We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kimberly Bogues. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kimberly below.
Hi Kimberly, thanks for joining us today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?
I think vacations are essential for several reasons. Vacations help you to connect with family and friends in a fun environment without distractions. It helps to unplug and take a break from the business to refresh and stimulate new ideas. Being away from the company helps spark creativity and renew energy upon your return. When on vacation, I try to be in the moment and not work.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I worked in Corporate America for over 20 years with a great mentor who allowed me to learn all aspects of the business. During that time, I realized that I loved the challenge of launching new products and locations and problem-solving to address the company’s challenges. After going through two mergers in three years, it dawned on me that I was spending my time making other people a lot of money. So I decided to join them if you can’t beat them, and I opened a community bank with a few partners. We sold the bank a few years later. In 2008 with the economic downturn, many people were being laid off and starting businesses. I saw that many people had expertise in their trade but did not have experience in starting or running a business. That is where Flourish Business Consulting came to life to help entrepreneurs and business owners.
Flourish Business Consulting helps business owners through all business cycles, whether start-up, growth, or conclusion. When working with clients, the focus is on helping minimize their risks, create efficiencies, reduce overhead, and increase revenue. Flourish is different from other consultancies as the clients work with me directly. While there is a one-time investment, there are no ongoing monthly fees.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
I am a one-person consultancy. So while working with clients, I still need to feed the pipeline for future business. I set aside one day a week for complimentary consultations, creating proposals, and following up with prospects. I obtain most of my business from referrals, so I also use that day to network with referral partners.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Covid was a time of pivoting. I pivoted to be a resource for businesses, sharing information on grants available, PPP sources, best practices, and state mandates for specific industries. Many companies needed my expertise during those uncertain times but were reducing their spending. While 2020 was not my best revenue year, it allowed me to give back to the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.flourishbiz.consulting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flourishbusinessconsulting
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-business-services-llc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIOBLwJqy9eWiMlxJoBEuMA
- Other: https://localfirstaz.com/directory#!biz/id/5fea5f19a579217e1974e43a
Image Credits
Marie Feutrier, Headshots By Marie