Any form of rejection is simply a push for redirection. The unpredictable nature of life has led to the rise and fall of many great minds, and it was the perception from which they viewed their circumstances that determined if they would win or lose. Losing was never an option for managing director of K.Mc. & Associates Marketing Solutions Limited Kadene McPherson. With eyes focused only on building and maintaining a brand she created at the age of 13, she is steadfast in her quest to attain her goals.  

 Go-getter, entrepreneur, mother and wife are just a few titles that can be used to define McPherson. With unmistakable drive and passion, she has risen from the depths of uncertainty, sidestepped adversities and surpassed expectations to become the person she envisioned when she was a young girl. Her story uncovers the harsh truths of what it is like to work in corporate Jamaica, and who you have to become in order to achieve more. 

 Hailing from  Newlands, Portmore, McPherson was only exposed to her immediate surroundings which was riddled with poorly educated youths, mischievous doings and a life where not much was expected from individuals but to survive each day. “I discovered I was a brand when I was around 13 years old,” McPherson explained as she walked Flair through the series of events which brought her awareness. 

“My sister and my mom, not being as exposed, thought that sending me to grooming school would have helped me to fit much better in society. They had big dreams for me,” she said. With those dreams intact, McPherson was sent to grooming school one summer at the Pulse modelling agency, where she learnt how to socialise and conduct herself like a lady. “There are so many little things that made me realise how important it is for you to really consider every move you make. Just travelling from home to Trafalgar Road, those couple of weeks exposed me to so many things,” stated McPherson. 

It was there that she discovered the importance of branding yourself. “I believe strongly that everybody is a brand, and that is the philosophy that has guided me all this time,” stated McPherson. “This brand can go anywhere. I find that once persons see themselves as a brand they treat themselves with more respect, more care for their reputation, more care for their personality and how they are received,” she continued. In protecting their own reputation, McPherson has observed that people interact with others better. “They are more respectful, more courteous, more reliable. It’s really to see yourself as that brand and nurture that vision/idea of who you are,” she explained.  

 After years of investing time, effort and energy into her brand, McPherson was faced with a life-changing experience which almost led to the shattering of her reputation. “I was made redundant from my job in 2016, which came as a surprise. Based on my appraisals and work ethic, I did not expect it at all. I was not prepared for it,” said McPherson. This led her to question her worth and values which made the foundation of the brand she spent her entire life creating. 

 As an unemployed mother, McPherson sunk to extreme lows and settled into a state of depression. “I remember I just went into my car and just drove without telling anyone where I was going. I just kept driving because I felt like I needed to go,” said McPherson. She drove from Kingston to Savanna-la-Mar, booked a hotel and slept. After several hours she woke up and realised she was too far from everything in her life. After unplugging for an entire day, she returned home and was greeted with immense love and compassion from the people that meant the world to her. 

With this support and a family built on entrepreneurship, she decided to start her own business. She developed  K.Mc. & Associates Marketing Solutions Limited, which is among the first of its kind offering an outsourced, cost-effective, full-service marketing support services to Caribbean-based businesses. Its services include consultation, strategic marketing management, brand management, digital marketing, website design and management, public relations and communications, project management, and personal branding. 

K.Mc. & Associates will be having their first marketing-related workshop on October 5 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. This will help persons or companies to develop a winning marketing strategy for 2020. This workshop will focus on analysing trends and developing strategies to integrate digital and traditional marketing. 

“I am committed to developing my brand. As I evolve over the years from one stage of my life into another, I am focused on my goals and building on who I am.” 

Story by: Latara Boodie

latara.boodie@gleanerjm.com

Photos by: Shorn Hector

shorn.hector@gleanerjm.com