Kimberly Parker of Kimberly Parker Design - Park City, UT

“When you contacted me, I was in the middle of exponential growth, and truly overwhelmed in trying to figure out how to scale my company to meet the overwhelming demand, reticent to let go of certain processes, afraid of failure or the quality of deliverables slipping without my care. Just being able to have someone analyze and tell me what I needed to do differently in order not to DIE came at just the right moment. I followed your advice and made quick changes to the structure of my company. I started training my team to do as I would do...and then put them in positions where their careers could grow by me trusting them. I set the bar high, developed a handbook that outlined my systems, my core values and expectations, wrote my processes out and implemented Team Managers to hold my designers accountable. I hired an Operations Specialist to assist me with all the Human Resource type tasks that I was drowning in, ensuring that my designers felt seen and appreciated. It removed myself from easy access by moving sales inquiries and vendor requests to her attention, rather than mine. I gave more responsibility to a new-to-my-company but seasoned Procurement Manager that took over the invoicing and billing. You referred me to your bookkeepers which may have been the single most important hire ever. I can confidently rest each month knowing that my books are in order and my clients have been billed on time, something that was a struggle each month. With your encouragement, I transitioned my team from 1099 Contractors to W2 employees and hired an HR Company to run payroll and take care of benefits. And finally, I let go of handling the social media and hired a social media manager to create and schedule posts that I can tweak to make personal and then approve. I still handle the stories on Fridays, but that is more enjoyable now and a connection that keeps my social media still feeling personal.

I have discovered that you were right. Scaling requires the Principal to step back from the tasks that others can do, and allows the Principal to reserve for themselves the things that will make the most impact -- developing relationships with builders and architects that feed your pipeline with high-level jobs, giving clients facetime at the most important meetings, and that your clients really do understand that by doing so, you have their best interest in mind. Their project will get more attention from a team of individuals that are all trying to abide by the standards set by the Principal, than by a frazzled, overworked and exhausted Principal that is trying to do it all. Thank you for giving me the courage and direction to let go.

All the changes in the last year and a half have given me the time necessary to develop and launch Four Stripes, an app for interior designers that was derived to help them work better with builders and improve their reputations in the industry.

While we haven't had to spend regular meetings with each other, your influence on the success of both KPD and Four Stripes has been invaluable. When I've made big changes or business decisions, Christine's advice has been in my ears and influenced those decisions to empower and train my team to do what I would do. I've learned to trust my team and encourage the development of their talents, making my company stronger. It's no longer my show. It's a stronger team encouraged by me. The shift has been incredible.

Thank you for your tutelage and encouragement. Finding 19th and Co changed the trajectory and helped me scale to where it is today. Here's to the next 5 years!”