Twenty-Two Year Old Celebrates Sixth Year in Business

Most sixteen-year-olds are more interested in getting their drivers license than in spending fourteen hours a day at work, but Kimberly D. Wells of Medford, Wisconsin was so sure of her passion that she decided to launch her own business. On February 1st, 1999, K23 Enterprises started in Kimberly’s basement bedroom.

“I had started doing Web design when I was living in Sturgeon Bay, and when I moved to Medford, WI, I realized the potential that existed for helping small, rural businesses sell their products online,” says Kimberly. “I quickly found out that it wasn’t that easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

K23 Enterprises started out as a Web and graphic design firm for small businesses, and has since expanded into a conglomerate of resources and directories that covers much more than just Web design. From the FSBO Website Kit to cross stitch patterns, to Blogging for Beginners, to Possibilities Surveys and even a collection of simple meal plans, K23 Enterprises is changing the business world through Kimberly’s innovative concepts. But the innovation isn’t so much in the products as in the way Kimberly chooses to do business.

“A lot of business owners look for something they want to do, and then work really hard to get other people to buy in to the idea that they need it and want it. The marketplace can only handle so many of one type of product or service. I look at business a little differently. I look for needs in the marketplace, and fill those.

“Sometimes the need is for an entirely new product or service. Sometimes the need is for a more organized or professionally designed product or service – a better mousetrap if you will. Sometimes the need isn’t for the product or service so much as it is for the customer service experience that goes with it.”

Kimberly’s most recent project has been the development and publication of her goal achievement system, The BE SMART System. “BE SMART is a comprehensive system that helps you create detailed plans for your goals. It’s how I got to where I am today. It’s what I created to fill the void in MY life, and now it’s available to other people. I’m very excited about that.” The second edition, including a book, resource guides, and audio tools, will be available in April 2005. Training for groups will be available soon as well.

When asked what it was like to go out on her own at such a young age, Kimberly replies, “When I first moved to Medford, people were asking me, ‘What’s a website?’ Most of the businesses didn’t even have email. One of my first clients didn’t have a computer. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Kimberly shakes her head. “Now people are asking me how I can charge so much. I laugh and tell them that they are paying for eight years of design and marketing experience.” Kimberly winks.

How will Kimberly be spending her anniversary? By launching another website of course!

“Women don’t take enough me-time. I know I don’t. She-Time.com is a campaign to put me-time back into women’s schedules. When we start taking better care of ourselves, we can be more effective in the areas of our lives that are important to us. I do my best thinking during me-time, actually.” Kimberly smiles. “Just imagine what we could create if we all took a little more time out to recharge and think.”

Kimberly attributes her success to her continual commitment to learning and improving. “No one is born with all the answers. No one is born a failure. But when you refuse to learn, that’s failure. Learning to manage my time, set and achieve goals, and be organized are the three most important skills that allow me to run my business.”

For more information on the products and services that K23 Enterprises has to offer, or to book Kimberly as a speaker, visit http://www.k23enterprises.com.