We recently connected with Kimberly DeShields-Spencer and have shared our conversation below.
Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
Whenever I share with people that both of my parents were in the military, there is an assumption that I had a strict upbringing. That was not the case. They were firm but very loving. They were ever present through every life’s moment. I was blessed to have parents that were first teachers and who modeled what keeping your word looked like. They modeled what dedication to your goals looked like each day. They also modeled what it looked like to never compromise your faith, values, and integrity in the pursuit of your goals. So, when I became a business owner, I filtered my decisions through the examples I saw from them in how they handle situations. I faithfully keep my word. I don’t compromise my faith, values or who I am to make a deal or to please someone. As a business owner, I know my best currency lies in keeping my word. Learning these various things have shaped me into who I am today.
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
When I began my entrepreneurial journey nearly 25 years ago, I was young, excited, scared, and ready to take on the challenge before me. There was a woman in my life who desired to be a professional speaker. I didn’t know that world at all, but I was ready to learn. As I dove in, I began to meet some of the most amazing people, and I became a sponge soaking up as much as I could to help her become a known speaker. Within one year, I went from 1 client to 15 professional speakers. By the end of year 3, I was working with 45 professional speakers. At that time, I built a professional speaker management agency that found and contracted speaking engagements for our clients. We also handled all their marketing, branding, travel arrangements, book orders, pursued press-related opportunities, organized press tours, and managed their calendars for them.
It was a great business and my love of helping people define, create, and own their voices through their branding and marketing really excited me. However, I realized that by handling everything for our clients, we placed them at a disadvantage. They never saw our processes. They did not know how to position themselves in their own markets. Essentially, they did not really understand how we did what we did. While we were highly successful, I realized that going forward I wanted to make sure any client I work with will know how to effectively brand and market themselves. I knew I needed to pivot.
That realization propelled me into the best decision I have ever made, which was launching UImpact. However, this time I wanted to show my clients how to craft, hone, and market themselves. But instead of doing this in the standard cookie-cutter way, I wanted to base things on who each client is. I have learned the more your business reflects who you are, the more you shine, grow, challenge yourself, and take ownership in what you are building.
As I built UImpact, I realized that there was another business in me to create. I started to reflect on my journey and the lessons I learned. I was listening to my clients share how alone they felt at times in building their business. I knew that building a career and business was not easy but it helps to learn from those who understand what you are doing. So, we created Behind Her Brand.
Behind Her Brand is all about championing women in their various stages of being exactly who they are while becoming exactly who they’re determined to be. Behind Her Brand takes you on the journey of real-life lessons, obstacles, think tank processes, disappointments, and the victories of successful women who turned their brand(s) and career into catalysts for their professional successes.
Behind Her Brand has become a multimedia company with a national magazine, an engaging YouTube channel, podcast, and one of the best community of diverse women. We are really proud of what we are building with Behind Her Brand. Our continual goal is to share, inspire, challenge, and encourage women to build and grow in their respective careers and/or businesses.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
When I work with someone I never want them to feel like they are just another person I am working with. It matters that they feel and know they are valued. So I take the time to get to know them, their goals, and what they like and dislike. Taking the time to get to know them allows me to create a personalized experience. This can look like many things and it depends on the person I am working with.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
This is such a great question. I feel that being myself and really showing who I am has helped greatly. When I started in business, I had many people share with me that I need to look, dress and be a certain way. However, I knew that I could never build a brand that I was proud of if I wasn’t myself. Everything I post and share is in alignment with who I am in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.behindherbrand.net
- Instagram: @behindherbrand_
- Facebook: facebook.com/behindherbrand
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behindherbrand/
- Twitter: @behindherbrand
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BehindHerBrand
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-her-brand-w-kimberly-deshields-spencer/id1586017357