Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberly Laughlin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kimberly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

After nearly 20 years in the marketing/advertising space, I was laid off. (This year – 2025) As someone who has always played by the book, this was never part of the plan. Changes in agency structures and the AI explosion has really changed the landscape of my industry. So I decided to try it on my own. Originally the thought was to start my own collective-type agency, but it has since evolved into an agency that focuses on digital signage. We live in Laguna Beach, where advertising opportunities are slim to none, and my husband (a co-founder) and I see this as an opportunity to help local businesses get word out + create a real niche at the same time. So for the past 6 months, I’ve been canvassing town, introducing myself to local business owners and explaining the efficacy of digital signage. We got 10 businesses (boutiques, restaurants, hardware stores, coffee shops, etc.) to agree to put TVs up in their establishments, and will be installing those soon. We are also creating the ads for host venues + any local businesses who want to do a trial run. We’re looking at a late December/early January launch date.

We’re right on the cusp of seeing if this risk pays off, but in the meantime, I remain proud of the relationships we’ve built, the ads we’ve created, the problems we’ve solved, and the risk we’re taking.

Kimberly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a creative director, most recently for Google, with a background in writing. I’ve worked as an account manager, brand strategist, writer, and CD – all in the agency space.

I was originally hired to be the fashion + food writer for Indianapolis Monthly Magazine – my “dream job.” That was in 2008, and when the economy took a hit, the position was eliminated – so I pivoted to a job I saw as temporary, as a copywriter in Chicago. I’m forever grateful for that pivot and for my 13 years in Chicago. I worked at Leo Burnett and several small agencies, then eventually moved to California with my family and started began remotely for Monks on the Google account.

My background in brand strategy + creative direction, as well as client services, has helped me immensely as we shape our own agency and identify how we can help local small businesses in ways that make sense for their size and unique demo. I love hearing local business owners talk about why they do what that do, and look forward to helping drive tourists + locals their way via really premium, engaging ads.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

So far, it’s doing it old school style: door to door. Granted, our target (for now) is solely business owners in Laguna Beach, which makes this doable. But many people I’ve chatted with appreciate the warm greeting and handshake. I come armed with business cards and printouts, all packaged up in a craft envelope and fun washi tape. I also include a branded post card that I write a custom message on. Truly, I think it’s a case of recognizing and appreciating the willingness to pound the pavement and develop relationships in person. PLUS – we found out a lot of our intro/”cold” emails were going to spam – so this ended up being a very good thing.

We look forward to getting this off the ground and putting our inventory on the open exchange, where we can begin to court larger brands. We plan on continuing to prioritize this personal approach here, too.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The ultimate resource – AI. Building a businesses, and doing so in a strategic, streamlined way, is so much more manageable thanks to all the information we have at our fingertips. I’m a creative who sometimes just wants to make pretty things. Gemini has helped me think of steps I’d otherwise miss, and keeps me on task on a daily basis, using industry best practices and pulling in from some of my favorite authors + marketers. The amount of time I’ve saved is immense, and having this as the foundation of my efforts has been the biggest blessing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thegreenparade.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlylaughlin/