<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>In this episode, she shares:</p><ul><li>The courage to walk away from a business&nbsp;</li><li>What retail taught her about leadership, money, and boundaries</li><li>The realities of pivoting after success</li><li>How she’s creating new pathways for community-minded entrepreneurs</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>Highlights Include</h3><p>00:00 Intro</p><p>03:10 Launching Kido and building community through culture</p><p>08:45 Getting national recognition (including Barack Obama’s shout-out)</p><p>13:20 The moment she knew it was time to close her storefront</p><p>17:15 Navigating shifting customer habits post-pandemic</p><p>22:40 Starting over as a strategist and redefining success</p><p>27:00 Creating Circulate and supporting small businesses</p><p>33:15 Lessons on resilience, rest, and rediscovering your "why"</p><p>40:00 Advice for entrepreneurs in transition</p><br><p>Watch episode 488 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps</p><br><p><strong>Links mentioned in this episode</strong></p><ul><li>Keewa Nurullah Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kiwimercury/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@kiwimercury</a></li><li>Keewa’s website: <a href="https://www.keewanurullah.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.keewanurullah.com/</a></li><li>Side Hustle Pro:<a href="https://sidehustlepro.co" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://sidehustlepro.co</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): <a href="http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss</a></p><p><br></p><h1>Announcements</h1><p><strong>Join our Facebook Community</strong></p><p>If 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: <a href="http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook</a></p><p><br></p><h1>Guest Social Media Info</h1><p>Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kiwimercury/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @kiwimercury</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Side Hustle Pro

Nicaila Matthews Okome | Side Hustle Pro Media

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

NOV 12, 202552 MIN
Side Hustle Pro

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

NOV 12, 202552 MIN

Description

<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><br><p>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.</p><br><p>In this episode, she shares:</p><ul><li>The courage to walk away from a business&nbsp;</li><li>What retail taught her about leadership, money, and boundaries</li><li>The realities of pivoting after success</li><li>How she’s creating new pathways for community-minded entrepreneurs</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>Highlights Include</h3><p>00:00 Intro</p><p>03:10 Launching Kido and building community through culture</p><p>08:45 Getting national recognition (including Barack Obama’s shout-out)</p><p>13:20 The moment she knew it was time to close her storefront</p><p>17:15 Navigating shifting customer habits post-pandemic</p><p>22:40 Starting over as a strategist and redefining success</p><p>27:00 Creating Circulate and supporting small businesses</p><p>33:15 Lessons on resilience, rest, and rediscovering your "why"</p><p>40:00 Advice for entrepreneurs in transition</p><br><p>Watch episode 488 on YouTube and listen on all podcast apps</p><br><p><strong>Links mentioned in this episode</strong></p><ul><li>Keewa Nurullah Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kiwimercury/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@kiwimercury</a></li><li>Keewa’s website: <a href="https://www.keewanurullah.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.keewanurullah.com/</a></li><li>Side Hustle Pro:<a href="https://sidehustlepro.co" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://sidehustlepro.co</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): <a href="http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://sidehustlepro.libsyn.com/rss</a></p><p><br></p><h1>Announcements</h1><p><strong>Join our Facebook Community</strong></p><p>If 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: <a href="http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook</a></p><p><br></p><h1>Guest Social Media Info</h1><p>Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kiwimercury/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @kiwimercury</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>