Meet Kaseem Ladipo | Principal and Lead Consultant, The KAL Firm

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

Hi Kaseem, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Because I have started a new business multiple times, my thought process has evolved based on my experience and changes in the environment around me. When I launched my consulting practice 6+ years ago, I saw the opportunity build a firm that really focused on who I felt was the most underappreciated and underresourced person within nonprofits – the Executive Director. At that point I had already led three nonprofit organizations and felt that I had experienced enough to know that there was a need for a consulting firm that not only understood the barriers and constraints that Executive Directors faced, but could also create solutions that were specifically align with providing them with operational leverage to move their organizations forward.

Once I saw the need and differentiated value that I could bring to the nonprofit community, then I just began the process of translating my vision into action. The rest, as they say, is history.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The KAL firm is a management consulting firm focused on providing solutions that clarifies the path forward for your organization and increased capacity that drives higher performance. We specialize in helping nonprofits, foundations, and corporations reach new levels of success, bringing their social-impact visions to life through the following services.

Our differentiator is in our approach: we are deeply focused on providing the Executive Director the leverage they need to lead effectively. That could include staff capacity to execute on activities that are currently holding back the leader from pulling out of the operational “weeds” and thinking more strategically about the future. It could also include filling knowledge gaps in areas like fundraising, strategy and marketing to support strategy development that ultimately leads to more effective approaches to sustaining and growing the organization’s impact.

The biggest takeaways from my business journey: getting hyperfocused on how you are and who you’re not & the term ‘no’ and oftentimes mean ‘not yet’. As it relates to getting hyperfocused, that could mean different things to different people. For me, it was more about focusing on a smaller number of services and getting really good at that. Over time, I began to get enough projects in those key services that I became a known resource and so referrals became a key way that I secured clients – which is the “north star” goal for any business looking to have a sustained revenue stream . I look at the second point as a way to deal with rejection. I am a strong believer in always staying optimistic even when things look bleak because the alternative (pessimism) never wins me business. So staying positive even when facing rejection is what help me stay focused on the next deal or opportunity. And I have had enough rejections turn into working with those same people down the road that I know that minds, situations change and just have to keep all interactions (within reason) positive be ready when the come back to you.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am fortunate to have a lot of people who have supported my growth and evolution over the years. It starts with my parents, the late Alhaji Ganiyu Adeboyega Ladipo and Edith Ladipo. They instilled two very valuable character qualities that I maintain today, specifically courage and a heart for service. My wife (Kellie) and sister (Fatimot Ladipo) have been great resources of love and encouragement during the many peaks and valleys of my professional and personal journeys. Mentorship has come in many forms for me, but those people who have been true mentors along my life path: Bill Holleman , Bill Henagan, Keith Pigues, Billy Peebles, John Brock, and Hal Logan. I am fortunate to have several people who have been extremely encouraging and supportive during the early goings of launching my consulting practice. I can not name them all but the following people have played an extremely important role in my journey as a nonprofit consultant: Atiba Mbiwan and Garry Long (The Zeist Foundation), Patricia Lummus (Sartain Lanier Foundation, Ann Cramer (Community Activist), Katrina Mitchell (United Way of Greater Atlanta) and Ayana Gabriel (Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta).

Website: https://www.kalfirm.com

Instagram: @thekalfirm

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