From the origin story of their businesses to the ways they allowed themselves to grow as entrepreneurs, our Female Founders series gives a view into the lives of successful women from a variety of industries. Join us for today’s feature, Emily Kim, offering a behind the scenes look at some of what she has done to succeed so far, advice for those starting off, and plans for the future.
What’s your business and how did you get started?
I am a 1:1 business coach for ambitious entrepreneurs. I found coaching through an unusual route.
After graduating summa cum laude with a BS in Computer Science and completing my MBA, I started my career as a software engineer at Apple, where I found myself coaching colleagues – long before I even knew what “coaching” meant! But three years in, I realized that I had spent my entire life chasing this goal that wasn’t even mine: to climb the corporate ladder.
I left that 9-5 corporate job to build a business on my own terms: one where I got to set my own schedule, actually enjoy my day to day, and where I don’t have to wait for permission to take a weekday afternoon to myself.
In 2018, I launched a brand photography business that grew to multi-six figures, alongside a studio rental company I later sold. What I’ve learned is that specialty as a brand photographer wasn’t just making people look good on camera. It was creating enough safety for them to get out of their heads, stop performing, and show up as themselves.
Once I realized this, I hung up my camera to go all in on my favorite part of my job: coaching.
As an eldest daughter and 4.0 GPA student (hello, I see you, overachiever), I focus on asking the right questions, reading between the lines, and seeing what’s possible for someone – sometimes before they can fully see it for themselves. Most importantly: I have real relationships with my 1:1 coaching clients.
My work as a coach isn’t just about implementing “my” frameworks and strategies. It’s truly about figuring out what actually makes sense for YOU, uncovering what YOU desire in your life and business, and having someone in your corner who knows you well enough to challenge you, reflect back what you might be missing, and help you make the decisions that move you forward.
What is one thing you’re really proud of that you’ve created or accomplished?
I’m proud of a lot of my accomplishments: graduating with a 4.0 GPA, getting a job at Apple, opening a studio, having a full client roster in my brand photography business, and making the decision to focus solely on coaching. But what I am most proud of is that I’ve let go of letting these accomplishments define my worth. Yes, I am still proud of what I’ve done, but I know that these accomplishments don’t define “me,” the human.
What is the boldest thing you’ve ever done in business?
I feel like my whole business has been a series of bold moves. When I quit my job as a software engineer at Apple, I went all in on my photography business, including renting a physical photography studio. I had no evidence or guarantee that I could make this work: renting out the studio space, or booking enough clients to sustain myself.
What’s one thing you’re currently excited about for the future of your business?
I am so excited to continue working with my one-on-one business coaching clients. It’s a special thing to be able to be in the weeds with someone, through the hard parts of being an entrepreneur, and eventually see them come out on the other side of it. I love supporting my clients through the easy times and the hard times.
What’s your best business advice you would give to other women?
There is an abundance of information available to us today. This is a massive blessing – I LOVE being able to look up recipes in an instant, and I love being able to learn everything there is to learn about business strategy! But at the same time, that can create so much overwhelm – especially for high achievers. If you’ve always had a knack for learning and for implementing, remember that you don’t need to do EVERYTHING. You don’t need to be on Instagram and LinkedIn and TikTok and do speaking engagements.
All you need to do is define what YOU want. And when I say what you want, I mean truly, what do you desire? Not what do other people expect of you, or what you think you “should” do based on a course or program you took. Decide what you want first, then let that be the filter for every action you take and mentor you work with.
What’s your favorite thing about being a business owner?
My favorite part of being a business owner is getting to hear about the big goals and dreams of other entrepreneurs. Business owners just “get it.” I don’t have to explain or provide a backstory as to why I want what I want. When other business owners share their dreams with me, I can see it happening for them. It’s a special kind of conversation that only happens with other business owners, and I love it.
