The life behind Free Range
This is what freedom looks like to me.
I didn’t start Free Range because I needed one more thing to do. Lord knows my plate was already full enough to qualify as a structural concern.
I started it because somewhere between building businesses, raising a family, serving my community and being everything everyone needed me to be, I realized how easy it is to lose pieces of yourself. Free Range is my reminder to come back to who I am. No permission. No apology. Hopefully it reminds you to remember who the hell you are too.
The reason I keep going
They are the why behind all of it.
My family is what keeps me moving forward, especially on the days when throwing in the towel sounds pretty damn tempting. Being a good role model for my kids matters more to me than getting everything right. I want them to see that you can work hard, stand your ground and build a life that actually feels like yours.
And Tim? My favorite moments almost always have him in them. He is my partner, my steady place and the person who can make me laugh when life gets a little too serious. We are not just building businesses and checking boxes. We are building a life together, and I would choose that life with him every single time.
Comic relief
And then there’s Minnie.
Every family needs someone to keep the rest of us humble. In our family, that is Minnie. She is a giant, lovable Newfoundland with absolutely no respect for personal space or a serious moment. She brings the chaos, the laughs and a daily reminder that none of us are nearly as important as we think we are.
Home
There is freedom in this place.
South Dakota is home in every sense of the word. The open prairie, the Black Hills and those sunsets that make you stop whatever you are doing give us room to breathe, wander and remember what matters. It is beautiful without trying too hard, tough without needing to prove it and a little wild around the edges. I suppose that is why it feels so much like home.
Service
Showing up matters.
I became a volunteer first responder last year because serving my community has always mattered to me. I am still learning, and I would never pretend to have the years of experience so many others do. For me, it is simply another way to show up, help where I can and be there for the people around me. That experience has given me an even deeper respect for first responders and is why our First In collection means so much to me.
Live Wild. Stay Free.
Free Range is not about running away from your life. It is about having the guts to build one that actually belongs to you.
Kim