In November of 2004, Kimberly Ritzer walked into a little boutique during its opening week with one intention: congratulating the stranger behind the counter for being courageous enough to open her own business.

What ensued was a lesson in celebrating each other’s differences and strengths. The stranger behind the counter was Megan Tamte, a third-grade teacher turned stay at home mom, turned aspiring entrepreneur. Kimberly had been a Senior Designer of Owned Brand Product at Dayton’s, Hudson’s and Marshall Field’s before she retired to be a stay at home mom.  In that small boutique, Megan and Kimberly bonded while creating a beautiful in-store experience that made women feel amazing.

Three months later, along with the support of her husband Tim, Kimberly became business partners with Megan and Mike Tamte. Thus, starting Kimberly on a whole new, uncharted path as a partner in a small business… all while navigating life as the mom of a newborn and a 3-year-old.

Together, with a whole bunch of awesome people, they have now opened 85 more stores across the country and built a business that is currently 100M. The retail stores are called EVEREVE and they are known for providing an amazing fashion and styling experience for women. They have also developed a thriving e-commerce business at Evereve.com and a subscription box service called Trendsend.

Kimberly Ritzer holds a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising from North Dakota State University. Kimberly and Tim are the proud parents of two children: their daughter, Peyton (16) and their son, Roan (13).

Show Highlights:

There is an art and a science to the scaling of a business. -Kimberly RitzerThis was pivotal for us: we wrote down the behaviors that we organically practiced daily. -Kimberly RitzerOur behaviors were tied to a set of values, and they weren’t just work values. They were values that we live out in our life–not our work life, but our life. -Kimberly RitzerWhen your heart is in the right place, everything falls into place and you can live your most authentic life. -Kimberly RitzerYou don’t have to worry about competition when your people have the right values, when they’re practicing the right behavior, and when it’s based on life, not just sales. -Dan MooreYour team has to come with you to create change. -Kimberly RitzerThere’s no one person who’s going to pick you up and dust you off. You need to learn how to pick yourself up and fill your own bucket because no one else is going to do it for you. -Kimberly RitzerWhen in a rut, there are five points to go back to:1. Pray and spend time alone.2. Assemble a strong group of friends that will tell you the truth and love you no matter what.3. Develop a strong relationship with your spouse.4. Write down the top 5 things you’ve accomplished.5. Be an advocate for yourself.

Kimberly’s closing thoughts: What helps me deal with Mr. Mediocrity is the idea of committing to being a better version of myself than I was yesterday. It’s turning me into someone I’m excited about becoming and I don’t get so worried about what title I’m trying to have or if I’m hitting that specific goal. I’m much more worried about myself and what I can control.

The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hosted by Dan Moore, President of Southwestern Advantage, the oldest direct-sales company in America, and Partner with Southwestern Consulting. With more than 45 years in sales leadership and marketing management, Dan has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to make better use of time to achieve life, sales, and other business goals. Each week, he interviews some of the nation’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing meaningful tips and advice. Subscribe on iTunes and please leave a rating and review!