Christopher Kemper:
Grit, Grace, and Growth
After 23 years in the military, Christopher Kemper never saw himself as an entrepreneur—until life and opportunity collided in a small town. What followed was a crash course in resilience, leadership, and surviving the unthinkable.
Bio
The journey from retired Soldier to business owner. I spent 23 years in the military in various capacities. I am really good at organizing things which led me to working for one of the smartest people I have ever met. I had a horrible experience with company leadership that led to us parting ways and my entrepreneurial journey. In almost 7 years, we have built a digital marketing company that has 12 employees and Clients across the US.
Topics
- Transitioning from military to entrepreneurship
- Leading a business through crisis (COVID pivot story)
- Why small towns can build big companies
- Building a business with no prior experience
- What the Army taught me about entrepreneurship
- The importance of creating a business plan
- Making payroll when everything’s uncertain
- Developing a resilient team culture
- Mentoring younger employees in finance and life skills
- Leadership lessons from the battlefield to the boardroom
Guiding Questions
- What was the biggest mindset shift you had to make going from military service to entrepreneurship?
- How did you know you were ready to start your own business?
- What was going through your mind when the pandemic shut everything down?
- How did your military training prepare you for the uncertainty of running a business?
- Can you walk us through the moment you realized you might lose everything?
- What helped you and your team pull through the early COVID days?
- Why do you think your business survived when so many others didn’t?
- What’s something about small-town business ownership that most people don’t understand?
- How has your leadership style evolved since starting the agency?
- If someone listening is at a breaking point with their business, what would you say to them?