Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Wardell.
Hi Kimberly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
How many times I can re-write this first opening sentence? It was 2014. I didn’t love being a stay at home parent, but with my husband’s career and the ability to be around with my hilarious 2 daughters (then 5 & 6) it allowed us flexibility. I needed a creative outlet and was a lifestyle blogger for a few years, you know the OG of “influencers” so to speak. It was a fun way to mix my past in the corporate world and art. I was quiet about it to my friends and family, but active about it on the “newish” Instagram and social media platforms. It was fun and I did pretty well with it. I was happy writing about the parties I created for brands like Rit Dye, Le Creuset, and doing all the creative things I could with my little girls. Scott, my husband was incredible, supportive, and we had a blast doing things together with it.
Then… one evening at the age of 37 years young, healthy and randomly, Scott died in his sleep from cardiac arrest.
So much happened and yet didn’t in the 8 days he spent in a hypothermic coma that we put him, but telling that story over again feels more like I would putting everyone in the opposite of a Hallmark movie and I would likely owe you all a lifetime supply of tissues. I have previously shared it and happy to share the link.
I remember coming home simply frozen, not knowing what to do with my life next or how I would be human, let alone a parent or support those little girls who admired their dad so much. I slept, cried, hid away. Then when I found myself exhausted in a way that I could not sleep… I worked.
Scott and I both really loved art, architecture, and design. Before I was married, I worked in the e-commerce fashion industry… so all of those nights that I couldn’t and didn’t sleep, I began to research and scour the internet, social media world for beautiful things. Fashion, furniture, toys… for families from small brands with incredible quality standards that parents like us would want in the home and really were art. I started small-ish. I used the same name as my blog as I had an incredible community and business registered. Those were the days where you really connected with people and they felt like family and friends. I designed a new website, registered for new licenses, and starting importing from all over the world… pallets… to my house. That’s when Design Life Kids, became … DLK the online store. We went live 3 months to day after his passing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Every small business struggles. Every single one. Financially, physically, mentally. So when you hear shop small, it makes a difference, It is very true. Little purchases, big ones, every single one has an impact on the business you shop from.
For me the hardest has always been the fact that I’m a single parent running businesses. The juggle is real. I want everyone to be satisfied as much as possible. I do not want my situation to hurt my children’s opportunities, but I need to be able to work and keep things running smoothly as well. I have tried my best to teach them how to do things when they were young and be strong and independent. When my eldest daughter played club/travel ice hockey and then when she was diagnosed with epilepsy… that was a hard juggle. PTSD is real, trauma hits whenever it wants to and you just have to let it all do what it wants, and then find your way back. I have learned to feel the feelings. Do what I can and that’s that. I am just one person.
Those tariffs also hit quite hard with unexpected costs. Consumers do not know that businesses order apparel and holiday items 6-9 months in advance. This means that money is paid out early so we have to plan ahead. Those unexpected fees were certainly not fun, but it’s part of the industry. The ups and the downs. You always have to pivot and be flexible.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Despite our name, DLK is not just for kids. We’re a family concept store curating beautiful goods for everyone including home decor, accessories, beauty, and furniture. We have a lot of customers who do not have any children at all and shop for themselves or gifts! It’s always been important to me to select items that we really fall in love with and want to gift ourselves. We have to be able to share the stories of each brand we carry and explain the pieces. It’s about sharing their art. The smile on a customer’s face when they also fall in love with something we share with them…. it’s magic.
About 5 years after I started the online store, I maxed out the space that I customized in my garages and basement for inventory and rented out a warehouse and office space locally. 5 women, 2 kids… we moved it all ourselves in 1 weekend – it was insane. I couldn’t believe how much we had grown. Then 5 years later, in 2024, I took a huge leap and leased a storefront. Hired an architect and contractor and designed a 3,000 sqft space in our home town of West Chester, Pa. There is a custom Playspace for kids to hang out, play, and enjoy! Plus we have a private event space in the back.
What I’m most proud of though… My youngest daughter created an afterschool mentorship club for young kids called the Open Hearts Social Club. It’s all teenager volunteer run, nonprofit, and every week they work a project that benefits the local community while focusing on mental health. It’s just beautiful and the kids… they love it so much.
Every step has been terrifying… and yet I would not do any other way.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
From day one I’ve had the same motto, Find the beauty in every day. I try to keep that at the forefront, because these last 12 years have been really difficult. So when I’m having a really tough time, I look for something small that makes me smile, something that will bring me a little bit of joy.
Life is crazy and full of surprises. We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control what we do with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.designlifekids.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designlifekids/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designlifekids/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/designlifekids/
