Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberli Davino-Wilson
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all started in 2017 when I was diagnosed with endometriosis. The daily pain and struggle of not feeling well made me realize that working from home was going to be the best option. Doing exactly what, I wasn’t sure. I tried a variety of things from joining multiple network marketing companies, thrifting and selling clothes, to opening my own Etsy shop. All were fun but did not fulfill what I felt my purpose truly was. I couldn’t see myself doing any of those things long term. Even though I am grateful for them, because they did all eventually lead me to where I am today.
I landed a fun remote job working with a company called Health Union, where I was able to get paid to write articles all about endometriosis and also moderate their social media accounts; making sure comments and questions were being replied back to and just really engaging with the community. I loved it. But was still wanting something more that was MY own business.
I started to dabble with social media and decided to start my own social media management business. I helped businesses with their content and also did a lot of virtual assistant work. It really grew and expanded within a few months of doing it. I enjoyed it for two years before I started to get a bit burnt out of creating content for multiple clients and all the extra tasks I was undercharging to do!
After year two, I decided I would focus on the area I enjoyed the most, building community. So trashed all my social media offers and only began to offer Lead Generation, helping businesses build their connections and community on their social media accounts. I did this for almost another two years when I decided all together, I wanted to start spending LESS time on social media. Working inside multiple clients’ accounts a day became exhausting for my mental health. We know how life sucking social media can be.
I still loved helping others and building communities and had this itch for a while to start a virtual business community for creatives. But with so much client work, I never had the time or capacity to do so. So, I gradually pulled back on Lead Generation services and started building the dream business community I kept creating in my head!
And in March, a business bestie of mine and I launched the Magic Makers Community! A space for creatives who seek a supportive network and a sense of belonging in their entrepreneurial journey. Because you shouldn’t have to navigate this journey alone.
I also launched my Savannah virtual travel guidebook in March as well. This was a project on my heart for far too long. Everyone knows my love for Savannah, and always would come to me with recommendations and things to do when they planned to come visit. I decided I wanted to put all of my insider tips and love for the city, into a guidebook. I started working on this last August. It took a lot of time and work, but it was worth every second. I love being able to share my love for this city with others visiting and also being able to connect with our amazing local businesses on a deeper level.
I am so thankful for all the roads and paths I went down, before getting here to my community and Savannah travel guidebook. I feel at such piece in this season of my life, and I cannot wait to see how both of these beautiful journey’s grow!!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road. But then again, I don’t think anything good in life comes with a smooth road. I think we are always shown obstacles first, before we get to the good stuff. Because that’s how we learn, grow and really appreciate the things, once we finally get to them!
For me personally, here are what my struggles looked like:
-Mindset: Not believing in myself. This has been a struggle of mine for a while because of a lot of people in my past not believing in me or have once said I would never amount to anything. I wasn’t ever that honor roll student, and teachers and guidance counselors made that very clear. Along with toxic relationships where I was constantly told I was a nobody. And even though I have proved those individuals wrong numerous times, it still sometimes remains a struggle for me, especially when I am trying to begin something new.
-Comparison: Social media makes it extremely easy to compare yourself to others. Especially when you are first starting out with something and feel like you are so far behind compared t everyone else. I found myself getting lost in the social media scroll over and over comparing myself, to people who maybe have been doing whatever they have been doing for a while now, believing they were doing way better than me. Forgetting that they once started where I am, too. You see everyone’s highlight reels and forget that they too have struggles that we may know nothing about.
-Health: Being able to work from home has really helped my bad health days, but at the same time, on my bad days, it really sets me back. Sometimes putting things on the back burner until I feel better, makes me feel like I am failing and will never get to where I want to be.
-Not knowing what I was doing: Does anyone actually really ever know what they are doing when they are first starting something new? I think it is so easy to believe that as soon as you start a business, everything will fall into place, but that is far from the truth. There are so many ups and downs. Learning to say yes or no when you need to, setting boundaries, making sure to take care of yourself and your mental health, people pleasing, super slow seasons in business. You begin to wonder, shoot, do I really know what I am doing to be successful?
