Kimberly Afonso is the CEO & Founder of the thought leadership agency The KA Consulting Group, and she has been recognized as a Top 6 Personal Branding Expert to Watch in 2022.
She founded The KA Consulting Group in 2018 when she saw a market need for curating thought leadership content on behalf of industry leaders. Now, the team partners with CEOs and Founders to create powerful content authentic to themselves and their business goals.
Kimberly’s unparalleled client knowledge and expertise working with C-Suite executives help cultivate unique connections. She earned her company recognition as a Top 30 B2B Marketing Agency in 2021 for collaborating with powerful clients worldwide.
Kimberly believes there is a story behind every Founder– and her agency motto is that her team works “From the desk of the best CEOs throughout the industry.”
For more details, visit their website here.
Today, we sit down with Kimberly to learn a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur!
Q. Tell us a little more about your journey as an entrepreneur – how did you get started? What inspired you?
Kimberly: I started as an entrepreneur five years ago. I knew I wanted to run a company and recognized a significant need for personal branding among CEOs and founders. I’ve always worked with leaders in personal branding and thought leadership, so I decided to focus on that and grow my company one team member at a time.
Q. What are your long-term goals in business? Paint a vision for the future
Kimberly: I want my company, The KA Consulting Group, to expand and be the number one thought leadership agency for CEOs and founders. My long-term goal is to continue growing my business and become the leader in our niche. There aren’t many other people working specifically with CEOs and founders who understand their needs and know how best to collaborate and create compelling thought leadership online – but we do!
Q. What motivates you?
Kimberly: Growth is an excellent motivator for me. I’ve always been a lifelong learner who loves to be in motion. I want to expand our services and keep a constant eye on the evolving market to see how we can continuously improve our offerings.
Another source of motivation for me is bringing clients’ visions to life and seeing the amazing results they get. When it comes to personal branding and thought leadership, we write many articles for our clients, so we work with them to fine-tune their thoughts and create a compelling online presence.
It’s been a great motivator for me to see their thoughts and knowledge get picked up by magazines or reach 100,000+ impressions on LinkedIn. Being able to help clients market their ideas and find the correct vocabulary to reach expansive audiences motivates me to keep doing better and better.
Q. What business-related book has inspired you the most, or, what is your favorite book?
Kimberly: One of the best business books I’ve ever read is “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz. It’s a straightforward book to read, and I recommend it to anyone who is an entrepreneur or running a business because it explains how to create a profitable company in an easy way to understand.
No matter what industry you’re in, you will be in trouble if your company is not profitable. This book is a simple way to learn how to set up your business for success right from the start.
Q. What strategies do you use to optimize your performance or mindset?
Kimberly: Optimizing performance and mindset is very important for anyone running a company. One of the strategies that helps me the most is working with specialized coaches. I work with two different coaches who help me improve the day-to-day steps that will allow me to arrive at the big picture I want for my company.
Also, I take good care of my body. I’m physically active and do yoga regularly, take daily walks, go to the gym, and frequently meditate. I find that taking care of your body allows you to have a stronger mind-body connection and helps you perform better as an entrepreneur.
It is also key to have a good inner circle and support system of people around you. I surround myself with positive and inspiring people who continuously motivate me – and it has made all the difference.
Lastly, I wear an Oura ring to keep track of daily aspects, like how many hours of sleep I get each night, which helps with biohacking. I’m passionate about tracking my body’s performance, so I optimize sleep to feel my best every day. Generally, taking care of my health has been front and center throughout my journey as an entrepreneur and has helped enhance my performance and mindset.
Q. What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made?
Kimberly: I would say investing in professional coaching has been one of the most worthwhile investments that I’ve made. I believe in the power of coaching and think it’s crucial for anyone running a business to work with professionals who challenge their thinking. Sometimes, when you’re leading a company, not everyone wants to tell you what is genuinely on their mind or what they would change.
When you’re working with a professional coach, they point out the areas of improvement and allow you to see your blind spots or distractions that have kept you from achieving the big picture. I recommend finding the right coach based on the goals you wish to accomplish.
Q. Where do you see the future in your niche/industry 3-5 years from now?
Kimberly: I predict that in the next 3 to 5 years, we will see a significant increase in thought leaders. We’re entering an era where CEOs and founders can’t afford to be quiet online or stay behind the scenes of current events and operations. In today’s world, people want to know where leaders stand on different issues and see them leading from the front.
Consequently, CEOs and founders must recognize the need to have a visible and public professional profile where they can share their thoughts, insights, and opinions. There will be an increase in personal websites, LinkedIn profiles, and press features. Overall, I believe CEOs and founders will be more present online, and that is the future for my niche.
Q. What is your ‘one-sentence’ piece of advice you’d like to give to someone who wants to become an entrepreneur, coach, or business owner?
Kimberly: So much advice comes to mind, but the most important thing is not to take anything personally. Whether or not you’re a business owner, you will face many difficulties and challenges. Most of the time, the things that affect your business don’t have anything to do with you.
When you don’t take things personally, you can stay focused on the big picture and keep going. In other words, it will allow you to maintain a positive mindset and keep moving forward in the face of challenges. You’ll experience many ups and downs; that’s completely normal. Don’t take the downs personally – keep going, and that’s how you’ll find success.
To keep up to date with Kimberly and her journey, connect with her on LinkedIn.