Meet Kimberly Clayton Thigpen | Founder & Curator

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

Hi Kimberly, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always been an entrepreneur, my first business endeavor I was maybe 9 or 10. I used the bark mulch around the trees in the projects where I lived to make necklaces and enlisted a friend to help me sell them. It’s something that came naturally to me. I was also influenced by my great-uncle (who raised my dad so he was more like a granddad), he owned a store/deli/poolroom, and I would get off the bus there each day after school. Even when I worked in a corporate environment, I felt a sense of ownership for whatever my role was within the team.

I have had several entrepreneurial pursuits throughout the years but when I finally landed on that thing that made me light up inside, taking the next step into starting my first business The Bath Place and doing it full time felt organic to me. Organic okay, not easy, still there was a great sense of ease within the process. I found joy and flow in the creative side of making my skincare products as a mother of 6 it was one thing my therapy and I there was satisfaction in knowing that the products that I developed to help my family was now helping so many others.

The inspiration for my new baby The Self Care Marketplace comes from a multitude of reasons. First it endeavors to be a one stop shop for all things self-care, designed to connect the conscious consumer with the artisan brand. It is also a place where people can come to experience wellness-based activities or host related events. It provides a space of entrepreneurs to learn what it’s like to occupy retail space and to share the experience with others.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Self Care Marketplace was created to serve the conscious consumer and the artisan brand. It is nothing short of a miracle that we exist in this space as of my writing today there was $0 funding, $0 loans, $0 donations. This place is built on love, cooperation, personal sacrifice, fasting, gratitude and stardust, no really. I choose to be transparent in order to inspire anyone out there in the process of realizing an “impossible” dream or project – just keep going, be radical.

Access premium retail space is often out of reach for makers and smaller brands due to the cost. We provide entry to this market at a fraction of the cost through the benefits of co-retailing. Additionally, we offer space to local artists, yoga teachers, musicians and other aligned services to bring self- care focused programming to the community. Empire Properties believed in our vision and were supportive making this space beautiful and attainable. Wake Tech Entrepreneurship Program sponsored space for 2 student entrepreneurs which provided a bit of steam for the engine as well as moral support.

One of the things I’m most proud of is being a full-time entrepreneur for over a decade. I started in a small community in eastern North Carolina that was known for high unemployment and crime. I considered starting in more affluent nearby cities where I already had a customer base, but my family was young at the time, and I had made that community my home. There was a revitalization project happening downtown so I decided to take a chance.

Through the years I have found creative ways to keep the business moving forward including a self-brokered deal with Whole Foods Market, a strong online customer base and an 11 month stay at The Pop Up’s at Martin St. a Downtown Raleigh Alliance project which was the springboard to opening The Self Care Marketplace.

I’ve have had many tough years building the business as well as personal traumas of divorce and the loss of my 19yr of son to gun violence in 2021. Still today I’m proud to be able to do what I love, support my family and create space for wellness solely through this business.

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?
If they came right now we would definitely do the Illuminate Artwalk it saving the talking heads for the finale of course.

We would spend some time at Umbrella Dry Bar. Beautiful atmosphere, gorgeous mocktails and it smells divine.

Lunch at Happy + Hale – keep it simple I’m in love with the Hale Ceasar with Buffaloe Cauliflower!

Catch Alex Bugnon at the Raleigh Improv

And of course a full tour of downtown and the Raleigh Trolley which would be a 1st for us both.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My 6 children have been an inspiration to me to be and do more. Each of them entered my life at divinely appointed times bringing lessons of love, stamina, humility, patience, victory, beauty, perseverance and even loss.

My uncle/grandpa Bubba Pugh was the example that made ownership feel not only attainable but normal.

Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza – this book helped me to organize and balance the infinite side of me with the physical and make sense of it all. It was like that guidebook that put into words the things that I had come to recognize and practice but wasn’t fully aware of the science behind how I was doing it.

Website: https://theselfcaremarketplace.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theselfcaremarketplacenc