Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Kinard.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The Flamingo Project was born from a desire to elevate strategy and marketing for professional services firms and truly help those firms to stand out from the flock. The firm specializes in working with architecture, engineering, and construction firms who want to grow their business and are interested in looking at new strategies and approaches to do so.
Has it been a smooth road?
Learning to run a business while doing the work is challenging and a major life adjustment. It took me six months to get a rhythm and to understand how many “billable” hours were reasonable in a week. I had a colleague and friend advise me early on – hire the expert. Hire the accountant and lawyer, hire the graphic designer and web developer, hire implementation and tactical support so you can spend time in the highest and best use of your time!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Flamingo Project – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m known for helping architecture, engineering, and construction firms start something new for growth; move into a new geography; start a new business practice; or launch a service – In a nutshell, they hire The Flamingo Project to provide a strategy and implementation plan for growth. I’m proud of my track record doing just that. I’m proud that I consistentlysurprise the market or prove the competition wrong. I’m proud of the courage of my clients and their willingness to try something new.
What sets The Flamingo Project apart is our approach to partnership. The architecture, engineering, and construction industry is a team sport. It takes all of us to make a project come alive and a reciprocal partnership is beneficial for everyone.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
This is a constant topic of conversation among my professional mom friends. Balancing building a network, finding rewarding professional development opportunities, giving back thru mentorship or leadership in professional organizations and being a mom is an incredible balancing act. Add owning an business and you have a good lens into my zoo!
For building a network or business development, I follow my own advice and do the same thing I do with my clients: it is important to develop personas of your clients and influencers so you know how to prioritize your time networking to bring in business. But more importantly, it is important to understand where your potential partners spend their time so you can get to know one another and how you can leverage one another on contracts. I personally look at my time and try to have a good mix of networking in these two categories.
Mentorship is another story. It is important to be both a mentor to someone as well as seek out mentors who excel in areas that are newer for you. Right now, my mentors are entrepreneurs. I need their energy, advice, and experience to help me be the best entrepreneur and business owner I can be. Other times in my career, I’ve needed mentors that could help me move into principal leadership at firms and I have sought out individuals within my industry specifically. With entrepreneurs, it is important to look outside our industry for advice and inspiration.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theflamingoproject.com
- Phone: 214.364.6009
- Email: sarah@theflamingoproject.com
Image Credit:
Photographer is William Bichara
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