Meet Nirva Boursiquot | Problem Solver

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nirva Boursiquot and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nirva, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
Keep your blinders on! Focus!

We have to get to the point where we just run our race against no one but ourselves.

Every time you look back to see who’s gaining on you – you’re letting people know that doubt has crept in. That is the beginning of mental defeat. To quote Myleik Teele, looking back indicates “you are no longer playing to win, you’re playing not to lose”.

At the end of the day, it’s me vs. me. My goal is to be 1% better than the day before.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m the founder and COO of Silk Roads and Kinfolk.

I heard a woman once say “most people die in fires because they try and get out the same way they got in.” I thought this was a profound statement because it tells us that we shouldn’t always think the same way and if we want to solve a problem, we should be trying to find the other exit. This logic resonates with me.

Silk Roads is a supply chain management studio for creative entrepreneurs. Our online platform helps deliver critical supply chain strategies such as global procurement, sourcing, physical distribution management, and logistics fulfillment.

Supply chain management is a very important activity. Dealing with the planning, and sourcing for the materials your company needs and the making and delivering of your products and services takes up a lot of effort. It can get complicated yet effectively managing your supply chain offers great opportunities for enhancing customer retention and lowering costs. Silk Roads is designed to help small business owners do just that.

Kinfolk is a digital platform dedicated to distributing equity so every single Black person can enhance their earthly quality of life. We do that by making it really easy to find home and personal care products that are healthy for our families and safe for the planet. We offer a curated mix of the best Black-owned national brands as well as our own brand.

Kinfolk was born out of the need to effectively build a community.

2020 hit our community with a series of pandemics. 2021 continues to do the same. Between the recurring instances of racial injustice and $600 stimulus checks, it became alarmingly clear that no one was coming to save us.  We thought of the best ways to show up for our community, and a co-op that strategically converts Black neighborhoods into core economic engines for building Black wealth is the answer.

Everyone’s activism looks different; Kinfolk is ours.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Boxing sessions with my trainer Alvin Davie (IG: @alvindavie) L’agree at Megalit Fitness

I’m a foodie so we will be eating ALL week long.
Healthy vibes: Thatch Miami, Pura Vida, Ten Fruits, Pho 79, Green G Juice Bar
Calorie splurge: Griot305, Piman Bouk Bakery, Tomorrowland, Sunday’s Eatery, La Tiendita Taqueria

Drinks: Red Rooster, Honey Uninhibited, Bar One
Bike rides along MacArthur Causeway
Facials at Sana Skin Studio
Books, yoga, and acai bowls on the beach

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family.

Kate’s Club – a platform that empowers children and teens facing life after the death of a parent(s), sibling, or caregiver.

Black Women Talk Tech, Miami Chapter – Our organization is a network of support and resources for Black Women tech founders. We’re focused on identifying, providing a support system, and connecting Black female founders to funding opportunities to build the next billion-dollar business.

Start. Coop – a platform that exists to build an ecosystem that lifts, supports, and accelerates cooperative entrepreneurs. It’s the first and only accelerator program designed to help scale cooperatively-owned startups and tech platforms.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirvaboursiquot/

Other: Silk Roads, www.silkroads.co (email: hello@silkroads.co) Kinfolk, www.heykinfolk.co (email: tapin@heykinfolk.co)