But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. (Deu 8:18 KJV)
By M. Demetrius
Steffi Henry-Sewell is the owner of Kinda Krafty Gift Baskets, which caters primarily to pregnant women.
Her foray into business was sparked from listening to Christian programmes and understanding how God wants his people to manage their resources. She expounded, “During my teen years, listening to TBC radio became routine as my family and I travelled around the city. I was introduced to ministries such as Crown.org and Focus on the Family, whose teachings and testimonies helped mature my faith in the LORD.
Through Crown Financial Ministries, I learned how God requires Christians to steward the resources, including money, that He has given to us. For example, Ecclesiastes 11:2 says, ‘Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.’ Verses like this caused me to start taking inventory of my talents, skills, and experiences to identify opportunities to supplement my earnings with income from my own business endeavour. This I did, even as I settled into a full-time career in Business Analysis and Project Management.
“Within my family, I had also seen my older sisters—skilled artists and painters—earn income by making customised Christmas cards. I found, however, that I was better at (and preferred) creating craft items, and thus, the genesis of the venture, known today as ‘Kinda Crafty,’ began to take root.”
NEW-BORN DIAPERS
Steffi explained that the business currently specialises in making customised gift baskets for expectant parents and the baby, and originally, the line was called ‘diaper cakes,’ as it was composed of diapers stacked to resemble an actual life-sized cake.
Her first order was from a colleague who knew she had a creative knack and challenged her and a friend to design a unique basket for her daughter’s baby shower. That was a decade ago, and since then, she has been filling orders from referrals and those within her circles.
“My ‘new-born baby’ has definitely grown beyond diaper cakes,” Steffi laughed. “Now many other shape possibilities exist, leading to us re-naming the product line ‘diaper arrangements.’ We do guitars, aeroplanes, boats, boots, bikes, wreaths, and helicopters. When persons see that in addition to being works of art, the components have high-use value too, they become even more impressed.”
“Diaper bunny”
Steffi’s account reminds us of the encouraging word found in Zechariah 4:10, “despise not small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
TEETHING PAINS
Like every new-born, Steffi’s business experienced teething pains. She recounted a number of challenges to overcome: “There weren’t many stores where I could buy craft and decorating supplies when I initially started. Local sources had a small selection and were typically expensive. Additionally, I had no idea how to get hold of training or instructional resources, and sometimes I found that I had trouble figuring how to execute my creative visions.
“With time and YouTube’s surge in popularity, I began learning how to operate this kind of business from more experienced artisans and how to create different arrangements.
“I rely a lot on prayer. It’s my go-to solution for all of my challenges. Take for example, when I’m sourcing the items needed to create the arrangements. I invite God to direct me as there’s no one-stop shop for everything that I need, so it’s prudent that I be deliberate about not inflating my travel costs.”
Steffi relayed how she relies on the Holy Spirit, especially during Covid, to show her what alternatives can be used in place of items more commonly sourced overseas; admitting that in the past, He has used conversations with colleagues and associates to enlighten her in this regard.
HELPING MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS
Now that Kinda Krafty has passed the newborn stage, Steffi offers the following tips to her baby brothers and sisters who are considering starting a business:
- Identify your God-given abilities, the things you are passionate about, i.e., what do you love or hate, and what are the things people are willing to pay for. Then, pinpoint the activities that intersect any two or all three areas. The results can help you formulate a business case. One would also be able to define the business’ purpose, which can then, in turn, serve as motivation to persevere during challenging seasons.
For instance, you may find that you are passionate about working with special-needs children. However, the reality may be that that job may not pay well, or conversely, those who are in need of that good or service are unable to afford it. If there’s an activity that you are good at or capable of doing and can earn from, then that business could then allow you to do or support what you are passionate about.
In other scenarios, one may be able to earn money from the activity(s) he or she is passionate about.
- Look for ways your business can have Kingdom impact, because what we do for the LORD is what will last. Kingdom work extends beyond sharing the Gospel, it also includes ways in which we can tangibly care for others.
- Lastly, an excellent resource for Christian business owners, leaders, and workers is Larry Burkett’s Business By The Book, which is a comprehensive guide of Biblical principles for the workplace.
Steffi admitted that being someone who does not like to read, she found Burkett’s book engaging and it has greatly shaped her understanding of how God would want her to function in His economy as an employee or an employer.
WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE…
For Steffi, the future is all in God’s hands.
In the medium to long term, Kinda Krafty will expand its offerings to include other unique and practical craft items, such as wall art, multi-functional furniture, and a children’s activity book.
“And we definitely want to give back,” she quickly adds. “So, since we are about helping to celebrate new life, we intend to help fund organisations that assist children or expectant families who are in need. That’s one more request on my prayer list: for the LORD to direct us in identifying and learning how best to support the work of such persons.”
Freedom Come Rain salutes visionary, Steffi Henry-Sewell, and prays for continued excellence and expansion in her enterprising Kinda Krafty Kingdom business.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Stories carried in this column seek to offer hope by promulgating the certainty that God will give witty inventions and innovative ideas to His people, even as they step out from the norm of seeking a job to pursue the path of being their own boss.
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Contact: Steffi Henry-Sewell, IG: tissteffia, Whatsapp Business 876-319-884
“Diaper Airplane”
