Kimberly A. Ferguson of The BOSS Network talks leadership and staying on top of her game

Kimberly A. Ferguson
Source: Instagram / Kfergspeaks

Kimberly A. Ferguson is a writer and entrepreneur with more than 17 years of combined experience in the areas of training, career development, education, marketing, and leadership. Through her company, K-Ferg Training, Ferguson speaks, consults, and provides customized learning and development solutions for a number of organizations and individual clients. In addition to her company duties, the wife and mother also is the host of her own online empowerment series, StrategicMinds.tv.


Walk us through your journey to success. How did you get to this point?
My entrepreneurial journey has been an incredible one. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s certainly been rewarding. I stepped out on faith and left full-time employment in mid-2013 to focus on my business. I‘ve had a journey filled with triumphs and failures; hits and misses; wins and losses. While I’ve seen my share of closed doors, I have learned from every experience along the way. And as such, I have landed great contracts, worked with wonderful clients, and connected with powerhouses. My very first closed door taught me how to better position myself in this industry. I paid attention and got to where I am now by simply taking heed to the “YES” and the “NO” responses, leveraging what worked, and fixing or building on what did not work.


What do you do to stay on top of your game professionally?
I realize that as a professional, I must stay relevant and keep abreast of the best practices in the industry. So, I invest in my own development on a regular basis. I attend conferences that are relevant; take classes to obtain new certifications; read; and network. I also push beyond my comfort zone and even risk failure. I believe that every failure brings us a step closer to success, and that every no gets us one step closer to our yes. Finally, in my field I must constantly work to expand my network and share my message so I take advantage of social networking sites like Facebook, Periscope, and Twitter.

How do you balance your personal life with your professional?
We all know that success in entrepreneurship takes a lot of work, but success in our relationships takes hard work too! I’m married to a wonderful man, and we are the parents of two amazing children; and I am still perfecting the art of balance. Right now, I am laying the foundation for various endeavors so, as you can imagine, it can be challenging at times to fit everything and everyone into my day, especially when my multiple priorities are competing with each other. But, I use the power of effective prioritization.  Recognizing top priorities and making time to tend to those priorities is imperative. And in those times when I feel like I’m missing the mark, I ask for help; and lean on the powerful support system that I have around me. .


What advice would you give to a budding entrepreneur or career woman?
I would tell her to take advantage of opportunity. I know it may sound simple or even cliché, but this advice is packed with power. The key is to recognize opportunity, and to seize it. Don’t allow that opportunity to pass you by. I learned this lesson early in my career when working for a financial publishing company in the ’90s. I reluctantly took on a role that was an awesome opportunity but my perspective didn’t allow me to see it that way at the time. In hindsight, it was that one decision to say “Yes” that set me on a path to growth, development, and success in my career that I could not have predicted or imagined.

What does being a BOSS mean to you?
I am more than excited to be a 2016 BOSS influencer because in this network, I am surrounded by excellence. Being a BOSS is about taking action, making things happen, and leading the charge. And let me clarify, it is about taking action for the right reason, at the right time, in the right way. A BOSS is not a spectator, but a doer. She is driven, motivated, and passionate about her calling. And she won’t stop until her vision comes to fruition. Also, at its core it is about supporting and building each other up. It is about being the example, sharing advice, and giving back.  It is truly about helping other women achieve success.

For more information about Kimberly, please visit www.kfergspeaks.com or follow her on Twitter at @kfergspeaks

The BOSS Network is a community of career and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online and event-based networking. Their mission is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and professional development of women. For more information on The BOSS Network, please visit www.thebossnetwork.org.

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