Hidden Gems: Meet Kibri Everett of Key Environmental Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kibri Everett

Hi Kibri, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in Rock Hill, SC and moved to the Triangle 25 years ago for college. Growing up in a small town, I spent a lot of time outside, playing in the woods with my large, extended family, collecting rocks, and observing nature. My interest in the planet began in the 6th grade, so I was fortunate to know ahead of time what I wanted to study in college. I have worked as an environmental scientist for over 20 years and have also created climate-friendly (aka vegan) food-industry businesses. I currently own a vegan food truck (Epic Vegan) and I also created, owned, and operated the Triangle’s first fully-vegan juice bar (which was called Pure Juicery).

The best thing a person can do for the planet is to adopt a plant-based diet, so my food and environmental interests/businesses are intersectional. I call myself an environmental vegpreneur :-). I own an environmental consulting company (Key Environmental Consulting) and do vegan catering and run my food truck on the side (whenever I can fit it into my schedule).

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yes, the road for my environmental company has been smooth. Luckily, the Triangle area is a great place to operate a science-industry business. The environmental sector in a niche industry, that doesn’t have a lot of competition. Although a lot of people are entering the environmental field right now, thanks to large government investments like the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, historically, the environmental sector has been very small. Now that there is a lot of federal money being used to support environmental causes and to fight climate change, there’s no better time to be in this industry.

The vegan juice bar business was more challenging because it was in an isolated part of West Cary, which is not the most vegan friendly city in the Triangle. After selling the juice bar, I started the food truck in 2021. It was right as COVID was ending and people were ready to get back “outside”, so I had a lot of success in the beginning. In the last year or so, as we’ve moved further away from the pandemic, the sizes of crowds that used to occur at many of the events we participated in have diminished.

Please tell us more about your business or organization. What should we know? What do you do, what do you specialize in / what are you known for? What sets you apart from others? What are you most proud brand wise? What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc?
My consulting company, Key Environmental Consulting, focuses on delivering environmental justice, particularly for underserved communities. We collaborate with these communities to address environmental challenges by writing grants to secure funding and working directly with them to implement solutions. We also provide technical services such as data analysis, mapping, and technical report writing, customized to meet our clients’ needs. We are known for offering highly personalized, detailed environmental services. Our strong connections with the communities we serve allow us to provide meaningful, impactful support. I am proud of the trust we’ve built with our clients and communities, and our dedication to making a positive, lasting difference.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
As a Black woman-owned environmental consulting company owner, I believe the most important quality contributing to my success is resilience. Navigating both the environmental sector and the challenges of being a minority business owner requires the ability to adapt, overcome barriers, and remain committed to the communities I serve. My focus on environmental justice, particularly in historically underserved and marginalized communities, drives my work and keeps me motivated, ensuring that I’m not just providing services but also creating positive, lasting change.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.keyenvi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/key.environmental.consulting
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/key.environmental.consulting