Do you know all of the options you have as a Director of Operations (DOO) when it comes to designing your business around you, your family, and what best suits your lifestyle?
Subscribe to the podcast here
My guest today is Kimone Napier, a dear friend and alumni who came through the DOO certification program in round 3. She is a change-maker in our society and our industry and she is here to discuss the idea of intrapreneurship.
Meet Kimone
Kimone Napier is the Founder & CEO of Hire Breakthrough™. Through her work, she coaches founders and organizations on how to build strong teams using an intentional hiring approach. Kimone has over 10 years of experience in HR, operations, and engineering. She is a speaker, consultant, and strategist whose work has been groundbreaking in building strong teams, conflict management, and helping founders reclaim their time. Throughout her career, she has worked in places where candidates were underrepresented and founders were misinformed. She believes that when you focus on the power of people over profits you deliver a better experience for both you and the candidates.
Kimone’s Experience since going through the DOO certification program
- She just left corporate when she joined the DOO certification
- She was looking for a better work-life balance because she had a newborn
- She started by serving as an operator to her clients, but HR really stood out as something she was passionate about
- She decided to completely focus on the HR aspect, and then an opportunity came for consulting
- After 3 months she was offered an employee role, and she was able to negotiate a situation where she was able to work in this role in addition to growing her business
“When you have a proposal you may feel nervous… but be bold and show up with a solution.” – Natalie Gingrich
What does your work life balance look like today?
- Work life balance is good because she established boundaries up front
- Her employee role going well and her business is booming
- Recently spoke at Harvard (!!!)
- The business owner who she works for appreciates her entrepreneurial spirit
“I decided to think about my career trajectory personally and [professionally] in a different way…and now I’m reaping the benefits.” – Kimone Napier
If you’re in a place where you are building your business and it feels too unpredictable… you still have options to leverage yourself as a consultant, a manager, a leader or specialist in your space.” – Natalie Gingrich
An intrapreneur is a combination of “internal” and entrepreneur… what does it look like to be an intrapreneur inside of a business?
- Traditionally an intrapreneur was someone inside of a business who undertook any type of innovation
- Today, it means someone who has an entrepreneurial spirit or someone who is an an actual entrepreneur who joins a company and operates in both functions
- People often don’t consider this route out of fear of a lack of freedom or making their own choices
- If you are going to consider intrapreneurship, it is going to be less risky; you will have access to a wealth of resources and also have job security
- Figure out the path for yourself and if it is going to be mutually beneficial for both parties
- Make clear boundaries for what you want and actively have an open chain of communications about what it is that you want to do and what it is that you can do
“If you merge [an employee role and your own business], you are looking at innovation, you’re looking at ambitiousness, and you’re looking at the leader of a company actually valuing your thoughts…” – Kimone Napier
Additional Thoughts
- Businesses are open to bringing high level ambitious people with strong leadership and communication skills on board, and you can set your boundaries and values… you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you
- One reason that contributed to the great resignation is that employees felt they were at a crossroads between having actual employment and wanting something for themselves
- A lot of the skills you learn as being an entrepreneur, you can take into another work relationship in a higher capacity, and be very valuable to an employer
- Don’t fall into the lowest common denominator thinking; don’t lose sight of your next best self
- Think about what environment looks best for you and your family with the skills you have today; you have lots of options
“You have choices that you can make, you don’t have to fit yourself into a box and it can serve you in so many ways.” – Kimone Napier
Weekly Ops Activity
What was your greatest takeaway? Let us know in the Facebook group!
Connect with Kimone
Stay Connected:
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app.
Join the Ops Insiders Facebook Community:
Share with your biz bestie