, my sole responsibility was to ensure the money wasn’t “funny” but in reality, the role turned out to include much more. In addition to my finance-related tasks, I ran personal errands for my boss, grabbed lunch for the staff almost daily, and even took calls sometimes as late as 10:00 PM. Because I was being pulled in so many directions, my work suffered and I was not able to focus on my actual job duties. Neglecting to set boundaries led me to burnout and mental anguish, so my advice to anyone is to take care of yourself first! For example, designate self-care days where you disconnect from your phone and the internet, stick to the agreements laid out in your contracts, and respect the brand that you build.

I share that advice because I am now doing my best to stick to my boundaries with my concierge clients. I love the work that I do for them, but being passionate about serving my clients doesn’t mean overextending myself to the point of exhaustion. I recently attended a women’s conference in New York, NY where Jessica Spaulding, founder of The Harlem Chocolate Factory shared that “It is a form of self-hate when you don’t hold space for yourself. It is over-dedicating yourself to areas in your life that cause you to neglect yourself.” That quote alone should motivate any entrepreneur to reevaluate how they care for themselves and maintain their boundaries.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am M.K. Harris, a Nashville, Tennessee native who enjoys traveling, shopping, pampering myself, baking, bowling, singing, and spending time with my partner and my loved ones. I am a proud mama to; a toy Yorkie, Teddy Michael, two turtles, Cooper & Trooper, and the “Rich Auntie” to my nieces and nephews. In other words, I spoil them! I am a Hunter’s Lane High School alumna and hold a personal assistant certification from IAP Career College. Additionally, I serve on the Board of Directors for Conway Care Packages, a non-profit organization based in Memphis, TN, and am a member of the International Association of Personal Assistants.

I possess over 15 years of experience in hospitality, finance, education, customer service, event planning, and client management. Peace of Cake Personal Concierge was launched on January 17, 2020, and has provided services in industries such as brewing & distilling, recording labels, commercial properties, educational non-profit organizations, and vacation resorts.

We specialize in managing high-profile households and aiding personal assisting clients in keeping their personal lives peaceful. My services range from traveling with clients, personal shopping, calendar management, staff management, and event planning. I take on the tedious and time-consuming tasks of my clients’ lives allowing them time to dedicate back to their families and/or businesses.

My family’s village was the inspiration for creating Peace of Cake Personal Concierge. It was the tribe of people surrounding my grandmother and my parents, stepping in when needed, that was the secret to our success as a family. I did not discover that until adulthood, but I am sure that it rubbed off on me because volunteering to be a helping hand when it comes to friends, family, and employers has always been a passion of mine. My tribe is also why I am adamant about surrounding myself with the right people as an entrepreneur.

One of the things I am most proud of is following my dreams and keeping my faith on my journey. Starting a business involves a journey of a million steps. It comes with sweat, tears, joy, victories, long nights, early mornings, and sometimes even wanting to quit. I’ve experienced it all, but I’ve never given up. A few months ago, I was asking myself why I chose to become a business owner, but I just keep believing in God. Trusting that I wasn’t given this dream in vain. My purpose is clear and I’m not letting up! My prayer is that you follow every single dream that God places in your heart.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word-of-Mouth referrals from previous clients, colleagues, and friends have been the main funnel for new clients. To have a business is one thing, but having one that executes a flawless service inspires people to share it with their network. In addition to those referrals, attending virtual workshops, networking events, and conferences locally and nationally has connected me with clients and opportunities I could not have imagined when I was just starting.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

In June of 2021, I was the personal assistant for a family in Winter Park, Colorado. I also served as the venue event manager for their Airbnb resort. While the family was away one weekend, I had a 100+ wedding party check-in. Unfortunately, the pipes burst at the main venue on the day of their wedding rehearsal. Can you imagine your dream wedding weekend falling apart? It was chaos! Nonetheless, I knew that I had to find a solution quickly.

Although I had only been there a short time, I had made friends that became like family. I reached out to some of them who put me in contact with the Winter Park Mountain Lodge whose staff was able to help me execute the rehearsal dinner in less than 3 hours.

When it was all over, I went home with tears of relief and joy having pulled off the dinner successfully. I overcame every obstacle put in my path that day. The couple was pleased with the dinner despite the mishap which is what ultimately mattered most.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.peaceofcakeconcierge.com
• Instagram: peaceofcakeconcierge
• Facebook: Peace of Cake Personal Concierge

Image Credits
John Jo – Masterminds LLC.
Michael Edmondson – Atypical Visuals
DeAnthony Reed from Negasi Vision Photography.