We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kimberly Lewis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?
Wow. I would have to say my consulting journey has been one for the books. While being pretty good at what I do, there was a time that I lacked confidence in myself. I went through a series of personal matters that caused me to question my worth and doubt my abilities. That can’t be the mindset to thrive in corporate America. Being a woman and being black is already challenging enough when trying to break the glass ceiling, so you have to show up as the best version of yourself, even on days when you can’t see it. I was passed over multiple times for promotion. It’s kinda like what came first, the chicken or the egg? There were times that I was confident and doing well and was passed over, which then impacted me so other times I was insecure and not seen as tough enough to thrive on the next level, so was passed over. I’m really not sure which happened first, however, I didn’t give up. I am now a Global Leader within Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in my organization , I would say the journey was definitely meant to groom me. My advice is: don’t waste any experience. There is something in both good and bad experiences that will make you better.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have a friend that once called me a multiverse. Lol. To be honest, for the longest, I wrestled with identity because I thought I was only allowed to be one way and do one thing. Well, my creative gene wouldn’t let me rest. I obtained my B.S. in chemical engineering, worked in chemical plants for a few years, and decided that I wanted to be a consultant. I eventually moved into change management consulting , which I have been doing for almost 16 years. Meanwhile, I became a Certified Life Coach, Certified Christian Counselor, Certified DEI Leader (Cornell University), Ordained Minister and Published Author that also ghost writes for other authors. I build strategies for non profits, I coach leaders and mentor youth, and last but certainly not least, I’m the CEO of my baby, Holy Kiss Cosmetics.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Many people ask me how I came up with Holy Kiss Cosmetics. In September of 2001, I was in college and battling severe depression. I experienced some very traumatic events in my life and by the time I reached college, I was tired of wearing a mask. I decided to take a bottle of pills and end my life. I was rushed to the emergency room by a friend that found me and the letter that I wrote to my mother. After my stomach was pumped and I was stable, I watched the twin towers crashing down on tv. I quickly thought, how selfish could I be to try and take my life? Through therapy, medication and counseling, I accepted the fact that dealing with depression and mental illness is real, but you don’t have to throw in the towel.
Fast forward to several years later, I was in a deep state of depression and was like why can’t I just die? In that moment, God told me, “you’ve been kissed by me with life, so you cannot die filled with purpose.” I immediately thought, “Kissed by God” with a Holy Kiss. The thought stuck with me then I one day thought, “this should be a lipstick line… well not just lipstick, but evangelism!” And from that point, Holy Kiss Cosmetics was born! We’ve been through many cycles, however, I will not let my baby die.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
There have been a few key events in my life that caused me to pivot. The death of my father took a major toll on me. Prior to him dying, a made a very risky career move, leaving a full time role, stepping into a contract role. This can sometimes be a great move, when you have savings and are prepared, however, that wasn’t my story. I made the transition because I was overwhelmed and couldn’t hold it altogether. Being a consultant that was on the road 80% of the year, caring for a very ill parent and trying to save a failing marriage was overwhelming. I’d have to say I lost myself in that season of my life, however, I did pivot back to my consulting career after my father passed. I continued to pursue my goals, Inspite of the obstacles, and although it took me much longer to climb the corporate ladder, I did!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.holykisscosmetics.com
- Instagram: @kimberlyj4change and @holykisscosmetics
- Facebook: Kimberly J. Lewis and Holy Kiss Cosmetics
- Linkedin: Kimberly Lewis
- Other: For my strategy business, visit www.kastrategists.org
Image Credits
Featured photo @shotbyperks