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Name: Kim Pickett
Business: KIMBO Design Inc., a digital branding agency
Industry: Design, Marketing & PR
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Reason for starting: I had always dreamed about owning my own agency, I wanted to call the shots. Early in my career I had my own thoughts about creative direction for a project. Sometimes this didn’t match my director or boss. This attitude got me fired multiple times. After some soul searching I realized my personality did not fit that of an employee, so I took the plunge and became an entrepreneur.
Related: Don’t Let Your Mind Hold You Back
How do you define success? We always want more than what we have at present. We are never satisfied with our positions in this world. For me to define success would be impossible, but if I think about success in the context of my business I would say having the chance to help a client achieve their goals is as close as it gets. It is also rewarding to be recognized through winning awards and also being thanked by a client. Success is ever evolving in a growing business; if we can do good, and inspire others and contribute to our society for the greater good that would be the ultimate success.
Biggest Success: Branding Premier Christy Clark’s winning campaign during the leadership race. When I first met Christy Clark it was working on branding her Vancouver mayoral campaign. Although she didn’t win, I knew one day that she would achieve something greater. The sparkle in her eye and the way she presented herself when she entered a room was truly mesmerizing. In 2011, Christy returned to politics and I was called upon to help brand her campaign. She is the second and longest-serving woman to serve as the Premier of British Columbia. We re-designed the now-iconic winning BC Liberals logotype – the circular “BC flag” which was predominately used in the 2013 provincial re-election. KIMBO Design is now known for being campaign veterans and has grown a reputation as the go-to agency for winning political branding campaigns.
Related: Fiscally Confident Female Entrepreneurs
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? My top challenge is to keep the lights on and to keep the momentum going, while still maintaining my creative integrity and identity. It’s a balancing act, but the point is to create freedom to live the KIMBO vision. Cultivating leadership and nurturing top talent is tough. Retaining a supportive and collaborative team who will put in hours of hard work to build my dream, and not get burnt out is an ongoing challenge. KIMBO has monthly lunches to celebrate successful projects. I have an open door policy that invites employees to speak their concerns and converse on strategies to improve the company’s processes.
Who is your most important role model? I was lucky enough to have my dad as a role model – Peter G. Pickett inspired me. Having him as a mentor in my life motivated me to make him proud. He is the reason I do what I do today and I don’t give up when times are tough. Entrepreneurship has its ups and downs and with every obstacle I have in life, I ask myself what would my dad say if he was still here. I remember him saying “Kimbee, never give up, keep fighting and stand up for what you believe in, if you fail, practice and you will eventually get better.”
[box_light]Website www.kimbodesign.ca
Twitter @KIMBOdesign
Facebook www.facebook.com/kimbodesign
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/kimbodesign[/box_light]
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Edited by The Story Exchange