A New Idea is Born…

It was June 2023 and I had just traveled to Detroit filled with anxiety and anticipation. Hamsa and I had not seen each other since the Small Giants Leadership Academy graduation almost a year earlier. During those months, Hamsa let me know that she was ready to move on from her role as Executive Director of the Small Giants Community. She had been in the position for almost 8 years and was ready for a new challenge. It was hard to imagine what it would be like for the Community to continue without her, since it had become so much associated with her special relationships with our members and her unique leadership approach. 

At the same time, I was also in a life transition. I had been through a very challenging period in my own life, including some moments that had me questioning my own purpose. I was ready for a new chapter.

Over the years, we collaborated well, building a platform to teach values, culture and purpose to next generation business leaders. We felt a constant sense of pride and gratitude, and have always believed we were having an impact on those we served.

And yet we thought there was something more. We knew there were additional things we wanted to do with our lives, more people we could help, more lives we could touch. We had talked about them over the years, but they were always on the back burner.

So we sat in a beautiful space in the Detroit Institute of Art* and started to talk about the future. Neither of us had really prepared and didn’t come with any predetermined answers. Eventually, our discussion gelled into a plan. We would commit to trying to articulate a vision for a new chapter and a way to pursue some of these passion projects together. That would include identifying someone that could eventually take over Hamsa’s role with Small Giants.  

That night, we didn’t yet know it, but the vision for the Kintsugi Village was starting to form. Our common passions centered around 4 key areas: early childhood education, the arts, mindfulness and culinary experiences (we’re both foodies). We also knew that what we wanted to do going forward was going to be completely non-profit. We want to build financially sustainable organizations but it’s no longer about making money. It is about having impact and giving back. It’s about building relationships with wonderful people.

But with all of these disparate interests, could they work together? Where would we start? Where would we do this? Detroit became an easy choice for several reasons: This has been the hub of the Small Giants Community for the last 8 years and we have seen tremendous advances in the entrepreneurial growth of the city. At the same time, this is a city still on the rebound, where there are many neighborhoods that are underserved and underrepresented. Maybe we could play a role in revitalizing one of those neighborhoods?

Ultimately, we envisioned a non-profit “ecosystem” where all of these initiatives could work together. A campus with multiple buildings on the same property. The hub would be an early childhood center that would focus on life skills in addition to academic learning. We would charge little or no tuition to be able to reach those in the most need. We thought of building an artist incubator based on a similar thriving entity in Dallas. Artists could use the space to hone their craft and teach at the school. We’ve also dreamed of a special place for people to gather and collaborate in a spirit of mindfulness, like a retreat center open to community organizations and businesses. Lastly, we wanted to lean into our passion for hospitality and food. We could do this by establishing a culinary kitchen and even start a food truck. 

But it’s one thing to dream and another thing to make it happen. What we have in common is drive and persistence. And while we know that our ideas will evolve and there will be many challenges ahead, we’re excited to get started!