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Founder@ Interview
Interview with Jenna Bayuk
“If you don’t believe, no one else will. We all have doubts and insecurities, we’re human. So choose the people you surround yourself with wisely, trust your intuition, stay true to yourself, keep learning, and always ask questions!” – Jenna Bayuk
Today we feature Jenna Bayuk, the founder at Kinship Kollective. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.
Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?
My name is Jenna Bayuk, I founded the Kinship Kollective in September 2019. I have had an untraditional career path in the sense that I worked in
various industries and roles, however, the constant was that I always worked for entrepreneurs.
This led me to understand my superpower – which is taking that vision and turning it into reality through execution-focused services. Through this learning, I’ve created a customized heart-centered approach that leads to meaningful impact in high-growth companies.
A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us in your own words how did you start?
I never set out with the intention to go out on my own, through my experiences I always thought I would be a great #2 as an entrepreneur – I had managed every function of business except for finance, taken on wild initiatives, and all with success.
Through a variety of growth-producing experiences, burnouts, and personal development I realized I didn’t want to be “on” 24/7 365 days of the year. I love fast-paced, growth-oriented companies and I thrive under pressure – but I wanted ownership of who I worked with and the opportunity to ensure there was true values alignment and the possibility for real impact.
Without a real plan in place, I resigned from my role, took the summer off to become a spin instructor, and enjoyed the break from the chaos to reboot. Then one September morning I woke up and I knew exactly what I wanted to create, enter Kinship Kollective – where I could take everything I’ve learned and package it in a way that supports entrepreneurs and bring their vision to life.
Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?
Our home base is Vancouver, BC – however, I work with entrepreneurs in Canada and the United States.
If you ask any entrepreneur what he or she values the most (besides their team) and they’re likely to tell you it’s their time. Ask that same entrepreneur how much time (on an average day) he or she is able to spend working on their company vision or objectives and chances are they’ll likely respond in the negative.
It’s an all-too-familiar lament from entrepreneurs. This passionate, vision-oriented, relentlessly driven lot is unique in the business world.
Members of this group typically run small to medium-sized companies and they have to wear a lot of hats. Even though they are the heads of their companies, they are usually involved in most of the day-to-day operations which mean they spend their time attending meetings, preparing documents, working with other departments, and getting involved in the operations.
All of this, of course, has a detrimental effect on what they are able to achieve in terms of being able to develop and grow their business. That’s where we come in!
Although there is a strong focus on working with entrepreneurs and SMEs, We also work one on one with individuals as well. The services we offer here are available in two packages or, if preferred, a customized one can be arranged.
People are often unsure about their strengths, and how to ‘sell’ themselves and this can have a negative impact on how you present yourself during interviews. You could be the best fit for a particular role, but if you’re unable to communicate your value and what you bring to the table, then it’s a lost opportunity. From resume building and interview preparation to providing feedback and assisting with the strategic selection of targeted companies or industries, we can help individuals realize their key strengths, skill sets, and abilities. It’s about giving people confidence so they learn to trust themselves in making career decisions that are in their best interests.
The job landscape is constantly changing and the strongest candidates will always stand head and shoulders above everyone else. We could all use some support in learning how to navigate that landscape. It represents an area where some of the most important decisions of our lives will be made.
What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?
Every single entrepreneur has helped me, and they continue to constantly teach and motivate me. If I look back, my toughest bosses were some of my biggest teachers. Of course, with hindsight, I can now see the groundwork that was being laid through each role, and each thing that terrified me that I said yes to – it all shaped where I’m at today.
I think the aha-moment was realizing I could go out on my own, that I had built a skillset and an understanding that was unique, valued, and that I could offer that in a new way and create impact.
Thank you for sharing that. We know that there are ups and downs in business, especially when doing business with entrepreneurs. What’s been your biggest lesson so far?
Knowing my worth, standing up for it, and saying no. They all connect, and I think it’s been a journey both personally and professionally to do that. We all go through things that test us, break us, and we have to really be intentional about how we rebuild, what we will stand for, and what we will no longer accept.
Once I was able to learn how to navigate that, there was such a sense of freedom and power, which led to possibilities. I believe everyone should have a support team – whether that’s advisors, network groups, a therapist, or a combination of all of those things.
Stepping outside of your bubble and gaining perspective and clarity in all facets of your life is tremendously important – knowing who you are will support you in making the best decisions you can.
If you ask any entrepreneur what he or she values the most (besides their team) and they’re likely to tell you it’s their time. Ask that same entrepreneur how much time (on an average day) he or she is able to spend working on their company vision or objectives and chances are they’ll likely respond in the negative.
If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Fear is a great motivator, don’t be afraid to fail – you’re strong, you will learn, and you will always regret not taking that chance on yourself. In parallel with that – DO THE WORK! It takes time, it takes tears, and every emotion possible to continuously grow, there are no shortcuts. So be open, curious, and ask for help! You don’t know anything unless to try.
We’re nearly halfway through our interview so it’s a great time to ask how your business run. Most businesses need tools, app,s or services to run. What three tools make your business run better?
Great question, a lot of the tools we use are based on what works best for the entrepreneur/business – we need to communicate through the channels that work for them.
That ranges from Slack, Teams, Zoom, Notion, Asana, WhatsApp, and just plain email. If we are working with smaller teams, then we look at their business and implement tools that make the most sense for them to ensure we streamline things as much as possible to keep things simple.
What do you know now that you wished you had known before you had started working in consulting?
I’ve been lucky enough to have experienced the best and worst parts of being in business from my past roles, from immense success to downsizing.
What I didn’t expect is how uncomfortable I am talking about myself, I’m so used to highlighting and talking about other people, that it’s still very strange to talk about me.
What has been your greatest or proudest achievement or moment since you founded Kinship Kollective?
Creating Kinship Kollective is still a very proud achievement and it still feels surreal sometimes. Paired with that, seeing the amazing things that I’ve been a part of in companies and seeing that impact firsthand from those projects and initiatives.
What life goals have you achieved recently and what future life goals do you hope to achieve and why?
This year I was asked to be on the Board of an amazing organization called AMBITION, is a non-profit entrepreneurial program for disadvantaged youth that fosters innovation, solution-driven thinking, confidence, and a positive work ethic through collaborative hands-on participation, real-world business experience, and powerful, consistent connections with successful business leaders and entrepreneurs.
This ties into a larger goal for me where I would like to work towards building the legacy/give back initiatives for entrepreneurs to continue to create impact within their communities and more.
To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?
If you don’t believe, no one else will. We all have doubts and insecurities, we’re human. So choose the people you surround yourself with wisely, trust your intuition, stay true to yourself, keep learning, and always ask questions!
“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Kinship Kollective“
To learn more about Kinship Kollective Visit https://kinshipkollective.com/
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