Meet Kara Lee | Founder and CEO, The Well Community for Women

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

Hi Kara, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The Well Community for Women is only possible because of the COMMUNITY of women surrounding me as the founder. This organization’s mission is to gather women and to refresh them in order to help them refresh their world around them. We do this by providing quiet workspace and an adjacent kids’ area where moms can check their kids in to play and learn right next door while they work. It’s a fairly new concept and has taken quite a bit of dreaming and depending on others catching the vision to bring to fruition.

The volunteers on my team have become my very best friends. We have built this place together and I could have never done this on my own. The secret to my success is surrounding myself with talented and brilliant women who understand the mission of The Well. They dream the same dreams for women and children that I dream. We celebrate our victories together and hold each other up when things get hard. There is no place like this that I have found anywhere, and I feel honored to be the leader of this team.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was a performer from the moment I could speak! I have been writing music and shows since I could pick up a pen and have spent my entire career creating. I spent 12 years in full time creative media at a mega church in Houston. There I was able to use every single gift I have been given on a daily basis. From singing, to acting, to writing, producing and directing- I got to to do it all. I was able to produce a Christmas show that 32,000 tickets would be sold for with Olympic trampolinists, parkour, aerial acrobats, 3D mapping, lasers, original music, beautiful film work- it was incredible. I also got to be a part of a film team that entered short films into film festivals like Sundance. I loved these projects, but it was quite exhausting and never slowed down for one second. I began to be very tired and overwhelmed and needed a break.

My family and I moved to San Diego in 2016 and I took a nice rest from any work outside my home. I loved pouring into my children and finding a love for homeschooling them in that season. We got to go on so many adventures and spend more time together than we ever had in Houston. I am so grateful for that time with my family, but I began itching for my next chapter after three years of taking a break.

I always thought I would jump immediately back into production and even did some film work here and there before The Well. One afternoon in September, I met a girl who asked me to dream with her and The Well was born. If you had told me even 5 years ago that I would be running a nonprofit, I would have laughed so hard! Learning business after being in the creative world for my entire career was like learning another language. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but looking around now- I’ve never been more proud of something. I love it and am here to stay. But next up, I’ll be working on my children’s tv show that I am currently story boarding! Life is all about balance, and I am ready to jump back into that world I love so much.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love San Diego! We always thought we would move back to our home town at some point, but almost 7 years later we are still loving our lives here. It feels like we are on perpetual vacation and there is just so much to do! (Unless it’s raining…)

My perfect day here would be to wake up, go on a long walk in my neighborhood in the middle of San Diego. We live in a bit of a hidden gem area and I love to walk and see the unique houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s design partner and some extremely gifted architects. Then, I would take her to brunch at The Cottage in La Jolla and enjoy the beautiful views and spotting some seals! We would consider a hike at Torrey Pines and then decide that we’d much rather check into a spa than wear ourselves out on a trail. But we would high five ourselves for the thought, but quickly be settling into borrowed bath robes in a quiet room awaiting massages and facials. Kona Kai and La Costa are my favorites for mimosas and treatments. Then we would jump in the adult pool or hot tub at one of these spots and order some yummy food. After that, we would head home and get all dressed up for a night on the town. We love to do progressive drinks and appetizers downtown and in Little Italy. My favorite spots are Anime, Herb and Wood, Born and Raised, Juniper and Ivy, Camino Riviera, and any of the spots with the gorgeous flowered ceilings. The restaurants here are so beautiful! We would end the night with a drink at Wolfie’s Carousel Bar. Oh wait…. I forgot about The Hotel Del. And Del Mar… and Julian… and the zoo…

She’ll just have to come back next month.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband is my very best friend and believes in The Well as much as I do! It really helps with the long hours of parenting and homeschooling our children on top of building a business. He has supported me in such a beautiful way that has drawn us even closer. Our children also love The Well and love helping with anything they are able to. My daughter helps with the children and all three of them love to perform at our Mommy and Me events and outside engagements. The Well is represented by a team of awesome children’s performers that help advocate for our mission and vision.

I am blessed by a ton of best friends that also have been supporting me and encouraging me since the moment we filed our documents for The Well in 2018. You truly know who your friends are when you look around and they are a part of your dream as well. Our donors are our dear friends and family that believe so much in The Well. We would not be here without them.

Website: Www.thewellcommunityforwomen.org

Instagram: @thewellcommunityforwomen

Linkedin: The Well – Community for Women

Facebook: @thewellcommunityforwomen

Yelp: The Well Community for Women

Youtube: The Well Community for Women

Image Credits
Sammy Noelle, www.sammynoelle.co for orange stripe dress pictures Gio Azzarello, for event images with Well balloon signs Renata Terra, www.theportraitmama.com for pictures of women at desks in the space