Meet Simona Knapp | Director of Operations & KPIs Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Simona Knapp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Simona, how do you think about risk?
This is a funny question for me to answer because until recently, I’ve always considered myself to be more risk-adverse, seeker of stability, and longing for a consistent and predictable routine. However, my story, both in my personal and entrepreneurial journey, would say otherwise.

If you would’ve asked me this question 3 years ago, I would’ve said that risk should really be evaluated and thought through before jumping all in to something. While that’s still true to a certain extent today, I would have laughed at the thought of me, an accountant and financial analyst who works a 9-5 at a cushy corporate office job, venturing off on her own and starting her own business. Too risky. I was safe where I was.

However, that’s exactly what ended up happening. Now when I encounter risk, I still do evaluate it and try to mitigate it, however, more importantly, I think about what’s waiting on the other side of this risk, what opportunities could come from it, and what God may have in store for me that I couldn’t have even imagined. I think when I realized how unfulfilled I was, my pursuit of my dream far outweighed the risk and challenges it took to get there.

Growing up, I dreamed of living out in the country and having horses in my front yard. I dreamed of being able to travel and explore new places. Taking risks and chances have led me to now living these dreams of mine I have had ever since I was a little girl. I now live on a ranch with horses in my front yard and the ability to work from home and start a family without the restrictions of what my previous jobs had.

If it weren’t for taking risks, I would still be working for someone else, on someone else’s schedule, fulfilling someone’s else’s goals. Not mine.

What should our readers know about your business?
At Virtually Simona, I offer business strategy, operations, and KPIs management & consulting support. My angle is to support small business owners and entrepreneurs with creating a strategic action plan to work towards the vision they have for their business. We set realistic goals and set up KPIs (key performance indicators) and metrics to track progress so we truly know what’s working effectively in their business.

It’s taken me a bit of time to get to where I am today, and I think the most important lesson I’ve learned up to this point is to learn how to stay in your lane and thrive. Learn your strengths and zones of genius early on, so you can laser in on these areas and truly create a memorable and impact-driven service for your clients/customers.

Ultimately, what lights me up is working with other ambitious and driven entrepreneurs towards their vision for their business and personal lives. They also value the importance of family, balance, health, and working smarter, not harder, as they say. I believe that we truly can have it all, it’s just a matter of having a little patience and strategic action of working towards our dreams.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live just outside of Austin, TX. If someone were to visit me, we would have a good balance of both going out but also enjoying the beautiful country and topography in this area.

We would grab brunch in South Austin and explore the vibrant neighborhoods and shops that are popping up all over the city. We would of course need to go on an early afternoon hike, or even a paddle board excursion on town lake. Another day, we would have to go on a horseback ride because did you even come to Texas if you didn’t ride a horse?

Lastly, we would end the evening at a dance hall like Couplands. You don’t truly experience Texas until you go to a traditional dance hall and try to learn how to line dance! Honestly, I’m still working on mine too.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, credit needs to go to God and my family. If it weren’t for the tremendous support of my husband, parents, and extended family, I would not have had the faith and confidence to start my business and pursue what I have up to this point.

Second, I have to shout out my first mentor, Kara Fillion. She reached out to me at the most perfect time in my life, and invited me to her group coaching program. Her guidance gave me the confidence and tools I needed to hit the ground running in my business, and I landed my first client within 2 weeks of working with her.

Last, but not least, my current mentor Natalie Gingrich, and the rest of the Ops Authority and DOO community. Without their guidance, coaching, and skills training, I would not have the business, mindset, and confidence to step up in my support for my clients as their Director of Operations.

Website: https://www.virtuallysimona.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtuallysimona/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonaknapp/

Image Credits
Photos were taken by either Molly Roze Photography (www.mollyrozephotography.com) or myself, Simona Knapp.