Meet Kimberly Lavon: Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Lavon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve been a creative my entire life. It’s the only thing that always made sense. Knowing that since childhood, logical next steps were to attend college. However, after attending 3 colleges and earning: 1 B.F.A. in Fine Art Printmaking with a minor in Graphic Design, 1 M.A. in Advertising, 3 Mentorship programs, 2 internships, and 10 years of experience I still didn’t know exactly what to “do”. I could begin anything now but what would work best for me? How do I combine my wide range of creative experience? That’s when it hit me. I realized I needed to start my own business because what I was looking for did not exist. Because of that insight, I found an opportunity to fill a great need that would help countless people just like me. 

What should our readers know about your business?

My new business is called Thimble Media. We are a branding and production company for Fine Artists. What sets us apart from others agencies is that we specialize in working with Creatives exclusively! I’ve spent 10 years +  learning how to make, sell, advocate and appreciate art of many kinds. With that much experience in the field, and no establishment offering answers to these questions I knew I had to make some moves. Enter @thimble.media

My proudest achievement as it pertains to my business is my recent acceptance into the One & All entrepreneurial program presented by LEAP Lansing Economic Area Partnership. I will be starting a series of classes, coaching, acceleration, and mentorship in growing my business spanning 10 weeks. I will earn $2500 upon the successful completion of the program. Funds which will be added to the funding needed to start and sustain my business endeavor.

I got to where I am today business-wise after walking into the beginning of the COVID pandemic after graduating with my masters. The job market looked bleak, everything was in flux and nobody knew how or what to pivot to. I combined those issues and more to find a singular solution that would sustain me now and into the future. So if I really look at it, my road to success was paved with rejection, obstacles and adversity. It all seems like one big warmup now that I think about it. The only way I know of to overcome challenges is to be tenacious. To focus on your goal and don’t quit until you reach it. Ignore feedback that only serves to hurt you, hold tight to your values and keep practicing your craft. It’s all worth it I promise! The biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way are:
• Let your freak flag fly! (Always be yourself).
• Hurt people hurt other people. (It’s not you it’s them).
• Practice practice practice every day.
• Mistakes are part of the process. Embrace them!
• Try to have fun every day. It will help you keep going when times get tough.
I want the world to know that Thimble Media is here and we are officially official starting late March! In the meantime, check is out on Instagram at @Thimble.Media for hints, tips, inspiration and more!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
With COVID cancelling essentially everything, my answer is mute. So ask me this question again when we’ve arrived in the “new normal”. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my partner, Andy C., my cat, Stella, my mentor and longtime friend, Barb, all the incredible artists and professors I know, love, and now call friends from KCAD, my favorite SCAD professors (I’m talking about you, Richard, Ashley, Emily, Brian, Sandro & Danny!), my Coca-Cola Advertising girls, my new friends & cohort at LEAP, and last but not least, The Shadow Syndicate. I love you all & want to give you so much gratitude. I wouldn’t be here without you!

Website: www.kimberly-lavon.com
Instagram: @thimble.media
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ThimbleMediaMarketing/
Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCtvic1XrBdL0e7NU-MqdVLQ

Image Credits
#fauxtography, #illustration, #graphicdesign, #creativedirection, by @kimberlylavonink & @thimble.media all rights reserved. ©️2021