October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Kim Overton is continuing her tradition of giving back by raising funds for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin. Through the sales of her innovative and trendsetting product, the SPIbelt, Kim is impacting her community $1 at a time.
CEOMOM spoke with Kim to learn the inspiration behind SPIbelt and why giving back is so important to her.
What is the SPIbelt? What makes it so effective?
I came up with the idea when I was on a run one day with my key in my bra strap. I wanted something more discreet and functional. I went home that night and made the first SPIbelt. SPI stands for small personal items. It will hold any phone and keys and it doesn’t interfere when you work out. I couldn’t find anything in the market that wasn’t bulky. I am a leisure runner so I wanted something more practical.
What inspired you to create the SPIbelt?
It was a pure need. It was on a Sunday when I went home and stitched the first one. I wanted something I could put my keys in that wasn’t a bra. I handcrafted it. I was a personal trainer and my clients expressed interest and I thought if this works for me it may work for the masses. I tweaked the product from there. I officially launched in February 2007. It was first a personal need, then I saw that it was something other people needed, too.
Are their similar products? What makes SPIbelt stand out from competitors?
We launched the small personal items market. When I first launched the product in 2007 there were only bulky items for runners. They weren’t attractive and some of them were too big for female runners. We were the first ones to launch a small petite item. A few years after we launched people started to copy us. We were the first and we keep coming out with new items. Other companies now use the term small personal items.
Describe your workout routine?
My workout routine is so unconventional. I used to be a personal trainer. Now I have 3 little kids and with summer and multiple camps I get in a workout when I can. My husband and I work out at home in the garage. I make sure to get my body moving in the amount I want it each week. I am not set on time as much as I am flexibility and schedule. I like to do a certain amount of push ups and squats. I like to do reps. I consider walking and playing in the park with my children to be exercise. I try to keep moving. I don’t belong to a gym. I know firsthand that you can have a great workout without a gym. The best time for me to workout is before my kids get up.
One of the biggest components for me to keep healthy is to eat right. That helps me maintain a healthy body and mind.
For the month of October, you are donating $1 for every Pink Ribbon SPIbelt sold to the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin. How did you get involved with the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin? Why is this fundraiser so important to you?
We would not be where we are without the help of our community. We are a female run and owned business so it makes sense for us to give back. A friend of mine is a part of the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin. We give $1 back for each ribbon sold. We also participate in a paddle board run. It’s what we do as a company, we participate where we can. We have been giving back to the community since our second year of business.
How do you balance as a mom of 3?
I was a single mom of 1 and now there are 5 of us in the house. That has been a real adjustment for me. I let go of a lot of activities I used to do for myself. My husband is great. He often says, “You can go out with your girls.” As the owner, I have flexibility with my schedule. We just spent a month in Hawaii. I have worked to get to the place where I have flexibility in the company. I make sure when my kids are around I shut business down. I live a full life. I feel satisfied as a person and I think that has helped me to become a better mom.
To learn more about SPIbelt and to purchase your Pink Ribbon SPIbelt for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, visit https://spibelt.com/shop/category/shop-for-a-cause/.