Kim Baxter	The Week of August 7th, 2005

KissyCake

1. What’s in your wallet right now?

A business credit card for Kissycake that I’m trying to pay off (the 0% interest for one year is about to run out very soon), a guitar pick, and a fortune from a cookie that says “Life will take you where you need to go”.

2. What do you wish your parents taught you about money?

I don’t really have any complaints. My parents actually taught me a lot about money. My mom taught me to be very organized with receipts, to balance my checkbook often, and to use Quicken. My Dad taught me to be resourceful and not wasteful, and to live within your means. I am forever grateful that they shared these skills with me.

3. What is your worst habit around finances?

Buying lots of little things that add up quickly. I’m not good about comparing prices, especially when grocery shopping.

4. What makes you happy?

Being my own boss, designing and sewing bags, playing and recording music, hanging out with my husband, family, and friends, running around the park with my dog in the middle of the day, traveling, going to shows, going on tour, and listening to music.

5. Personal philosophy around money?

Don’t let money control you or design your life for you. If you’re working a lot of hours just so you can afford that fancy car, consider selling the car and riding a bike or taking the bus to work so you don’t have to work as much and can spend more time doing the things you love. Also, if you don’t like how certain corporations/companies are treating their workers or taking over the world, don’t give them your money. Shop at small, independent stores instead. Be an informed shopper. Allow yourself to make and spend money in a way that makes you feel in control and confident with your decisions.

6. Where does money come from?

For me, money in the past has come from a loving and supportive family, from part time jobs including working at an ice cream shop, a fabric store, in various offices, and as an ESL tutor. Today it comes from Kissycake and from playing shows and touring with my band.

7. What would you do with a million dollars?

I would pay off my business credit card, invest in new Kissycake products, buy a new guitar amp, build an environmentally friendly house, buy an old bubble truck and convert it to biodiesel, give some money to my family and friends, get dental insurance (I can feel a cavity coming on), donate to various causes that I’d like to support, travel with my husband, and take my band on tour to lots of different countries.

8. What is your most prized possession?

My health, my family, my friends, my independence, and my freedom to be creative.

9. Who is your role model?

I admire all of my family members, my husband, my friends who have started their own businesses, bands, labels, etc., and all of the volunteers at the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls.

10. What is your greatest achievement?

Starting my own company, playing and touring with my band, learning Russian and living in Russia, getting married to my best friend and boyfriend of 8 years, graduating from college, and hopefully very soon I’ll be able to add ‘getting my masters’ to the list. I’ve finished all of my coursework, and I’m almost done writing my master’s thesis.

11. How did kissycake come about?

I bought a sewing machine for my 24th birthday. That night my boyfriend and I were going on a movie date. We wanted to sneak in a sub sandwich and soda but I didn’t want to get any of my own bags dirty in case the soda spilled. I quickly made a little pink bag just big enough to carry the food. It worked perfectly and I had fun making it, so the next day I made another one and this time added a little white vinyl bunny to the front of it. I was wearing the bag at a show, and a girl who owns a cool shop here in town [Portland, Oregon] approached me, gave me her business card, and offered to carry my bags at her store. The bags sold right away and I decided to continue making the bags to see where it would take me. It is now 2005 and the business is still going strong. I actually still have that first bag I made, soda stained and all.

12. What contributions to society do you want to make?

I would like to make a positive contribution by being involved in my community, by supporting small stores and independent companies, by encouraging others to follow their hearts and do what they love, by making music and art, and by being a nice, friendly person.

13. If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?

I recently got married and my husband and I really wanted to buy a house. Unfortunately every time we tried to get a loan, we were told to go and get regular-guy jobs that look good on paper. Both of us are finishing up graduate school, playing in bands, and I have my own business. So we’re going to have to wait a while to get a good loan. That’s okay though, I’d rather wait and live our lives the way we want to versus getting jobs that we don’t love just so we can buy a house. So in short, my answer is “a house.”

14. Favorite activity that doesn’t cost a dime?

Sleeping in.

15. How do you indulge yourself?

Buying yummy food at fancy health food stores, buying cool magazines, getting massages, and going out to eat.

Kim Baxter is the 28-year-old owner and designer of Kissycake, creating fun, bright colored bags adorned with quirky, cute animal characters. When she’s not designing and sewing bags, Kim plays guitar and sings in the All Girl Summer Fun Band and records solo music. She graduated from Portland State University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Russian and is currently working towards a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Kim also teaches guitar at the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon.

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