Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Hannon
Hi Kim, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi! I am Kim, the founder and president of TBHC Group. Those who know me best know me as a starter. From a thriving homeschool community group, to a visionary farmers market, to a successful homeschool support network, I focus on building community and bringing people together.
I believe in the power of connection, collaboration, and shared experiences. When I am not organizing events or supporting local homeschoolers or planning my family’s next field trip (AKA vacation), you can find me playing games or doing a puzzle with my husband and kids, dreaming up new ways to strengthen the homeschool community, or enjoying a (hopefully hot!) cup of coffee while digging into a good book.
As a child, playing school was my favorite – as long as I got to be the teacher. My sisters were not always the most willing students, but they played along often enough. We would spend hours in our basement playroom, doing handwriting lessons and scratching out math problems on the little chalkboard. Playing teacher soon gave way to teacher college. The years I spent in the classroom – as a student teacher and as an educator – were some of the most cherished in my life.
As much as I adored my students and my co-workers, something felt off. The system was broken and those of us in the schools had little power to fix it.
I knew I wanted to homeschool my children from the moment my oldest son was born. When he started kindergarten in 2016, I gathered a group of 5 friends and we formed a “group” through our church so we could take our kids on field trips.
Over the next few years, our small group of five families multiplied. We incorporated the business, we welcomed more families each year, we saw the growth of homeschool explode in our area. One day, our executive team realized that serving our member families was just not enough any more – there was a need far beyond the scope of what our homeschool group could provide.
And that was when the vision for TBHC Group was born.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road. That’s funny. Is the path of an entrepreneur ever smooth?
Looking back on my journey, I can see now that each bump in the road was a lesson I needed to learn or a space where I needed to strengthen and grow to prepare me for what was to come. It doesn’t make the struggles any easier, but there is a purpose to them.
Some struggles were small and came in the form of being stretched to learn new things and develop new skills – like how to file a 501(c)3 or how to properly price sponsorship levels for an event or how to create an effective standard operating procedure.
Some were much more difficult to endure – like when people didn’t understand the difficult decisions that leaders are often forced to make or when one task turned into 10 and multiplied until there was a snowball rolling down the mountain keeping me awake at night.
As a homeschool mom and business owner, I deal with a lot of questions and assumptions:
“I don’t know how you do it. You must have the patience of a saint.”
“How do you work and homeschool? Aren’t you afraid of what you are missing with your kids?”
“Doesn’t the business take away from time with your family?”
“How do you find a balance between work life and home life?”
For others, this may be reason enough to quit. For me, it is all the more reason to persevere and show my kids to “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
It all started with a vision. A vision to educate, inspire, and empower. A vision to bring together all the key players in our homeschool community – parents, educators, business leaders, co-ops, and students – for connection and collaboration. From that vision, TBHC Group was created. Our inaugural premier event, Tampa Bay Homeschool Conference, brought all this and more to Tampa Bay in the summer of 2023.
At TBHC Group, we know what homeschool families need because we ARE homeschool families. We are passionate about providing a space for parents, students, and community leaders to find connection and community. We go beyond education by fostering relationships, promoting small businesses that support homeschooling, and offering a wide range of experiences tailored to the needs of families.
TBHC Group is constantly evolving to better serve homeschoolers. We provide resources (online newsletter, blog, free resource lists), host events (annual conference, special needs events, graduation, and more), and build connections that enrich the homeschooling experience. Additionally, we’re developing new initiatives such as a family story feature on our website and an online connection hub to further engage and inspire the community. I am so blessed to be surrounded by an incredible team who are WAY smarter and more talented than me! Courtney, Megan, Elisa – YOU are the true foundation of TBHC!
Through our unwavering dedication to innovation and collaboration, our team strives to provide our community with what their families need to be inspired and empowered in their homeschool journey.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
This is an interesting question. Initially, I thought that it seemed irrelevant as the pandemic was nearly 5 years ago. As I thought about it, I realized that so much of who we are today as an organization has been shaped by the adaptations and discoveries of self and the cultural shift that occurred during that time.
We discovered the true needs of connection and collaboration in our community. Homeschooling went from a fringe alternative educational movement to a mainstream and respected educational option. We developed relationships with emerging and newly adapted businesses. We grew in depth and in scope.
It could be argued that we exist today because of the Covid-19 Crisis.
Pricing:
- Many resources are available for FREE on our website.
- Conference: $65
- Graduation: $100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tbhcgroup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbhcgroup
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbhcgroup
