Meet Kamina Griffin | CEO/Founder & Junior at Spelman College

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

Hi Kamina, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought behind starting SECURE was to find an innovative and futuristic solution to help other underrepresented scholars gain the spotlight and recognition they deserved. Being allowed to attend my HBCU, Spelman College, also afforded me a sisterhood, endless opportunities, and a chance to find myself. However, only a few students are often allotted such opportunities, and it isn’t because they perform at average levels. Instead, these are young, underrepresented scholars who are making strides within their communities and are trying to excel within their professions that frequently lack two essential qualities:

1. The knowledge of how to network.

2. The accessibility to the network efficiently.

As with being a first-generation college student, I also realized the impact that SECURE has on scholars who come after me. One of our mission pillars is to help diversify the workforce, and we are starting with technology and adding our personalization.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Kamina Griffin, and I am a junior attending Spelman College, double majoring in Economics & Comparative Women’s Studies while also pursuing a double minor in Management & Organization and Entrepreneurship & Innovation on the pre-law track from Jackson, Mississippi. After my matriculation from Spelman, I plan on obtaining my combined JD/MBA and pursuing a career in Corporate Law. I am also the CEO & Founder of SECURE. Besides my faith and my community, which has constantly kept me going, I would like to acknowledge all the times when I failed. Those were the times when I learned the most from my successes. I remember twice not progressing to the final round of two prestigious VC programs, and I was devastated. After assessing the feedback, however, I realized where to strengthen myself as a founder and overall SECURE.

The same goes for my education. After two years of being a Biochemistry major at Spelman, I decided to pivot in my career path. I knew I was no longer as passionate about the ambitious dreams I once dreamt for myself instead of staying selfish. At the same time, I saw many of my peers excelling and enjoying coming to classes, but I entirely lost passion and direction. After much prayer, I made the change and realized that although I did not see myself changing, a change was needed. I am forever grateful for making that change for myself mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Right before my career pivot, I started developing the idea of SECURE, mixed with my educational insecurities because I did not have an internship during my freshman summer. Seeing how many of my peers were what seemed like 10 feet ahead in the professional department, I thought that it was just me who wasn’t aware of the necessity of networking. After doing research and gaining customer acquisition from my peers and other undergraduate students, I realized that among students who identified with one or more minority groups, 3 out of 5 students felt as though they were not adequately equipped for their future careers. I gained so much feedback from “I don’t think I will use my degree when I graduate” to “I’m a junior, and I still have yet to have one internship that makes me stand out.” I have always been taught to help others just like I was- and in what way can I display that better than through an app that specializes in the advancement of networking amongst students? That was my breakthrough moment, and I knew that if I did not at least test out the idea of SECURE, I wouldn’t be helping other scholars. And now, here we are, approaching our one year in one month, and the impact we have made so far only excites me for the effects to come.

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?
When one of my friends comes to visit me, I am taking them to Breakfast at Barney’s for brunch; then we can explore the city depending on what season it is; although I hear the Balloon Museum is a top attraction, we will have to stop there. We will shop at Perimeter to go to Little Alley Steakhouse for dinner. I love the steakhouse, from the proportions to the fantastic service. And lastly, we have to get Jeni’s because a sweet treat is always a to-go. For our documentation, we will end the day by taking lots of photos of digital cameras.

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 dedicate this shout-out to God first: my family, friends, mother, mentors, and Spelman College. I was so scared to start SECURE because I remember my first time pitching the idea of SECURE, and no one believed in it. But God had other plans, and I did not know them yet. Not only did he provide me with a mother who always tells me that as long as I believe in God and myself, then nothing else has a more prominent saying, but He also provided me with a family that loves and accepts me and friends who are willing to support me even without me asking.

To my amazing mentors, I have so many, but I love them all so dearly! The growth I have experienced under and with you all has been a blessing. And lastly, for Spelman College. There may never be a time when I am not grateful for attending such a prominent institution to pursue my higher education. Spelman helped me to realize, from my professors down to my Spelman Sisters, that I have a purpose, and so do my ideas. Oh, and this goes without saying, but to my team, you all are some of the most deserving scholars I have ever had the opportunity to grow with professionally, so thank you endlessly.

Website: https://www.thesecureapp.com/

Instagram: minagriffin_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamina-griffin-4536a8245/