Photo Credit Brandon Williams KAW Management Group

Kaiya Williams is the CEO and Executive Director of KAW Management Group. She works closely with thought leaders and high achievers across all industries architecting and guiding their Gravitational Brands to increase their influence and income. Always up for a challenge Kaiya has always instinctively known how to make things happen making  the journey into entrepreneurship no surprise to those who knew her.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Yes! My background is in marketing, I got my start crafting marketing strategies and heading campaigns for our family business. This transformed into leading our social media and digital asset team. After many campaigns, days on set, photoshoots etc, I realized it was time to start my own agency. We initially offered social media management and marketing consulting services exclusively and eventually expanded, pivoted a  bit, and rebranded to what you now know as KAW Management Group!

What inspired you to start your business?

I always knew I was meant to be an entrepreneur, my father has started countless companies. Both of my uncles are successful entrepreneurs, while entrepreneurship is not all I've ever known it truly seemed to be the only logical option for me. Growing up I was the kid excited to get out of school for the summer so I could design websites for fun, I had my first sales job over summer vacation at the age of 9.

Where is your business based?

We are based in Atlanta, GA serving incredible clients worldwide!

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I love this question, it seems this part is often overlooked in articles and the nitty gritty is a bit glazed over. Buckle up, my journey was a bit of a rollercoaster as I mentioned the concept for the agency already existed as in the beginning we were operating as a social media/ digital marketing agency. That set up was rather straightforward, followed all the basic legal guidelines, I then created and populated our website and social media accounts and began reaching out to my small businesses in my community as first clients. However the transition to KMG as it is now was a bit more nuanced, I am an infinite learner and perpetual observer in my research I noticed that one of the most discussed factors from the early parts of successful founders journey’s that they often comment on wishing they had changed/refined earlier on are their SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) so I focused a substantial amount of energy there, ensuring that we were set up for a $100.00/month client and a $10,000.00/month client. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

For us it’s been our results. We have been incredibly fortunate to receive most of our clients through word of mouth. I am a firm believer in letting my work speak for itself and have carried the same principles into the work we produce at KMG. 

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

The first thing that comes to mind for me is not thinking big enough! I find it is incredibly difficult to be what you cannot see, for me there was no example of what success could look like for a person like me in this industry. I am now thrilled to look to my left and right and see some incredible women in this field absolutely dominating (hey Nicole Lynn!) but I truly believe that the lack of representation led to me not knowing what was “realistic” so I limited myself unnecessarily in the beginning. 

Another would be internalizing every up and down. In business truly the only constant is change, while  conceptually it is easy to understand what that means I think shifting this to the narrative of “Can I look myself in the mirror at the end of the day and know that I did the absolute best that I was capable of?” If the answer is yes then there is nothing else you could’ve done. Regardless of the outcome.

How do you stay focused?

The short answer is by reminding myself of my “why” why did I start this in the first place? What are my goals? What type of impact do I want to have?  I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur but the only successful women in business that I recall seeing were Arianna Huffington, (later Moira Forbes), and Anna Wintour. Please don’t misunderstand me, all of these women are incredible and business idols of mine. However, they are in journalism (while a component of, not my industry), and none of them are women of color. It can be incredibly difficult to be what you cannot see. Part of my “why” is I want the incredible young black women excited to become entrepreneurs to be able to look at me and know that  if I did it they can absolutely do it. This coupled with my passion for giving back and leaving my corner of the world better than I found it is what keeps me focused.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

It would be incredible to have a more exciting or mystical answer to this question but honestly, I just lead with authenticity and transparency. I ensure that our clients know we will fight for you to the tiniest of details through and through. In addition to that we never do exclusively what is promised, my team and I strive to go above and beyond in every area we can to deliver our clients the best possible experience with us. We strive to let our work do the talking.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Providing high quality service. Never underestimate the power of doing your best, you NEVER know who is watching. (At the time of this interview we have secured over $200k in deals for our clients with zero outbound marketing of our agency).

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

I have a few! First; I would say you CAN do it, but it will not be easy. Next; know that there may be times when the only person who understands why you are working the way you are, or sacrificing what you are sacrificing is you; and learn to be okay with that. Third; you can learn something from EVERYONE, so never miss an opportunity to do so. Lastly, always remember that if what you are asking for doesn’t scare you then you are not asking for enough. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

I love this question but it’s so tricky! My favorite app right now is probably Linkedin, I’m really enjoying being able to share a very different type of content then I share on other platforms and fostering new connections. I am no longer really tuned in to the blog scene so instead I will share my favorite podcast right now; it is “Diary of a CEO” with Steven Bartlett, he is an incredible host and the conversations he cultivates on his show are so valuable for authentic insight across a multitude of industries and perspectives. Last but certainly not least; my favorite book is also incredibly difficult to pick but the first that comes to mind is “Never Split the Difference” By Chris Voss, I have always enjoyed negotiating  and the perspective that this book gave me has been invaluable in changing how I communicate. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I think Linkedin wins this one again! The access that we are granted through linkedin to some of the brightest minds in business is unprecedented. I’m really enjoying not only contributing to but learning from some incredible conversations.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I have many each for different reasons. So I’ll share a few;

Cultural Impact: Codie Oliver for the incredible and transformative work she’s done for Black Culture and the mainstream portrayal of Black love. 

Brand Establishment: Phil Knight, he of course did not do it alone and no company is perfect but I aspire to craft brands that inspire while transcending generations the way Nike has.

Vision: John Williams, through his work John exemplifies the mentality that limits do not exist unless you allow them to. I strive to operate with the same mentality in my ventures.

How do you balance work and life?

I love how this question was phrased because often the question is “How do you find work life balance?” I have come to understand in my case I don’t “find” work life balance, I create it. I am an incredibly driven worker, so for me it is crucial to create hard boundaries for myself otherwise there will be no balance. For me I created my list of “non negotiables” I know I do not yet have the life that I am working towards yet I will not allow myself to miss out on the every day magic that is the journey. For example, part of my why is to give myself back quality time with my family, so when situations arise where I can spend that time, I always ask myself whether what I am working on is worth giving up that time with family for. Is it going to be the end of the world if that email is sent in two hours instead of 20 minutes, if the answer is no, then I take that time and invest it instead of spending it.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

When I can I love listening to music, traveling and getting lost in a new city, and making new connections! In a pinch though, I escape to an empty hallway or nearby bathroom and do a quick mindfulness session to center myself before continuing on with my day.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

So many big things! We just relaunched our social media management and Brand Building services so I’m really excited to do some incredible work for our clients there. A lot of travel, and some exciting projects/collaborations coming out. 

How can our readers connect with you?

There are a few ways! I am over on Instagram posting about all things branding/CEO life @thekaiyawilliams and providing more deep dives and peeks into my brain on LinkedIn @ Kaiya Williams. If you’re interested in working together drop me an email at kaiya@kawmanagementgroup.com or you can head over to our website www.kawmanagementgroup.com 

Thanks for reading! I look forward to connecting soon.