Small-business loan helps design company energize the ‘shop local’ movement

$5,000 is enough to go on a vacation, pay for a semester of in-state college, put down money for a car — or help keep a small business afloat in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee’s Summit business owner Kelly Lankford was one of more than 1,000 female entrepreneurs nationwide to receive $5,000 dollars courtesy of The Red Backpack Fund, a partnership between Spanx and Global Giving.

“My hope is that this gift will help alleviate some of the pressures caused by this horrible pandemic,” said Sara Blakely, founder of the American underwear maker.

“Twenty years ago, I started Spanx with $5,000 in savings, and I see this as a time to pay it forward. Small business is the backbone of our culture. I know what it’s like to be a small-business owner, and I want to provide some relief to these entrepreneurs during this time.”

With the help of the COVID relief grant, Lankford, owner of KHL Design Studio and INSPO: A Modern Decor Store, was able to kick-start e-commerce right before the holiday season.

“I’ve always admired Sara Blakely and how she started with almost nothing and has a multibillion-dollar company now,” Lankford said. “It was shocking and super exciting to get the email that we had won.”

INSPO: A Modern Decor Store, opened last November on the eve of the pandemic. However, foot traffic has significantly decreased, similar to other local retailers in downtown Lee’s Summit.

“With COVID, a lot of small businesses are going to e-commerce as it’s a way for people to shop local from their home and they have more choices over the big-box stores,” Lankford said. “It was our goal to have the electronic shopping option.”

The storefront offers modern decor and furniture, which is not the norm for the more traditional Midwest.

“There were once a lot of small furniture and decor stores that closed down because they couldn’t compete with the big box chains in the metro area, and I was getting a lot of clients saying they didn’t want what those stores had to offer,” Lankford said.

“We ... evolved over the years to have boutique lines and access to unique products, and that’s where the store got the name INSPO, which is short for inspiration. Our goal was to offer cool modern decor and furniture to a bigger audience at a decent price.”

Although retail sales have been down in the past year, Lankford and her all-female team discovered a silver lining for KHL Design Studio.

“Having the retail piece drew in more design clients, as someone would feel comfortable in our store, they’d like our aesthetic, and would ask about our services,” Lankford said.

“It’s broken down the eliteness that can be associated with interior design, which is typically seen as a luxury service. Not every project is a $1,00 project. We like to help people on a smaller level as everyone wants a nice home. And that doesn’t have to be expensive.”

Lankford’s favorite part of being an interior designer is completing a project and having clients who love the end result.

“The best part of my job is helping people love their space and experiencing their joy,” Landford said. “Last week we finished an art deco theater room for an older couple who have dreamed about this for years and you could just tell they were so ecstatic.

“Our profession is not about expensive goods, it’s about how a space functions and the overall aesthetic. And that can be done on a shoestring budget.”

KHL Design Studio and INSPO: A Modern Decor Store are located at 12 S.W. Third St. in downtown Lee’s Summit. Visit https://www.khldesignstudio.com/ or follow them on social media at @inspobykhldesign.