Kimberly Carney is the founder and CEO of Seattle’s own FashWire and GlossWire, B2B2C global shopping marketplace platforms connecting brands and consumers through data-driven technology. “As a collective community, the brands and consumers that utilize the FashWire and GlossWire platforms are working together to build a world where companies and consumers can collaborate more closely to reduce waste, achieve mutual social goals, and better support brands with diverse and inclusive ownership and missions.” Learn about Kimberly Carney…
Follow at: @fashwire; @glosswirebeauty; @kscworld
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
First job: Cashier at Honda Auto Center of Bellevue.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in WA: Spending time with my kids and connecting with friends.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: Personally, my biggest accomplishment is my two kids, Chloe and Dillon. Professionally, my biggest accomplishment is building and growing FashWire. I have been fortunate in accomplishing a life I love! I have two wonderful kids, an amazing family, friends I love dearly, and a career that challenges and inspires me every day.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Launching FashWire. I was told it could not be done, that I would never get brands to sign on to the app, and the industry would not see it as a technology platform. But, determination, putting together an expert Advisory Board, finding investors, my passion for the concept, an incredible work ethic, and building an invaluable team of employees paved the way to our success today. Since our launch of FashWire in 2018, we have won multiple fashion and technology awards for the platform and have over 400 brands from more than 50 countries. We also launched into the beauty industry with GlossWire, which has over 300 beauty brands from 25 countries. Stay tuned for the next platform!
Someone who inspires you and why: My dad has inspired me all my life. Not only is he selfless and generous, but his strength as a leader and his determination to succeed gave me my work ethic and motivation to be an entrepreneur. He taught me to always go above and beyond, which is the reason I push myself to exceed my goals every single day.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: There is nothing that prepares you to be an entrepreneur. Choose the path that inspires you and find your people! Listen to others, assemble a team of experts around you, value your employees and make informed decisions. When you start up a new venture, you need to persevere and find creative ways to overcome obstacles. It takes passion, grit and determination. And remember it is a positive attitude that helps you enjoy driving industry change.
Favorite quote: “Every adversity, every failure, every heartbreak, carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” – Napoleon Hill
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I dread public speaking. It is a mix of anxiety and sheer terror for me. I am required to do public speaking in my industry and somehow manage to do it without falling apart.
What makes someone fabulous: A person who is authentic, kind and can make an impact on others by the way they treat them.