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Dr. Kimberly McGlonn is a bold voice in the movement to build better businesses and leadership practices — ones rooted in equity, sustainability, and care. As the founder of Grant Blvd, the first Black woman-owned B Corp in the U.S. fashion industry, Kimberly has redefined what ethical entrepreneurship can look like, turning vision into measurable impact. Her latest venture, Build It Boldly, expands that legacy, offering a roadmap for leaders who want to move beyond good intentions toward exceptionally designed businesses and lives.

A sought-after keynote speaker, Kimberly shares her Ten Conventions of Daring Leadership with audiences nationwide, inspiring individuals and organizations to align their work with purpose and possibility. Her voice has been featured by Fast Company, Essence, Vogue, and Inc. Magazine, and her work has been supported by institutions like Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation and Visa’s She’s Next initiative. In 2023 & 2024, she was named “150 Most Influential Philadelphians” by Philadelphia Magazine. Across sectors, Kimberly inspires diverse audiences to optimism and agency.

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Exceptional Design

In her signature keynote, “Exceptional Design: 10 Conventions of Daring Leadership,” Kimberly McGlonn delivers a powerful call to action for leaders, brands, and creators to reimagine design as a healing force in a world on fire. Through personal storytelling and visionary framing, she introduces 10 conventions of exceptional design that elevate leadership beyond aesthetics toward care, equity, and community.

Framed by the metaphor of yarrow, a plant that thrives after fire, Kimberly positions exceptional design as bold, resilient, and restorative—a necessary response to our social, emotional, and environmental crises.

Her 10 conventions include principles like artful iteration, emotional transparency, climate agency, and cultivating stillness, grounded in real-life examples and deeply human values. Kimberly argues that greatness is not a destination but a daily choice accessible to anyone willing to lead with courage and intention.

Ultimately, the keynote offers a new design philosophy—one that empowers organizations to transcend crises, connect with communities, and build with soul.

The Cost of Conformity

The Cost of Conformity is a powerful keynote exploring why the traditional path in business, marked by playing it safe and prioritizing profit over purpose, is no longer enough. Drawing from personal experience and industry-shifting examples, Dr. Kimberly McGlonn challenges audiences to reject outdated norms and embrace bold, rebellious business models centered on justice, sustainability, and storytelling. Through her “exceptional design” framework, she equips entrepreneurs and leaders with actionable strategies to build movements—not just businesses—and highlights why the future belongs to those daring enough to disrupt the status quo and to reject notions of conformity.


Three key takeaways from The Cost of Conformity keynote:

  1. Conformity Comes at a Cost

    Playing it safe and adhering to traditional business norms may feel secure, but it ultimately leads to stagnation and irrelevance in a rapidly evolving world.

  2. Rebellious Businesses Win

    The brands that make a lasting impact are those that challenge the status quo, centering purpose over profit, telling authentic stories, and daring to disrupt outdated systems.

  3. Boldness is a Business Strategy

    Entrepreneurs can build meaningful, profitable companies by aligning their values with their ventures, rejecting conformity,

What people are saying…

Dr. Ellonda Williams

Senior Director of Community

B Lab U.S. & Canada

Hugues Sygney Jr.

Executive Director

Freedom Through Knowledge

Zacharia Levine

Vice President of People & Sustainability

The Synergy Company

Carson Bolding

B Network Program Manager

B Lab U.S. & Canada

SPEAKS ABOUT

“Exceptional Design: 10 Conventions of Daring Leadership”

“Building Meaningfully Inclusive Organizations”

“Black Woman Led: The Barriers & The Beauty”

“Ethical Entrepreneurship: Balancing Profit & Purpose”

“Social Impact: A Moral Imperative”

“Fashion As Activism: Redefining Sustainability”

  • "Dr. McGlonn has an extraordinary gift for connecting with students and fellow educators on a profound and intimate level. Her ability to share her story with raw honesty and vulnerability opens doors for others to explore their lives with courage, curiosity, and clarity. Whether in a classroom or on stage, Dr. McGlonn’s storytelling captivates, inspires, and guides us to truth and understanding. Dr. McGlonn’s influence extends far beyond the moment; she plants seeds of inspiration that continue to grow, encouraging us to live a life that makes a difference."

    Sharon Ahram

  • “Kimberly was an excellent speaker. She was engaging and fluid with her delivery. I felt inspired to think beyond my current situation and find ways to engage the exceptional in my everyday."

    JHP Archtiecture | Executive

  • "Kimberly is a wealth of knowledge as a business owner, but, more importantly, she knows how to connect and to move people towards reflection and building lives that are meaningful. I would recommend her to anyone looking to build a career and life that is filled with intention and courage"

    Dr. Sarah Gulish

“This moment requires a new class of daring leaders able to use business design as a tool for recalibration. My passion is to offer experience-earned guidance which fast tracks their success.”

- Dr. Kimberly McGlonn