Gaia is the Founder of Kinship Studio. Read our interview with Gaia about her experiences with Xcelerate Business Advising and Peer Mentor Groups.

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What sparked the idea for your business–and what vision or purpose drives the work you do today?

Kinship started out of my own need for a space just like it. When I was in the early stages of starting a fashion brand, I realized pretty quickly that building it alone from my living room was going to burn me out. I wanted an inspiring place to create, with people around who understood the highs and lows and could offer fresh eyes when I needed them. 

When I went off to search for it, I was met with coworking spaces for general use, maker spaces for woodworkers, and sewing studios for hobbyists. Nothing felt like the right fit for a fashion entrepreneur trying to grow something real. Something in me knew just how important my environment was going to be, so rather than compromising, I set out to make it myself. 

That vision and purpose are what drive me to keep going. It's about building a space where you don’t have to do it all alone, where the environment itself gives you energy, and where community is baked into the everyday rhythm.

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When you first connected with Xcelerate, where were you in your business journey? What challenges or aspirations brought you to us?

When I first connected with Xcelerate, I was still in the idea phase. I had a business plan, and I was in the process of interviewing potential customers to help validate the concept. I was lightly shopping around for spaces and starting to build the community. 

My biggest challenge was that I was doing it alone, which was literally the problem Kinship was trying to solve. When I heard about Xcelerate's Peer Mentor Group, I knew that was what would catapult Kinship into existence, and I was right. In my first quarter with Xcelerate, I signed a lease for my space, and Kinship all of a sudden became real. 

I truly don't think I would have had the confidence or momentum to have done that without being surrounded by other badass women entrepreneurs every two weeks in my peer group.

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What goals did you focus on with Xcelerate this year, and what progress are you most proud of?

My goal for this year was to build the foundation for Kinship in every sense. I wanted to grow brand awareness, build a reliable list of leads, and bring the physical studio to life so that when we opened our doors, the community already felt like it had roots. I’m proud that I not only hit those goals but exceeded them.

We’ve built real momentum. People know who we are, the space is everything I hoped it would be, and there’s a growing community that feels connected to what we’re building. It feels good to look back and see how much came together in one year.

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Can you share a moment this year when something clicked for you as a business owner–something that changed the way you think or lead?

This year, I had a moment where things really clicked for me as a business owner. I heard someone describe entrepreneurship like being a professional athlete, and it hit a little too close to home. Athletes know their body is the thing that keeps everything moving. Meanwhile, I was in the middle of opening Kinship and completely ignoring my own needs. Every waking moment went into the space or taking care of my dog, and by the time we opened, I was exhausted to the point where I couldn’t even be present for the moments I’d been working toward.

When I finally realized how unsustainable that was, I shifted. I started taking care of myself the way I imagined someone in the WNBA would. Resting, moving, eating like a human again, giving my brain a little room to breathe. And honestly, everything started falling into place after that. Opportunities came, our community grew, and the energy in the space lifted. It reminded me that taking care of myself isn’t separate from the work. It’s what allows me to show up fully for it.

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What were some of the biggest challenges you navigated this year, and how did Xcelerate’s support help you move through them?

One of the biggest challenges I faced this year was trying to build Kinship completely on my own before joining Xcelerate. I didn’t realize how heavy it all felt until I suddenly wasn’t carrying it by myself anymore. Having our peer mentor group every two weeks was a game-changer. Everyone in my group was navigating their own version of “doing it all,” which made it feel less lonely and kept me accountable in a really natural way. It helped me stay focused without feeling like I was doing everything in a vacuum.

I also leaned on Xcelerate’s business advising program, and my advisor, Amanda Wilson, helped me become the salesperson I never knew I was. We dug into the marketing and sales work I needed to have in place before opening, and it gave me so much clarity. 

Xcelerate made me feel supported and resourced in a way that allowed me to actually move forward instead of spinning my wheels.

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If you’ve been part of Xcelerate for multiple years, how would you describe the ongoing impact of that support over time? And if you’re newer to the community, what early changes or wins have you already noticed?

This was my first year with Xcelerate, and the biggest impact I've felt has been the push and drive that comes when you're part of a community full of other women entrepreneurs who are doing it alongside you. There’s something powerful about being in a community where everyone understands the pressure, the wins, the self-doubt, and the grind. It made me feel less alone and gave me the motivation to keep moving, even on the days when everything felt heavy.

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What milestones or wins have felt especially meaningful along the way–whether in growth, confidence, or community impact? Please be as specific as possible. 

Signing our first lease earlier this year, after just a couple of months in the Peer Mentorship Program, felt like an especially meaningful milestone. I'm not sure I would have had the confidence to actually go through with it had I not been in that program surrounded by other incredible women who also had their own retail locations. Not doing it in isolation gave me the push I needed to follow through and bet on myself. That moment also validated the need for the vision I was building for Kinship–to create a space for fashion entrepreneurs to make those leaps they've been too scared to make alone.

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What about Xcelerate’s approach feels uniquely impactful or aligned with the way you do business? 

Xcelerate's accessible pricing has truly made an impact on me and my business this year. Most programs like this are far out of budget for me, but Xcelerate made it easy to join their Peer Mentorship Program and get support from their amazing advisors for an incredibly reasonable price. It’s rare to find resources this valuable at a price point that actually works for small business owners, and it opened the door for me to get the support I really needed.

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How has your identity–as a woman and through your intersecting experiences–shaped the way you lead, make decisions, or build community through your business?

Being a woman has shaped the way I lead in ways that feel both natural and intentional. I bring a mix of strength, intuition, compassion, and resilience into how I make decisions and build community. A lot of that comes from how I was raised. I grew up with two entrepreneurial parents–a mom who modeled fearlessness and a dad who taught me discipline and creative thinking. Their support made me believe I could build anything I set my mind to, and those values show up in the way I run Kinship.

So while being a woman is a big part of how I lead, it’s also the combination of those early influences and lived experiences that guide me. It’s shaped my belief in community, collaboration, and creating a space where people feel seen and supported, because that’s exactly what helped me become the kind of leader I am.

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How do you personally define success–for yourself and your business? Has that definition evolved since joining Xcelerate?

My definition of success used to be pretty simple: do the thing you love. As I've grown and experienced business ownership in a new light, that definition has evolved a bit. Success now feels more like having enough–enough money to relax, enough time to show up for the people and parts of life that matter most, and enough energy to be present and enjoy what you're building. I still believe that doing what you love is a big part of that, but having the capacity to be present in my own life is now a requirement for success.

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Looking ahead, what are you most excited to create or grow next–and how has Xcelerate helped prepare you for that next chapter?

I’m really excited about growing Kinship into a true hub for the fashion industry–a place where creatives can connect, collaborate, and actually move their work forward. Stepping into the physical space this year and getting to create experiences and opportunities for our community has been incredibly rewarding. I can already feel the impact it’s having, and I know that impact will only grow as our community grows. Nothing excites me more than creating something that genuinely makes a difference for people.

Being part of Xcelerate has shown me what that kind of support looks like in action. They’ve been an incredible model for building community, and being in their ecosystem has helped me see what works, what’s needed, and what actually drives real change. It’s inspired me as I keep shaping Kinship into the space I know it can be.

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Is there anything else you'd like to share about your Xcelerate experience?

Just that I'm extremely grateful. Xcelerate is an absolute necessity for Oregon-based businesses owned by women. It's the binder that connects us, and we need that more than ever.