In Conversation with Kimia Kalbasi of Kimia's Kravings

Describe your business in a few words?

Kreating kontent with puns and positivity. I create content and work on branded campaigns. I also consult other brands, individuals, and organizations on social media strategy, influencer marketing, and creative direction.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

My go-getter attitude and ambitious appetite. I’m a free-spirit to my core and enjoy doing my own thing and going beyond the rules and at the same time, I’ve always loved creating new things so the hybrid of these qualities have ultimately been the impetus to start. It doesn’t matter how skilled or talented you are, if you don’t have the hunger to start and learn by doing, you’re only holding yourself back.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I have a background in tech sales with an obsession with connecting with people, writing, and creating so when social media initially started in the early days, I was hooked. Together with the sales and storytelling components of social media have provided a strong foundation for where I am today.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

YES I was born a curious free-spirit creative who's ready to break barriers, take risks, learn along the way, and level up no matter how many times I'd fall down.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

Networking, networking, networking! Developing genuine relationships and learning more about others around you and introducing yourself and telling your story -- that will last you a long-time is the forever winning strategy, beyond marketing.

We always learn the most from our mistakes, share a time with us that you made a mistake or had a challenging time in business and what you learned from it?

The list of mistakes is endless! I'd say one of the biggest ones was the art of negotiating. It’s delicate dance of knowing your value and what you bring to the table while accommodating and servicing others. You learn as you go!

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

Inspiring others. If I can do it, anyone can :)

When hiring for your team, what is your go-to interview question? Please share any hiring tips you can share from your experience?

If money were no object, what would you want to be doing for a living?

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

Thankfully I was already WFH beforehand so not much has changed but evidently huge influencer events are a thing of the past as of now.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

To be completely honest, although there is a TON I wish I knew from the get-go, that wouldn't have made the journey worthwhile if I knew all that I know now then and I still have a lot to learn! I am grateful for all of the twists and turns and ups and downs that I have dealt with along the way because I have learned SO much and without them, what would be the point of learning to get back up when the going got tough?

How have you managed to stay grounded this year?

I've managed to stay grounded this year by reflecting on what I can control and to let go of what I cannot. There is simply so much that is out of our hands as this past year has clearly shown us all and we must remember to focus on what we can control. I'll always remember what one of my past mentors taught me and that is to "control the controllables" and it rings true, especially to this day.

What's something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

I worked at In-N-Out for 2 years in my early college days!

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

1) Wake up and move your body. Put on a podcast and go for a walk or turn on a virtual workout like yoga or HIIT. Your mind, body and spirit will thank you :) 2) Focus on 3 work-related items and 3 personal-related to-do's so prevent burnout so you don't feel overwhelmed. Gotta celebrate the small wins and take it one at a time! 3) Sleep with airplane mode and don't look at your phone for the first several hours of the day. ULTIMATE GAME CHANGER.

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

Being an Entreprenista means understanding your personally unique “why” and making it come to life. My “why” is to help inspire others and to show that if I can do it, you can too and sprinkle some puns and positivity along the way for a lightehearted entertainment element :)