2019 Influential Businesswoman Awards

Acquisition International - 2019 Influential Businesswomen Awards 33 Purple Moon Creative: Most Influential Woman in Brand Development - Canada Purple Moon Creative, Brand and Marketing Boutique provides brand strategy, development, and brand training as well as marketing for small service-based businesses. We invited CEO Kim Speed to tell us more about how she has driven her company to success and works to support her clients in achieving their goals. As a creative industry, advertising is fortunate to have a diverse range of specialists operating within it, including many women. However, as in any industry, working mothers such as Kim face many challenges. Kim explores how she overcame these and the advice she would offer anyone seeking to emulate her impress success. “Being a woman and a mother was a challenge working in the advertising environment because it was expected that you make yourself available at any time for as long as required to get the job done. If you wanted to be selected for the best projects, then this was particularly important. That was a huge motivation for starting my own business, it provided me the ability to work with who I wanted, set my own hours, incorporate my family back into my life without feeling as if I was giving up anything." “To those women who want to succeed in this market, I would say that you need to learn and soak up as much as you can when you start. Say yes to helping on any project and you will expand your knowledgemuch faster and be seen as the go-to person. This will open up opportunities for you and help you build your name. Also, never be afraid to move to different companies every couple of years or when a great position is offered. This is a great way to gain experience, confidence and get known in the industry and eventually get offered those leadership roles.” As she looks to the future, Kim is confident that her firm can flourish in this competitive market, as she is proud to conclude. “Moving forward, the future for me will be continuing to build Purple Moon Creative, Brand and Marketing Boutique with the addition of new employees who will become leaders in the company. This will drive both my career and the company to even greater renown and help establish us as the perfect partner for all companies seeking a branding specialist they can rely on.” stablished in 2009, Purple Moon Creative draws on Kim’s experience working in advertising and her realisation that many businesses did not have the in-house expertise and knowledge to drive their brand forward. She explores how she progressed her career and eventually founded her own unique company. “Initially, I began my career as a graphic designer then art director and eventually, creative director which enabled me to have a skillset and the expertise to start a business that helps smaller businesses. Using my skills in the advertising world, I worked as a creative director and supported clients such as Coca-Cola, Labatt, Molson Coors, Ford, TD Bank and Toyota." “At my last corporate role, we lost a big account and I found myself without a job. I had not planned to become an entrepreneur but after spending time at home while planning my next job search I was able to spend more time with my children. It was then that I realized how much of their lives I was missing, and I wanted to find a way to be able to continue to spend time with them rather than only seeing them for a short time in the morning and evening. That's when I decided to start my own business where I controlled when I worked and where I worked." “Whilst exploring the possibilities, I found that there was a growing trend of small businesses starting up, but they had no access to the large marketing agencies due to financial constraints or the sheer fact that they were just too small. Through Purple Moon Creative I was able to create a boutique agency that provided these small businesses with the expertise I gained working in a large agency to help them grow and prosper.” E Company: Purple Moon Creative Name: Kim Speed Address: Toronto ON, M9A 2A4 Telephone Number: 647 558 1962 Web Address: purplemooncreative.com