Exploring Life & Business with Kiana Montgomery of Ki Takeaways

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiana Montgomery.

Hi Kiana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
Of course, my story is one of my favorites to tell. 

I’m a military brat; I like to pride myself on never meeting a stranger – this comes in handy for my career. I received my education from Florida A&M University; their program stuck out to me due to its well-roundedness. Their curriculum consisted of public relations courses and marketing, advertising, business management, photography, and broadcast journalism; it prepared me to view media as all-encompassing and ever-changing as it is today. 

After graduating, I had the pleasure of working with a boutique agency where I learned the foundations of public relations. I spent a couple of years there before being recruited by Edelman, a worldwide media machine; that’s where I could soak up as much knowledge and practice before starting my journey. Their team taught me that media, public relations, marketing, and advertising all have a scientific element. Once you have your equation and experts, you can create a newsworthy story your audience will care about. 

While learning and growing at these agencies, I promised myself I would create my brand, built on the lessons, practices, and relationships I built during my time in the industry. I launched Ki Takeaways in 2019 and enjoyed my journey; I’ve worked with national, local, and international brands and look forward to expanding my clientele in 2024. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a smooth transition, but lessons must be learned in starting my own business. Like scaling a business, when I first launched, I had so much interest, inbound requests, and referrals from industry peers who believed in what I could accomplish. I went in with an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to help every brand. I learned in the first quarter that scaling your business, and long leads were imperative to reaching my growth goals and not becoming burnt out. 

Another lesson was learning to push back on business owners. Sometimes, owners come to me with grand ideas, and I can see their vision, and I want to support them in bringing it to life, but there is a level of foundational work that must be laid before getting marketing and communications support. In agency life, there is a level of vetting and prerequisites that has to happen before a client is presented to the team; when owning my agency, I have to evaluate and process if a client will be a good fit. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Ki Takeaways. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Ki Takeaways is a full-service branding agency that connects clients with their target audiences to garner results. We service clients at every level – those in the beginning stages of their concepts, brands with a trusted base who want to launch in a new community, and everyone in between. 

We specialize in various industries including, but not limited to, travel and tourism, healthcare and wellness, food and beverage, hospitality, nonprofit, and sustainability. We are experts in translating client critical messages into compelling media angles to secure exposure through multiple media platforms. In non-industry terms – we enjoy working alongside our clients and helping them reach their goals. 

I’m most proud of my reputation and my brand. As publicists, we make it look easy, but many components come into play to bring a campaign to life. I’m happy to proudly introduce myself, knowing the work speaks for itself. 

What sets me apart from others is my community. I have a network of marketing, communications, advertising peers, etc., that I’m delighted to call my friends. We lean on each other. If we don’t know the answer to something or don’t have a connection at an outlet, we can tap our resources to help support. People can sometimes have an ego when they reach certain heights in our industry; for me, I want to do what’s best for my team and clients. I’m not afraid to say I don’t know at this moment, but I can find out. 

I want your readers to know that 2023 was a deliberate year for myself and my brand. I focused on revamping and growth and sharpened my expertise through education and courses. For 2024, I’m excited to work alongside new clients and help build new dreams. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kitakeaways.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiana_thepublicist/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiana-montgomery-17375712b/

Image Credits
Dee Hughes Photography