How David Fisher built Kingfisher Communications through connection
David Fisher, owner and founder of Kingfisher Communications, helps teams build stronger connections during change through keynotes, workshops and coaching. He describes how local relationships brought early speaking work, how a failed rebrand led to A Culture of Us™, and why clients still seek deeper human connection amid interest in AI.
Relationships have been a dependable source of business for Fisher, from his first paid speaking engagement to the connections that continue to bring work today. His advice is to build relationships, a brand, a website and videos, and use social media as leverage rather than relying on it for growth.
What’s the short story of how your business started, and what makes it genuinely different from the other options your customers have?
Having an education in communication with a background in sales and experience in both acting and speaking, I was at crossroads in my life. Several years ago, on the verge of being homeless, I started a self development journey that brought me to speaking and training as a business.
How did you win your first customers, and where does most of your new business come from today?
Building local connections. My first paid speaking/training was a $300 lunch and learn. I was more interested in building relationships, testimonials, and referrals. I started working for a non-profit that taught public speaking, giving me further experience and exposure. Today most of my business, which now has international reach, still comes from that same philosophy of creating connections. I supplement that with marketing platforms, agencies, and social media.
What’s one decision that changed the direction of your business, and one mistake that taught you the most?
Rebranding after COVID was a good decision, but started as a mistake. My first attempt at rebranding failed miserably. I added one client. Several months later, I re-rebranded with my team, and A Culture of Us™ was born. It’s been growing non-stop ever since.
What has changed in your industry or in what your customers expect over the last couple of years, and how have you adapted?
The last several months has been like a child on a swing. At first, everyone wanted to talk about AI. I developed a keynote "Human and AI", based on the scientific research on how AI can help, but also hurt human connection. Interestingly, that talk has brought a lot of traction, yet most clients still want to focus about how we can connect on a deeper level, as humans.
If you were advising someone starting out in your industry today, what would you tell them to do first, and what would you tell them to ignore?
Build relationships, build a brand, build a website, build videos. Don’t spend hours on social media. Use it as leverage, but don’t rely on it for business growth. Most decision makers will not find you on TicTok.
Thank you to David Fisher and the team at Kingfisher Communications for sharing what actually worked with Leaders Perception readers.
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