Meet Claudine Miles | Restore More Founder

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

Hi Claudine, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Starting Restore More was truly a labor of love, and if not for good habits and discipline it wouldn’t be where it is today. I started this business after a major run in with burnout and a leave of absence at work after birthing a baby, so I know my wellness and mental health are critical in making this work GO! I’ve been privileged to lead this organization for the last 6 years and in that time, I have learned that habits are the keys to success. Our daily habits will either make us more successful or less. Eric Thomas, a renowned motivational speaker often says, please know I am paraphrasing here, show me what you do in your 24 hours, and I can tell you if you’ll be successful. Success in business is often being able to consistently replicate habits that yield income and growth. Personally, for me, success is being able to replicate habits that increase joy. I use a journaling method called bullet journaling, and a practice called habit stacking to help me track 8-10 habits in a given month that I either want to maintain or improve upon. This month I’m currently tracking my water intake, working out, bible time, how long I sleep, logging my food with an app, reading 10 minutes a day, and meditation & affirmations. I find that I am generally a better person and in a better mood when I engage in these habits consistently and habit stacking has allowed me to transform myself into someone who is now DOING all the things she said she wanted too, without excuses. To put it simply, time management, discipline, and prioritizing my wellness have been habits that have helped me to thrive in entrepreneurship.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Restore More is an international, multimillion dollar consulting firm that supports schools primarily, and other like-minded organizations who want to build their capacity with Restorative Practices, Social Emotional Learning, Anti-Racism and Wellness. We believe these four components are often left out of professional development for teachers, even though these are all critical to moving the needle when it comes to kids growing more and maximizing their success. We lead dynamic workshops with school administrators, teachers, parents and students that make learning fun, and always include practice with feedback, because that’s how we get better faster. What makes us different is that I have done this work for over 20 years and have lived experience that many of my educators and students have, which enables me to create content and curriculum that’s culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of our unique clients.
On the heels of our 6th birthday, I am most proud of the impact we’ve had, which to date we’ve been able to serve over 250,000 students, parents, teachers and educational leaders. I am also grateful for all the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet along this journey and humbled by winning over $25,000 in pitch competitions, winning a grant from BeyGood, Beyoncé’s foundation, working with Columbia University’s Teachers College, Passing Restorative Practice Policy in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools, and supporting my colleagues in the Virgin Islands with teacher development.

Even with all of these wins, there have been countless challenges in running and owning a thing. To name a few I had to learn new things really fast with no prior background knowledge on business, I had to hire lawyers to read paperwork I couldn’t understand, and I even dealt with a hacker who attempted to extort money from my business. Though each of these challenges tested me, I am grateful for the life lessons that I have learned:

1. You can learn anything if you put your mind to it!
2. Protect your business at all costs, quick tip set up two step authentication on all your business accounts.
3. Most importantly take care of yourself!

I want the world to know that oftentimes we’re far more capable than we believe, we just have to muster the courage to take the first step and try.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting ATL and I wanted to show them a good time I’d have to take them to one of the amazing outdoor mixed-use spaces in Atlanta, i.e. The Beltline, Krog St. or Ponce City Market, those spaces are fun, entertaining and have lots to do while getting a feel for the city. I’d absolutely want to take them to a sporting event, whether that’s basketball, football, baseball or even soccer. Seeing a sports game in Atlanta is something special, the fans are A1 and it’s always sure to be a good time. I’d of course want them to experience a bit of Atlanta’s nightlife, but I’m so far removed from that scene I’d have to call someone cooler to find somewhere to go.
To show them the entrepreneurial network of Atlanta, which is beyond immense and equally supportive, I’d swing them by places like Plywood People, the Center for Civic Innovation and the Russell Center. No Atlanta trip would be complete without a little civil rights history, so I’d absolutely want to show them. MLK’s stomping grounds. I’d then drag them to Slutty Vegan simply because they’re delicious and a whole VIBE. Finally, I’d love to showcase how versatile Atlanta is, so I’d take them to Piedmont Park to show how beautiful this city truly is.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to SHOUT OUT my high school guidance counselor turned College Journey consultant, Belinda Wilkerson, Ed.D., GCDF. She helps families eliminate random acts of college planning and is one of the main reasons I myself went to college and succeeded. Due to her nurturing, pushing, and honest chats she set me up to go further faster, and for those acts of love I will forever be grateful. Her organization, Steps to the Future, does exactly what she did for me then now, her lifelong mission being to assist students with their educational and career journeys and to decrease systemic barriers along the way so they can see and become their best possible selves. It was due to her encouragement, to go see the world a bit, that I chose to go to Hampton University 20 hours away from my hometown, East Providence. It’s also because of her that I see the value in giving back to that same community, and as fate would have it, Restore More has allowed me to lead impactful education work in my home state, Rhode Island, with The Met & The Learning Community.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindawilkerson?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAAAIp1JIBi63eWBfBBM8HwylXJUGKXIClQgs

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