Michelle McCullough, Startup Princess Business Development Director writes, “Kim Jones is one of the most business savvy women I have ever met. I’ve worked for three advertising agencies, a number of media outlets and other businesses, and Kim Jones’ company is the most efficient and productive company of them all. Additionally, Kim diligently keeps up with changing markets and trends and adjusts her company accordingly, without losing its identity. Vérité is a company to watch and Kim Jones is a business owner who proves every day that companies can grow even during the trying times of entrepreneurship.”
Name: Kimberley Jones
Hometown: Toronto, Canada until 10 and then the Bay Area after that
Current Residence: Sandy, UT
Education: Law Enforcement Major in College
Professional Background: 12 year background in sales and marketing of technology organizations prior to Vérité
What you wanted to be when you grew up: Movie Star
What you are: CEO of Vérité
Brief Summary of your Start Up: Vérité is an interactive agency that focuses on communications for sales marketing and training org, produces creative services for both traditional and online campaigns as well as web tools.
What inspired you? I moved to Salt Lake from Silicon Valley in 1990. The economy in Utah was flat, and I went to work as a reseller for Sony Broadcast which gave me a segue out of tech and into media production. I worked in a studio filming for corporations. I went to the president and said that they could put videos on CFrom and they could appeal to a more technical audience and organization like Novell and iomega, etc. The president thought I was crazy and that it would be another 5-6 years before the industry would be ready for that. So I decided to do it myself. I started Vérité on my own in 1993. After a year I hired an assistant. And over time quality programmers and designers. We worked out of my house for the first six years with employees coming and going at all hours. I bought my first office in 1999. And then after we grew to over 15 employees I bought the building we are in now in 2004.
How long have you been in business? 16 years
Company website? www.verite.com
How did you fund it? Self-Funded (and starving)
Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? My husband
Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Yes. Women’s Tech Council, Westminster MBA Advisory Board, People Helping People Board, USTAR Digital Media Initiative, Westminster College Business Plan Competition, BYU Business Plan Competition, U of U Business Plan Competition
Current Business Challenge? Trying to stay viable and strong
What are you doing about it? Really take a look at your company, what new ideas do you have to come out with? How are you communicating them to customers? Keep up with the internal tasks of communicating your ongoing value proposition. I’m also a nazi when it comes to customer service and I surround myself with employees who are dedicated to giving all they have to customers and their projects.
Favorite motivational quote: Tomorrow is another day.
Family? Married, 2 kids, 1 cute cocker spaniel
If so, how do you balance family and business? First 10 years there was no work/life balance. It’s hard to achieve it with a startup and with a self-funded startup at that. I have more work/life balance today 15 years later, but only within the last 4 years I felt like I could go on vacation without taking conference calls or checking emails.
I have a wonderful team, and I allow them to do their jobs, and I trust them to get the work done and done right, and that helps too.
Favorite book? Gone with the Wind
What do you do to relax? Golf and ski
What do you want to change most about your world? I would like to see more people focused on win-win opportunities rather than the success at the expense of others.
What are you most proud of? I am most proud of our company’s organizational processes and the 15 years it took to get it where it is. We’ve spent a lot of time defining processes for jobs that ensure customers have the same experience with us with each job they do. Processes and organization are made possible by hiring and keeping good people. I’m proud of the people who work for me and for the time they spend to produce quality work time and time again.
What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Have the utmost tenacity and constantly make your value proposition clear. The tenacity part is the reason why Gone with the Wind is my favorite book. “Tomorrow is another day,” even if today sucked. You get up early to get things done, if necessary. Even though there is new competition, you keep going. See yourself through to the good times. As far as defining and sharing your value proposition, tell people what you bring to the party and why you are valuable. It’s so important to constantly evaluate your value proposition and change the times change – without sacrificing your company’s identity to begin with.
Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? Google
If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Diamonds with a big Sapphire (my birthstone)
Interview conducted by Michelle McCullough, Business Development Director for Startup Princess.
