Today we’d like to introduce you to Shameka Powers.
Hi Shameka, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story. From a very early age, reading and literacy played a major part in my life. Reading, for me, was as important as eating and drinking. The characters and stories always fascinated me and allowed me to “travel.” I felt so free in a sense and I knew that literacy would play a huge part in my life. I received my first degree in English/Literature and became a high school Language Arts teacher shortly after. I loved sharing stories and plays with my students. KMP (KingMeekPublishings) had always been an idea but I had absolutely no idea how to actually get it started. I would think about it periodically and then tuck it away. Fast forward to 2020. Covid-19 invaded and life changed. My job allowed us to work from home for several months so I found myself with more free time. I had several stories, scripts, plays, etc., that I had written so I decided to sell a short story. The support was OVERWHELMING! I couldn’t believe it! I knew then that it was time to make my dreams come true. I built my company and I haven’t looked back!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome? I know that I am walking into my destiny so it has been pretty smooth! Of course, there have been some challenges but one of my mottos is “For every problem, there is a solution.” One of the largest challenges I faced initially was actually building my website. That was the headache of my life. I had no idea what I was doing and I had decided to hire someone to do it for me. I would attempt to make progress everyday for almost two weeks to no avail but one morning I woke up and told myself that I was going to get it done. And I did! Ironically, I now build websites for others so I am thankful that a challenge turned into a huge success!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work? I have been an educator since 2006. Outside of being an entrepreneur, education is the ONLY other job that I would ever consider! I am currently a coordinator of (you guessed it) literacy. I specialize in editing, composing, and creating literary works. It makes me so happy to make a difference in the lives of people who need help in the literacy department. Just like I am allergic to math, some people feel the same way about my field so to be able to help them makes me so proud! What sets me apart from others is that I am able to show the human side of life when I interact with others. I make others comfortable and I am a safe space for them. I am not perfect and I don’t pretend to be. People need to see reality and I think that I provide that.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us? I just want to encourage everyone to read for pleasure! We allow ourselves to get so caught up in our daily tasks that we forget to do the things that we once did. At least once a week, a person will tell me that they read a lot when they were younger but they no longer read because they don’t have time. Life is about making time for the things that we enjoy!
