Lindbergh and Kim Williams have been at this Black Love thing as a married couple for nearly a decade. And for the majority of that time, they’ve also been business partners, creating and selling Jinka, a turmeric-based all-natural anti-inflammatory product with a wide array of health benefits, which can be found at over 40 H-E-Bs.
This pair is not short on energy, as they bounce conversation and answer off each other in a way that is playful, hilarious, and beautiful, all in one.
For example, when asked when the two first met, they had a debate that would have made most reality TV shows jealous, because it was so real, and had none of the venom and drama. And the answer to that question was actually three answers: 1) At Lindbergh’s cousin’s party roughly 10 years ago; 2) At a bar the day before Lindbergh’s cousin’s party and/or 3) As youth in the mid-1980s at the World’s Fair in New Orleans.
The Defender sat with the pair to learn more about their Black Love.
DEFENDER: How did you know your partner was the one?
LINDBERGH: The connection, it was easy. Communicating was easy. Loving was easy. And to me, the added force and push she brought was like, “Okay. We can do something different. There’s more out there that we can reach for.” And that was intriguing. That was really what I needed.
KIM: After we met, he didn’t really allow any space. I mean, I avoided him. I pushed it off for maybe about a month, and then I let it connect. And we never disconnected. It was his soul. He has a super kind soul. He’s a complete teddy bear inside. And I was just very attracted. He’s super smart. I mean, we talked for hours, for days.
DEFENDER: How do y’all keep the spark going?
KIM: I’m naturally adventurous and I wanna try new things at all times. So, we’ve never really had a problem entertaining ourselves and creating fun. And we can do that on a daily basis. But, since we’ve been together now for nine years, our spark comes differently because we work so hard with Jinka. One of our favorite things to do together is going to the spa and relax.
DEFENDER: Do y’all separate business from home life?
LINDBERGH: We are completely in, 24/7, and it drives me crazy <laughs>. There’s always time for a meeting.
KIM: Now, I will say, “Is it an okay time for a meeting right now?” But we’ve merged it. Now how we’ve done that with our family, because we have two kids, is we’re consciously putting them in the process of what we’re doing. So, they know H-E-B. They know the product. They know the steps and the things, the meetings, and they’re part of all of that. So, it’s balance for us because we’ve put it all in one.
DEFENDER: What continues to amaze you about your partner?
LINDBERGH: Really blossoming and putting wind beneath her wings. She’s really focused on bringing this business to the next level. And I really do appreciate it. We’ve been in business nine years and she’s taking control. She’s making some real good moves and we’re moving in some really good areas, and I love that about it. And she’s always challenging herself to learn more, to bring more back to the team.
KIM: I’m constantly amazed at his ability to solve problems, which is why the product was created, because he was solving my problem. I was diagnosed pre-diabetic and if y’all know Scorpios, you know that they’re gonna get to the root of the thing. And so, he wanted to solve that and that’s what he constantly does on a daily basis for us.
DEFENDER: What do y’all do to make it through the rough patches?
KIM: I believe in communication because with us, in doing what we do, we’re in rough moments all the time. We’re making lots of decisions. We’re doing a lot. There’s funding and resources and all this stuff, right? So, we’re in it. Building and starting this business has been a kind of a series of rough patches. So, what we try to do is just be clear with each other. We try to have clear communication. We’re both extremely passionate and extremely sensitive. So, what we do know about ourselves is that’s who we are. And we wanna always make sure we have clarity in our understanding and our conversation. And we respect each other and respect our skills and our lanes.
LINDBERGH: People say you’re supposed to be equally yoked, smooth, almost the same. I don’t believe in that, because sometimes they gotta be rigid. That’s when you get that tight fit. If you are a carpenter, that makes total sense. If both partners are the same and smooth, you’ll have a tendency to slide. But we’ve got things to hold onto. She’s weak where I’m strong, and strong where I’m weak. That’s a gap that’s filled.
DEFENDER: Any advice for young couples?
KIM: , I think the advice is not to the couple together, but as individuals. I suggest that you go and make sure you know who you are. Become self-aware. Know your stuff. So, when you come to the table with a partner you can communicate that stuff and then it doesn’t turn into bad stuff. It’s just stuff we have to tweak and work through. I believe before you even hook up, there should be a level of self-awareness.
LINDBERGH: Be comfortable with yourself despite it all. No matter what you’ve been through, if you’re comfortable with yourself, you know yourself.
