Meet Kimberli Davino-Wilson | Community Builder & Motivator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberli Davino-Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberli, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
If I was answering this question as Kimberli years ago, I would have said, taking risks is not worth it or something I would ever do. But fast forward to today, sitting here being interviewed and my entire thoughts and feelings on risks has changed. Honestly, these last few years, have been based on me taking huge risks. And while it hasn’t been an easy journey, and some of the risks I took I am STILL kicking myself in the butt for, I wouldn’t change a thing. Because those risks I took, have led me to where I am right at this very moment. They have shaped and changed me and made me grow in so many beautiful ways I never knew I could grow.

I think at some point in our lives, we all need to take a risk. Risks mean taking a chance on something new. Maybe you will fail at it or maybe it will turn out to be the best thing you could have done. But it’s within that moment of deciding to take a risk, where we advance who we are. I couldn’t imagine my life being the same every single day. Doing the same thing over and over because I felt safe. Not happy, but safe. Meaning, I never allowed myself room to fail. Never gave myself the opportunity to learn, grow and change.

And it all started in 2018 when I decided to leave my “safe” job as a behavior therapist. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t healthy. And I knew I needed to do something else. So I left. No plan. No income coming in. No idea where my next pay check would come from. Thankfully, in my case, my husband was supportive so taking this risk was a bit easier in some ways. I know not everyone is as lucky.

I knew, I wanted to work for myself. I wanted to create some sort of business, but didn’t know what that business would be. So not only did I risk leaving a steady (very small though) paycheck, I started taking risks and joining all different network marketing companies. Thinking maybe that was going to be it. Long story short, it wasn’t. So I stepped out of my comfort zone even more and started thrifting and selling clothes. Both in person and online. I looked for freelancing jobs where I could write, I started a blog, I created an Etsy store, I put myself out there to say I was available for whatever online/social media needs someone needed for their business! And it was scary as heck.

But somehow, all of those risks I took, even though not one of them worked out the way I had thought, had taught me so MUCH. I learned what I was capable of. And it ended up being a lot more than I had once believed. All because I let myself step out of my comfort zone and try new things. And NOT give up on myself when one thing after the other didn’t work out.

Today, I have my own business, helping online service providers and coaches build their community. And I have never felt more confident in myself. I am always creating and allowing my multi passionate heart to take more and more risks and continue to try new things, and add different things to my work load. If I didn’t take that risk in 2018, I know I would NOT be where I am today and would not be sitting here being interviewed by you.

So to whoever is reading this interview, go on and take that risk. It’s scary, yes. And it may not work out. But failure, doesn’t mean you will never be successful. It’s PART of being successful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a community building expert. I get to help online business owners build a community full of genuine and engaged connections in their business. My specialty is striking up engaging conversations with others that aren’t based around sales or money. Instead, they are based on genuinely connecting with each individual. It is that kind of relationship-building that makes my clients stand out from the crowd and see the results they actually want to be seeing in their business. When you are building relationships, you are building trust. And when you are building trust, you are showing that you care about the person you are connecting with, that they aren’t just a dollar sign. Those are all important factors when it comes to someone buying something from my clients. No relationships or community, no business!

I think what sets me apart is that I am truly genuine, I want to see everyone succeed and win, and I don’t follow the rules many throw at us on how we SHOULD be running our business. I do it my way and teach others, they can do it their way too!

What I am most excited about and proud of, is the shifts I have coming for 2024. I can’t share just yet, but I have been working on a special project and also have another project pending that I would LOVE to have done for the new year! I have worked so hard on myself and my mindset to get to where I am right now. In both my life and business. And it is a beautiful thing.

And no, it wasn’t easy getting here. There were many tears, many nights of wanting to give up, many times I felt like, “WTF am I doing with my life?”. But the most beautiful things in life, aren’t easy to get to. In fact, without all the challenges and up and downs, I don’t think I would be where I am right now. When I started looking at my challenges as lessons, my mindset started shifting. When I stopped thinking there was a timeline I had to reach to be successful, my mindset started shifting. When I realized how important it was to fail every now and again, my mindset started shifting. It was within my mindset shifting where I found myself overcoming all the challenges thrown my way. And having people there for support too, whether it was my husband, friends, investing in business coaches for that extra support and help through those challenges!

The lessons I have learned along the way:
1) I am strong and capable of doing whatever I set my mind to.
2) Evolving and shifting is IMPORTANT in your business. You don’t HAVE to stay doing the same thing forever. Outgrowing certain things is normal. So tweak those things when they start not feeling aligned anymore.
3) There will be people out there who want to see you fail. But there are also so many out there who want to see you succeed. Surround yourself with those kinds of people.

What do I want the world to know about my story? I fought hard to get to where I am. I have never been confident in myself. I have never had people who believed in me. And add in a chronic illness that takes a huge toll on my life, I thought I was doomed for failure. So to see myself taking charge and running a business, it’s pretty amazing. Some days, I still struggle. Some days, are way harder than anyone will ever know. Some days, my health has me spiraling. But there is one thing I know, I always bounce back. And I always bounce back stronger than ever. My hope is that those who follow my story feel the inspiration that they too, can bounce back from the hard things and do anything they set their mind to. Keep fighting!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband and my parents have been my best supporters and cheerleaders. If it wasn’t for my husband, I wouldn’t have been able to leave my miserable job in 2018 and start the venture of finding myself and my business. And if it wasn’t for my parents’constant support and love, I don’t think mentally and emotionally I would have made it this far. But I also have many online besties, who have been so great at cheering me on and rooting for me to succeed and grow. Whether they are sharing my business, engaging with my business, or even at times buying from my business, I appreciate them so much. There are way too many people to shout out, so if they are reading this, they probably know it’s them! I would say what also has inspired me to keep going, amazing coaches and mentors that have coached me, especially within this last year.

Website: www.lifewithkimberli.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/alignedwithkimberli

Image Credits
All images are my own.