-Not asking for help: For so long I hated asking for help. I still do. I believed asking for help meant I was failing. And that I shouldn’t be doing what I was doing if I needed help. It took me a long time to really believe and understand, asking for help was actually a sign of GROWTH, COURAGE, and STRENGTH. And actually, really helped me blossom in my business.
-Negative thoughts: Am I even good enough for this? Am I a fraud? Why would anyone ever want what I am offering? Am I deserving of money? So many negative thoughts have crossed my mind, making me want to throw in the towel and give up on not only what I was working on, but myself, too.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So, my first business is Cobblestone and Moss. It is a virtual Savannah travel guidebook! I may be a little biased, but it is an amazing resource for not only first timers coming to Savannah but also repeat visitors and locals themselves. There is so much to do and see in Savannah, even if you have been here a million times, there is always something new popping up to check out, which is why we update our guide weekly!
My goal is to take the guesswork out of trip planning, providing visitors with curated recommendations and insider tips that go beyond the usual tourist spots. (of course there are my favorite tourist spots included as well, though). There is nothing better than experiencing Savannah through the eyes of a local. With our guide you can dive straight into the authentic charm of Savannah, ensuring every moment of your visit is memorable and enriching.
I think what sets us apart is our exclusive discounts inside the guide, along with really focusing on local artisans. I feel they do not get enough notice, especially from visitors and they are all just so talented. So, I have really tried to include an inclusive space for them! Of course, the off-the beaten path things to do and see is a bonus as well.
There are great resources out there but sometimes it can be a little too generic. I think sharing my personal experiences and favorites, is a nice touch for visitors, to make them feel like a complete insider while here.
Another goal of mine is to help visitors fully enjoy every minute of their trip instead of wasting time on Google, trying to figure out what the heck to do, where to go or what to eat! With our guide, everything is broken down into categories and is easy to access, along with everything being linked to easily access menus, reservations, etc. We also make sure to highlight events going on each month, making it easy for you to see what may be happening during your stay. And can’t forget my sample itinerary along with my freebie itinerary to download and fill in yourself.
I am proud of the personal touch and hard work I have put into this guide. As a local, I have a deep love for Savannah, and it is such a blessing to share its unique beauty with others. I want my readers to know that Cobblestone and Moss is more than just a guidebook – it’s your key to unlocking the heart and soul of Savannah. My mission is to provide you with a resource that saves you time, offers convenience, and immerses you in the local culture of our beautiful city.
With our guide- you will discover the best places to eat, drink, stay and explore. All while enjoying the comfort of knowing you have a trusted local’s perspective. And if you see me out and about, please do not hesitate to say hello!
You can grab our guide for $8! If you book a hotel with Kimpton Brice, you can get a 35% discount on the guide, as well!
Lastly, if you are a business owner or creative, seeking a virtual business community to connect with others, find support and not do this whole entrepreneurship alone then check out my other business, the Magic Makers Community! We would love to have you. Right now – we are offering one month free, to test it out and see if it is for you.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The quality and characteristics I feel have most contributed to my success would be:
-Resilience: my ability to bounce back from setbacks and persist through challenges, even when I didn’t want to or think that I could.
-Collaboration: It was scary at first to do this, but working with others and building close relationships has been a game changer for my business.
-Goal setting: I always make sure not to over complicate my goals. It’s okay for me to have big dreams, but setting simple goals to get there, is what moved the needle along faster for me. Instead of pushing myself to try and reach some outrageous goal, get frustrated, and just give up.
-Mindset: working with a coach on my mindset was when I really started to see success in my business. Gaining that confidence, finding my worth, understanding what it was I wanted and that I was capable of getting/doing it.
-Motivation: I am easily motivated (even when I don’t want to be) and have a strong drive to achieve my goals once I have something in my mind.
-Looking at setbacks and failures as learning opportunities: This was a hard one to learn and I still sometimes struggle with it. But really allowing myself to take everything as a learning opportunity and not looking at it as it being the end of the world or that I was no good/not ever going to be successful, is actually what pushed me more towards success!
Pricing:
- $8 -Savannah Virtual Travel Guidebook
- $47/monthly Magic Makers Community
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cobblestoneandmoss.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cobblestoneandmoss
- Other: www.lifewithkimberli.com – website /// Published journals – https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kimberli-Davino-Wilson/author/B0CGNTZGK8?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1718736073&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
