Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Floyd.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kim. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My media life was not the plan initially. I received my Bachelor’s in Economics and Masters of Business Administration and started a career in finance while living in Dallas, TX. I worked as a Senior Financial Analyst for ten years. After the company I worked for was purchased by a competitor, I was laid off. Back then, I had a “side hustle” in media. I attended press junkets, movie prescreenings and wrote about interesting people for a national weekly publication. So I decided to follow my passion and turn my “side hustle” into a career. I started working full-time for rolling out magazine as a city manager for Dallas and then later moved to Houston to serve as a regional manager. I made a career change in 2013 and joined the d-mars.com team as Vice President of Operations. d-mars.com is a staple business journal in the Houston community. The company also produces community events like the Top 50 Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs Awards and the Top 30 Influential Women of Houston Awards Gala. During my tenure at d-mars.com, I was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Managing Editor of the company’s two publications, d-mars.com and Subcontractors USA-TEXAS.
Has it been a smooth road?
It wasn’t always a smooth road. There have been plenty of times, I was the only African American in the room, the only woman in the room or the youngest in the room. Being an “only” comes with great responsibility. I had to work ten times harder than most to show that I not only belonged in those rooms, but I deserved to be in those rooms. I would tell any young woman to find a mentor and a sponsor who believes in you. A mentor and a sponsor are not the same thing. A mentor is someone who can guide you and share insights for your journey. A sponsor is someone who is in a position to vouch for you. They would offer their reputation in support of your success. I have been a mentee, mentor and a sponsor. I feel it is my duty to reach back and help the next generation of women coming into their own… to guide them to success. But I also look for them to show me they want it. They have to have an excellent work ethic and passion for success.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m Chief Operating Officer for d-mars.com. My job is to work with my team of writers, designers and project coordinators to create superior products for our clients and the community. I also serve as an event manager for our Top 50 Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs Awards and our Top 30 Influential Women of Houston Awards Gala.
I am most proud of our events, especially the Top 30 Influential Women of Houston Awards. The women we honor are business, nonprofit and community leaders. They don’t do what they do for praise. Many of them shy away from the spotlight, but our awards acknowledge their success. We have the opportunity to share their story with the world.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
I am a small town country girl from Natchez, Mississippi. I didn’t really appreciate it then (what child does), but I long for the days of running down the dirt road to check the mailbox or riding my bike down the road to visit my cousins.
I learned the value of having a good name during my childhood. Once people found out I was a Floyd, they knew my family and that we were “good people.”
Contact Info:
- Website: d-mars.com
- Phone: 713.373.5577 office
- Email: operations@d-mars.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/floydk3016
- Facebook: facebook.com/floydkim
- Twitter: twitter.com/floydkim
Image Credit:
d-mars.com
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