Hidden Gems: Meet Bri’Ann Stephens Klarke Foreman of Foundation First

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bri’Ann Stephens Klarke Foreman

Bri’Ann Stephens and Klarke Foreman have been entrepreneurs for 7+ years. In 2014 Klarke Foreman launched her teen organization, Kween to Queen. Bullying and body-shaming are all too common in today’s culture. Klarke Foreman experienced it firsthand when she was in 6th grade. Students would bully her for her body hair and her dress size, saying that she’d look great in her clothes — if she’d just lose 30 pounds. Instead of letting those negative comments hold her back, Klarke decided to use the experience to uplift others, creating a hashtag called #QueensHaveNoSize. It quickly went viral, and led to a totally new endeavor: Kween to Queen. In 2016 Bri’Ann Stephens launched her women empowerment organization, Pink Productions. She found herself lost and dealing with depression in her adulthood. In 2015, she hit a breaking point. “I overdosed on sleeping pills. That was the moment that actually changed my life forever,” she said. “I was given the chance to live but not only to live but to decide the life I wanted to live.” Determined to create a better life, not only for herself but for other women in her community, Stephens founded Pink Productions, an online platform and network that helps support women in achieving their goals. In 2016 the two met on a radio show and became great friends! Their passion for social impact is the driving force behind Foundation First. As previously mentioned, in 2014 they hosted events that empowered teens to become their best self. In 2015 they launched campaigns that empowered women of all shapes and sizes, which lasted through 2016. In 2016 they interviewed over 200 women, encouraging them to share their story as a means to mentor others. In 2017 they hosted a book drive for the victims of Hurricane Harvey collecting over 4,000 books. In 2018 they hosted our first conference with over 150 women in attendance. During this time, they created our own marketing materials, including flyers, websites, logos, graphics, and more. After hosting conferences and other female targeted events, many women would seek advice on how they were able to grow their brands. Outside of their passion, they attribute much of their success to their digital branding. It was at that time that they discovered the need for digital branding in their community. They launched Foundation First in 2018– a newly designed platform that provides opportunities for people to set a solid foundation in life and in business. They do this through graphic design, events, mentor programs, and their online interviews and blogs.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest struggles the two faced with Foundation First was growing the company. In 2018 when they launched, they had a few sales, but not nearly as much as they needed to work at Foundation First full time. At one point they found ourselves with only $20 in their business account. They almost stopped and were going to go back to their 9-5 jobs. However, in the meantime the two decided to reflect. They asked themselves, “what could we be doing better?” They considered the things clients would complain about: email response time, delivery times, project updates, etc. They decided to work on the flaws within themselves and within the company. In 2020 they were hitting their monthly sales goals and made their dream salary by the end of the year.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Setting a solid foundation in life and in business is not an easy journey. Most people give up because they don’t have access to the necessary tools and resources. Bri’Ann and Klarke are passionate about seeing their community succeed and that’s why at Foundation First you’re not only able to improve your business’ digital branding, but you’re also able to gain mentors, and become your best self! They specialize in designing logos, illustrations, website, social media templates, Instagram highlight, business cards, book covers, flyers, media kits, and more. Most company’s charge an arm and a leg for digital branding. However, at Foundation First their services are typically always on sale, you can get a font-based logo for a low as $20 and they also offer installment options for services. They love connecting with their clients and creating a family culture within their organization.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Humility is the most important characteristic to any business’s success. You have to be willing to do what is best for the organization and sometimes that means you “lose.” For instance, there are many times Bri’Ann and Klarke dealt with a client who was rude, mean, ugly, and irate. The prideful way to respond could be to fire the client, get an attitude, get annoyed– especially when the client is wrong. However, Bri’Ann and Klarke understand the importance of humility. Humility is the quality of being humble and means putting the needs of another person before your own, and thinking of others before yourself. Consider the most successful companies: Chik-fil-a, Apple, Nike, Amazon, they have amazing customer service. Rarely will the customer service representative curse you out, hang up in your face, and tell you that you’re wrong. They listen to your needs and offer solutions. The characteristic that has been most important to Foundation First success is humility, putting the business and the clients’ needs first.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.foundationfirst.co
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/foundation.first
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/setyourfoundationfirst
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/foundationfrst