When I first started Kaze, I thought growth would come from what I created.
More products. Better designs. More content.
And while those things matter…
What I didn’t expect was how much of my growth would come from simply showing up in real life, here in Lansing.
Not behind a screen. Not perfectly planned. Not when everything was ready.
Just… being present.
And honestly? That part changed everything.
I Didn’t Realize How Important Being “Seen” Would Be
I used to think if I just stayed consistent online, things would grow on their own.
Post enough. Show up enough. Be patient enough.
And there’s truth in that. But being in actual rooms with other business owners talking, laughing, sharing what we’re each building showed me something I wasn’t expecting:
People don’t connect with your business first. They connect with you.
That hit differently after I completed the Transformation Gems program and attended the celebration dinner here in Lansing. It was a cohort-style workshop — focused, intensive, real. And at the end of it, they brought everyone together to celebrate finishing. Certificates, a proper dinner, a room full of people who had just been through something together.
I wasn’t there to sell anything. Nobody was.
It was just conversations. Energy. Being around people who understood what it actually feels like to be building something.
And that feeling sticks with people in a way that social media just doesn’t always reach.
Why I Keep Going Back to These Spaces
I’ve stayed involved in programs like LEAP and SBAM events here in the Lansing area.
Not because I have to. Not because it’s on a checklist somewhere.
But because I genuinely enjoy being in those environments.
There’s something different about a room full of people who are all building something. You think differently when you’re in it. You talk differently. You start to see your own business from the outside which, when you’re in the middle of running it every day, is actually really hard to do on your own.
And over time, something else happens too.
People start to recognize you. Not just your brand. Not just your logo.
You.
That matters more than I expected it to. Because when the right person in the right room remembers your name and what you’re doing that’s a referral you can’t buy. That’s an introduction you can’t engineer. That’s someone speaking highly of you to their network because they actually know you.
That compounds. Slowly, then all at once.
Talking About Kaze Feels Different In Person
When I talk about Kaze online, it’s fast.
A caption. A video. A few seconds of someone’s scroll.
I get to share a product. A look. A vibe. And that matters it really does.
But in person, I get to actually explain it.
Why I care about what I’m building. Why I think healthcare workers deserve to feel expressive in environments that don’t always make space for that. Why bold colors and personality aren’t frivolous they affect how you show up for your patients, for your coworkers, for yourself.
When I say that out loud, face to face, to someone who’s actually listening?
They don’t just hear it.
They feel it.
That’s a completely different kind of connection. And it’s one I couldn’t build by staying behind a screen.
The Part I’m Still Learning
I’ll be honest I’m still figuring a lot of this out.
Some days feel smooth. Intentional. Like everything is clicking.
And some days feel like… I’m in a completely different car, my schedule is off, my brain is in six places at once, and I’m just trying to hold it together long enough to make it to my next meeting. 😅
But I’m learning to just roll with it.
Because that’s part of this too. The messy middle is still the middle and the only way through it is through it.
What I’m learning is that you don’t have to have everything figured out to show up. You don’t wait until you’re ready. You show up, and then you get ready.
If You’re Building Something Too
I wouldn’t say I have all the answers. I’m genuinely still in it alongside you.
But here’s what I’d say if you’re in the early stages of building something or if you’ve been at it a while and feel like you’ve hit a wall:
Don’t stay hidden.
Go to the events. Sit in the rooms. Have the conversations not because you’re trying to sell something, but because you’re building something and people should know you exist.
Look for programs in your city. There are more free resources out there than most people realize, especially here in Lansing. LEAP, SBAM, local workshops these spaces exist specifically for people like us who are figuring it out in real time.
And when you’re in those rooms? Don’t just hand out cards and leave.
Build the actual relationship. Be the person whose number someone saves because they genuinely want to. Be memorable for who you are not just what you sell.
That’s the kind of visibility that turns into real growth.
Final Thought
I used to think growth came from what I made.
Now I know it also comes from where I show up.
Being part of the Lansing business community has become a bigger piece of my journey than I ever anticipated and I’m grateful for every room I said yes to walking into, even when it felt uncomfortable.
I’m still building. Still learning. Still showing up.
And I’ll keep you posted on everything along the way.
Kaze is a Lansing-based brand creating scrubs and accessories for healthcare workers who want to feel expressive, confident, and seen in every environment they walk into.
If you’ve been following along, thank you. If you’re new here welcome. 🤍
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