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

Hi Kim, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
To be crazy enough to share my love and light. To continue to dream, to keep shinning beyond all logical reasoning. When everything said no you can’t, I was crazy enough to continue to believe that tiny voice inside me that said yes you can. Basically the secret sauce to everything I have done was being foolish enough to not see or believe anything that told me otherwise. Ironically many of those obstacles, both internal and external, I have now come to see where true. They were there, but my unwillingness to abide them made them permeable. Part of doing that was learning to do what I wanted to do for my career versus what I “should” do. This lead me to having work in many capacities as Singer/Songwriter/Actress/Stuntperson/Rollerskater and have collaborations with a wide variety of career professionals like George Clinton, Snoop Dogg, Zendaya, Debbie Allen, Kiiara, Atmosphere, Common, Future, Jim Carrey, and Mo Collins all while releasing my own solo albums and teaching skaters worldwide thru my social media and online tutorial program Sk8 Like a Pro.

What should our readers know about your business?
Sk8 like a pro was a brainchild of the pandemic. When I saw everyone begin rollerskating on social media I just knew I had to help. My first concern was teaching safe falling, then I began to come up with creative ways to explain the fundamentals to rollerskating in short reels. I began to think about how there are so many remote places in the world where there are no rinks or skate coaches who have been trained in skating so I wanted to fill that gap. It took 9 months of planning, filming, editing and creating but in Dec 2020 Sk8 Like a Pro was born as the first ever fully comprehensive online tutorial system! With free resources like a Rollerskate guide book and sample courses over 4500 people worldwide have signed up!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First thing I’d have her fly into Burbank airport and pick her up and go to franklin village for quick bite to eat. With choices from Kreation, the Oaks, and Sushi Stop there’s something for everyone. We can also shop books, records, and cloths in tru East Hollywood style or catch a show at Upright Citizens Brigade. If she’s into an adventure we can go check out a class at nearby Cirque School, where I did most of my circus training. Starting fresh the next morning we would head out to Venice Beach skate plaza and Rollerdance the day away! For lunch we can grab a bite on the boardwalk at Sidewalk Cafe and then maybe head over to the green for the acro jam. Dinner at Cafe Gratitude would top off the perfect weekend.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shoutout Trey Knight. Not only is he a world champion artistic rollerskater but he is world champion person in my life. Thru his power and strength he has lifted me up to heights I had never known was possible.

Other: Website https://www.sk8likeapro.com IG https://www.instagram.com/kimmanningspacequeen/?hl=n YouTube https://youtube.com/user/kimberlymanning Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kimmanningspacequeen YouTube https://youtube.com/user/kimberlymanning Tiktok TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com › @kimman…Kim Manning (@kimmanningspacequeen) – TikTok Resume la casting https://www.lacasting.com/Kimmanning

Image Credits
Eleonora Barna, Diego Razera, Volcheck, Stephen Payne

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