WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
KAREN KORPONAI Founder and CEO of Konscious Konsulting LLC
Interview by Jules Lavallee
You have over 20-years of experience working with global brands including managing celebrity brands. What advice would you give for brands during this pandemic? The coronavirus is affecting many businesses. Air travel, sports, and entertainment activities and events are being canceled worldwide. Restaurants and retail shops have to adjust to a “new norm”. In the midst of any crisis, it is challenging to stay optimistic and calm. The good news is that for the most part, business leaders and entrepreneurs know that staying calm under pressure is ultimately part of the job description. And, as they say, in every crisis there is always an opportunity. I would recommend businesses check in with their customers. At the end of the day, a satisfied and happy customer means business revenue. You have to identify the new pain points and challenges your customers are facing given the coronavirus and then get creative and pivot your business to accommodate your customers. For example, I was on full lockdown in Bolivia where you were only allowed out one morning a week. Only those with a special permit could drive. I had to walk 30 to 45 minutes to the grocery store with a backpack and suitcase on wheels. Grocery vendors adapted to their customers. “Mobile” fruit and vegetables stands soon appeared in every neighborhood. Vendors pulled up in their personal vehicles and displayed their goods for sale. In other markets, on-line commerce and delivery services became the norm. eYs Magazine, Spring 2020 | 24
How is Konscious Konsulting guiding conscious companies in their quest to turn visions into reality? The first step to advising any company is establishing a clear vision. Once the vision is clear, it is about finding the right strategic partners and building a team to accelerate and evolve the vision into reality. Clarity is power. For example, while overseeing the marketing and branding for the House of Marley company, I interviewed over 10 branding agencies to find the right fit. Together, we identified key messages in Bob Marley’s music and then translated them into brand values and products that would spread his message across multiple platforms. The mission was to spread Bob Marley’s vision through high-quality, earth-friendly audio products while maintaining a commitment to charitable causes. You have to be able to tell the story before you can sell the story and in three years, we launched the House of Marley brand in over 20 countries. Share recent client success stories. Recently, Konscious Konsulting supported the World Identity Network (WIN), a Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) observing member. The objective was to match WIN with a celebrity to elevate awareness on the right of every individual to have an identity. Over 1.1 billion people in the world are unable
