488: The Power in the Pivot: How Keewa Nurullah Is Rebuilding After Closing Her Dream Business

This week in the guest chair we have Keewa Nurullah, artist, entrepreneur, and small-business strategist you may remember as the founder of Kido, the beloved South Loop children’s boutique that brought color, culture, and community to families across Chicago.After six powerful years in business, and national recognition that included a shout-out from President Barack Obama, Keewa made the bold decision to close her brick-and-mortar store and start over.In this episode, Keewa opens up about what it truly looks like to evolve as an entrepreneur, navigating economic shifts, changing customer behavior, and the emotional side of letting go of something you built from the ground up. Today she’s channeling those lessons into her work as a strategist and host of Circulate, a monthly community event that “love-bombs” local shops with intentional support and helps other founders build thriving, purpose-driven businesses on their own terms.In this episode, she shares:The courage to walk away from a business What retail taught her about leadership, money, and boundariesThe realities of pivoting after successHow she’s creating new pathways for community-minded entrepreneursHighlights Include00:00 Intro03:10 Launching Kido and building community through culture08:45 Getting national recognition (including Barack Obama’s shout-out)13:20 The moment she knew it was time to close her storefront17:15 Navigating shifting customer habits post-pandemic22:40 Starting over as a strategist and redefining success27:00 Creating Circulate and supporting small businesses33:15 Lessons on resilience, rest, and rediscovering your "why"40:00 Advice for entrepreneurs in transitionWatch episode 488 on YouTube and listen on all podcast appsLinks mentioned in this episodeKeewa Nurullah Instagram:@kiwimercuryKeewa’s website: https://www.keewanurullah.com/Side Hustle Pro: https://sidehustlepro.coClick here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rssAnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf you’re looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebookGuest Social Media InfoInstagram: @kiwimercury Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.