Kai Smith

Kai Smith at her coffeeshop, Kai’s Koffee

Kai Smith was recently featured in her local magazine as a result of her successful business endeavors! Kai is currently the founder of 2 small businesses, KTL Insurance Services (13 years) and Kai’s Koffee (3 years) in Pelham, Alabama.

“I didn’t want to go to college, I didn’t have the grades. I barely got out of high school,” said Kai. She was faced with certain challenges. Her father was in prison and her mother moved back to West Africa when she was just 14. Kai had her first child at 17.  “I was never a bad kid. I was just a kid who was lost because of her circumstance,” she said.

After coming to Alive & Free, Kai received a scholarship to attend Alabama State University in 1993. Alive & Free helped to pay for her tuition, room and board, and all of her living expenses.  She overcame her obstacles and graduated with a degree in Accounting. Today we are so proud of her success!