An Interview with Kim Flynn

Kim Flynn is the creator and founder of Entrepreneur Simplified and 8 other businesses, and by all accounts has “arrived” at business success. Kim’s journey has driven her to teach entrepreneurs that business success isn’t magic: it’s work. She teaches the formulas for success in the programs offered through Entrepreneur Simplified.

In this interview, Kim Flynn narrates her entrepreneurial experience and how she celebrates and acknowledges failures as part of her journey to success. She mentions about constant learning and growing as an entrepreneur, and that we should acknowledge fear and come along with it. Find out what else she can teach you in the following paragraphs, and be sure to give her a shoutout on Twitter!

What ignited the spark in you to start a business? Where did the idea for Entrepreneur Simplified come from?

Entrepreneur Simplified is a combination of the best of the traditional education world (with courses and structure) and the consulting world (with accountability and coaching).

What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?

I love the creativity that goes into creating new products and services, and new marketing strategies. I also love that it requires constant growth. You can't stay stagnant as a person if you want to grow a business.

How do you generate new ideas for Entrepreneur Simplified to keep growing? Is there a secret that you have figured out over the years?

Ideas usually aren't the problem. Most businesses have great ideas. The secret is systems. When you are launching a new marketing campaign for example, you determine how many leads it will generate, how many sales those leads will create, and what revenue will be generated. Then you track everything religiously, rinse and repeat.

As a business owner, what is your greatest fear and how do you keep it under control or harness it?

We have a saying that we use around the office: let fear be in the car with you. Imagine you are driving in a car like in Taledega Nights, and there is an angry puma in the car with you named Karen. That is what growing a business often feels like--you grow in business with the fear along for the ride. Acknowledge the fear, and let it come along with you.

What do you feel is the major difference between you and other entrepreneurs? Is there something that has guided you along the way?

Most entrepreneurs have a lot of the same characteristics that I do: we move quickly, we take risks, and we are passionate about our service. One thing that makes me extra quirky is that I don't accept when people tell me "you can't." I take that as a personal challenge and am even more motivated to make it happen. It feels like a game sometimes.

Have you faced any failures with Entrepreneur Simplified? How did you overcome it?

All entrepreneurs will face many, many failures. We celebrate our failures in our company. Each week in our meetings, we go around the room & state our celebration and our fat failure for the week. We don't want to overcome failures; we want to embrace them and celebrate them!

What was the best piece of advice you have ever gotten from another business owner? The worst?

Worst business advice I have ever received was from a woman who sat me down and told me, "Mothers can't do big things." The best business advice I have received lately has been from a team member, who asked me to slow down so that our team can catch up.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in Utah who have a business idea but don’t know where to get started?

Start. The journey is your education. Don't wait until the timing is right, or until you know what you are doing, or until you have enough money because you will never get started. Just jump in and start making mistakes now!

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