A habit of mine is that I only hire people that I can learn from! If you are apart of my staff but I feel like anyone can do what you do, then you are not who I want for my business.
Kahala Grier brings to the table a decade of sales, advertising, public relations and marketing experience. She has worked for several media giants such as CNN, TBS, and NBC. She has also volunteered her efforts with non-profit organizations such as the International Black Summit.
Originally born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Kahala attended Clark Atlanta University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications in 2000. She went on to earn her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2004. After several years working in the media industry, she took on freelance projects, creating marketing and publicity campaigns for her clients. She strongly felt that smaller businesses needed PR the most yet they lacked the time and the resources needed to promote their business. With that thought in mind, Top 5 Media Group was born.
Kahala and her team’s ultimate goal is to offer small and mid-size businesses the press coverage and promotion that they deserve in today’s highly competitive media market. When Kahala is not running her business, she enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her family. She resides in Charlotte, NC with her husband of five years Jordan Grier.
Where did the idea for Top 5 Media Group come from?
The idea for Top 5 Media Group is the result of examining the marketplace, and seeing that small businesses get little to no press coverage, or any buzz at all because they can’t afford to retain the services of a large-scale pr firm. I also noticed there were small businesses who had little to no social media presence. Major firms are hiring social media analysts to manage their social media campaigns, so it’s important that small businesses capitalize on having an online presence as well. I thought, “why not create a media agency that offers affordable services to small businesses, non-profits, and people wanting to build their brand?” Top 5 media represents the quality of service they will receive. This is a win, win!
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
My typical day consists of calendar drops, conference calls, and media projects. I make it productive by completing the time sensitive projects and focusing on what’s most important!
How do you bring ideas to life?
I bring ideas to life by looking at every particular project through child-like eyes. What I mean by that is every campaign, every project, comes from a different place and its exciting because you never know which way it might flow. So I take my inspiration from that!
What’s one trend that really excites you?
One trend that really excites me is the trend of the Business marketing video! These videos effectively connect businesses with their audience in one of the most progressive ways possible, through visual marketing! The idea is genius!
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
A habit of mine is that I only hire people that I can learn from! If you are apart of my staff but I feel like anyone can do what you do, then you are not who I want for my business.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
My most challenging position was my job as a sales assistant at a local television station. As a sales assistant, there were about five jobs that needed to be done, while only being paid for one. There was no upward mobility, and it was absolutely thankless. What I did learn from this experience was how to multi-task. I learned how to answer calls, send an email, and problem solve all at the same time. I spend most of my days doing just that, so it helped me a lot in the long-run!
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
If I were to start again, I would go into business earlier in my career! The younger you are, the more appealing risks are, and this was one risk worth taking!
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
As an entrepreneur (and a fairly new one) what I do that I recommend everyone else do is PRAY DAILY! When you become self-employed, you are constantly being challenged with unsurmountable tasks on a daily basis that no staff member, or family member can help you through. You would be surprised what a quick prayer in the bathroom before a meeting can do to help you to be more productive. Praying helps me keep my head above water daily!
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
A strategy that has helped me to grow my business is Education/Research! In business, technology is constantly growing and changing, so I always try to stay ahead of the game by researching new techniques, and educating myself with any seminar or webinar class I can find. I’m never afraid to say “I don’t know something”, then learn it and ultimately be damn good at it!
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I wouldn’t call it failure, but certainly some challenges! A big one for me is trying to do everything myself. For some reason, I thought that if I hired someone to help, I was “plagiarizing” myself by letting someone else do it! 🙂 I know it sounds crazy, but thats how I felt. Learning to delegate prevented me from missing out on more business opportunities! Lesson learned!
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
One business idea I have is to be able to hear game commentary through wireless (bluetooth) when at a live football game! I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to a football game wanting to hear the commentary on plays, and are met with silence! Think of how great it would be to hear everything clear through your bluetooth while you are sitting there live at the game. You get the best of both worlds!
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
The best $100 I ever spent was a trip to the spa! Its amazing what a Champagne and Rose body scrub can do to refresh and energize you after a long grueling work week!
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
A web service I use that is a total life saver for my business is 17 hats! It does everything from sending my clients contracts (which they can sign electronically), invoices, and quotes! It is a one stop shop and I live by it! 🙂
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
One book that I recommend is Suitcase Entrepreneur by Natalie Sisson! If you were ever stuck in a box at any job, this book will inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone, and tap into your ability to gain independent wealth from anywhere in the world! An amazing read!
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
One person that has influenced my thinking would be Joel Osteen! In the morning when I start my day, reading a message that speaks to my very being is inspirational! One of my favorite quotes by him is “Just as you spend your money, you are spending your life. You’re either investing it, or you’re wasting it. Spend it wisely. “ (@JoelOsteen, JoelOsteen.com)
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.