Welcome to the interview series with Jesse Samberg, where we dive deep into the journeys of successful entrepreneurs. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Kamber Parker Bowden, the founder of YoPro Know. YoPro Know started as a blog in 2018, where Kamber interviewed thousands of young professionals to understand their struggles and successes in the workplace. Over the years, the blog evolved into a consulting and training firm, helping companies attract and retain top young talent. Join us as Kamber shares her experiences navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and her plans for the future of YoPro Know.
Interviewee Name: Kamber Parker Bowden
Company: YoPro Know
Intervirew Host: Jesse Samberg
The Interview
Let’s get started. First, we’d like to know more about how you started your business journey
Kamber Parker Bowden : YoPro Know started as a blog in 2018 where I interviewed thousands of young professionals across the country to learn their struggles and successes of being a “YoPro”. It all started because of my own young professional career and one I felt there was a solution to.
So I started interviewing and blogging. A few years in (around 2020), I decided to get serious with the blog and see if there were ways to monetize it. At the time, I was working in the nonprofit/fundraising space and was able to build up the business in my fairly flexible role.
In 2020, I realized the data I was collecting from interviews with young professionals was starting to produce repeatable messages and themes – and thanks to some really great mentors, I decided I could use this data to become a thought leader in the space, which is ultimately what led me to our work today as a consulting and training firm. From the beginning, we have used young professional stories to help companies of all sizes better attract, develop, and retain top young professional talent (i.e., the future leaders of our workplace).
Reflecting on your business history, what stands out as the single greatest challenge you’ve successfully navigated, and how did you overcome it?
Kamber Parker Bowden : I was able to take my business full-time in July of 2022 after 5 years of bringing my side hustle to life. I think getting past that first full-time year was significantly challenging and it made me realize why many people don’t get past that first year. I’m proud of where we are (18 months post-taking the leap), but there are always challenges. It’s just new ones now – and with its second year, brings new challenges. The only thing that changes is how I handle them now.
Businesses often face ongoing challenges. What does your business consistently grapple with, and how do you tackle these challenges head-on?
Kamber Parker Bowden : We’re constantly facing challenges in infrastructure. As we grow, and I note this farther down in my responses as well, we are constantly evolving. When we bring on a new team member, our communication changes and our processes have one new person involved, so this is something my Director of Operations and I are continuing to work through.
Can you share with us the most unforgettable story involving a customer or client? What made it memorable, and what lessons did you draw from the experience?
Kamber Parker Bowden : I have been really lucky to work with and speak to thousands of business leaders across the country – so I often hear feedback shortly after our workshops and engagements. My favorite stories involve hearing someone in the audience come up to me after a workshop, or when I receive an email, that says “Wow, you made a topic that we hear about all of the time (GenZ and Millennials) seem different, and it is really tangible stuff that we can start applying!” or “I’ve never heard a presentation like that before. You’re not just another speaker about GenZ and Millennials”.
Looking ahead, what are your current plans for your business when you retire?
Kamber Parker Bowden : I’ve got a long way to go before retirement 🙂 After all, I am a YoPro! However, I have some scaling goals over the next few years that will allow me to spend time doing what I love best: speaking and training organizations across the country and business development for the business. Some of the scaling plans including adding more team members and creating digital products to enhance our consulting services.
Navigating the small business landscape can be both challenging and rewarding. Can you share a bit about the specific hurdles you’ve encountered in areas like sales, marketing, and adapting to changing customer trends?
Kamber Parker Bowden : Personally, I’ve dealt with some hurdles that involve hiring, ironically (since that it a space I’m in!). When you’re in a small startup that is growing at a rapid pace due to the demand in our work and topics, it’s natural to bring people on in a hurry, but when I did that at the start, it left us having to pull back at times to ensure our infrastructure is correct before bringing more people into the fold.
I have really loved working in sales and marketing, so while it has been challenging to learn all of the ways that are successful for our business model, I’ve loved working through it and learning throughout the process.
Leaders Perception magazine would like to thank Kamber Parker Bowden and “YoPro Know” for the time dedicated to completing this interview and sharing their valuable insights with our readers!
Interested in connecting with the host of this interview series? Feel free to reach out to Jesse Samberg on LinkedIn: Jesse Samberg’s LinkedIn Profile