We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Swenk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor in my success is simple – my failures. Failures and challenges. My father died when I was in high school. I have had cancer twice. I was laid off twice. I have had more than one lousy job review. My oldest son was born premature, and my second son is neurodivergent. But I would not change a single thing because all those failures and challenges, even cancer, made me a better person. Failure is like weights at the gym; the more you lift them, the stronger you get.

Now, when I encounter a challenge in business or my personal life, I know I can overcome what life throws me.

What should our readers know about your business?
Swenk Social is a digital marketing agency that helps beauty professionals and businesses like estheticians, spas, and med-spas create a profit-boosting and time-saving digital marketing strategy. Beauty professionals receive little marketing training in esthetics or nursing school, so we help them fill in the gaps with social media, email, and search engine marketing.

What makes Swenk Social different is my formal marketing training and experience working with global businesses, including Fortune 100 companies. I have 15+ years of digital marketing experience at national and international levels, allowing me to bring strategies that companies pay millions for to the local level. We pride ourselves on creating global agency strategies at nonagency pricing.

Swenk Social was born out of the need for me to work remotely. My oldest was premature, so going back to my corporate job wasn’t realistic, and my youngest needed significant support when he was younger and required special schooling. Reporting to an office and fulfilling the demands of a less-than-flexible corporate job wasn’t realistic anymore.

I entered the beauty industry after meeting with Tara Hill Hanover during a commercial shoot for an organic beauty product line. At the time, Tara was the head brand ambassador for CNN and a lead make-up and hair stylist out of Atlanta. We hit it off instantly and started working together. She wanted to grow her online presence as a thought leader in the beauty business, and my obsession with all things beauty began.

Right before the pandemic, I entered the beauty industry in 2019, which was not the ideal time, so I had to pivot almost immediately. Luckily, online marketing is my strength, so I could keep my presence out there even when beauty professionals didn’t have the money to work with me. I wanted them to know I was there when things returned to normal.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live the life of a nomad, but I do business in South Florida frequently and have family ties in Florida. South Florida has a booming beauty industry. When people visit the city, I always tell them to visit as many Cuban restaurants as possible. There is nowhere else in the country with Cuban food and culture like Miami and South Florida. Little Havana is a must.

One of my favorite things is to get a hot cup of Cuban coffee from the shop where I am the only non-Cuban. One of the best cups of coffee I ever had was four blocks from South Beach from a little stand where everything was in Spanish.

One of my favorite restaurants of all time is Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen in South Beach. Their food is out of this world. They serve Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. I have been known to eat there twice in one weekend. Their Chopped Israeli Salad is one of my favorites.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without all the strong women who have supported me and held me up when I was struggling – personally and professionally. Women took care of my kids when I was sick, helped me find jobs when I was unemployed, sent care packages when I was ill, and pushed me through the ranks in my corporate jobs. The world is more complex for women, and it is so vital that we support each other.

Website: swenksocial.com

Instagram: @swenksocial

Facebook: @swenksocial

Youtube: @swenksocial

Other: kimberly@swenksocial.com The best way to reach me is via email or Instagram

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