Launching a Business the King’s Way

Alumnus Adam Kail ‘08 Launches Two New Businesses

Grace and perseverance. That’s one way to describe Adam Kail’s experience at The King’s College. Kail graduated in 2008 from our Empire State Building campus with a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, a Theology minor, and a hard-fought 2.9 GPA.

“My time at TKC was challenging. The curriculum is advanced and our professors have high expectations,” said Kail. “Adversity builds character.”

Kail has worked in the executive recruiting industry after graduation, and in 2014 he launched two new businesses: MagnaVita Group, an executive search firm, and Bros. Leather Supply Company, a high-quality vintage leather goods company. But the road to entrepreneurship, like his experience in college, was lined with challenges and a few successes.

Thankfully, Kail’s education taught him to seek good advice. When asked what advice he would give budding entrepreneurs, he said: “Have a good accountant. And a good lawyer.” This was the advice that he received the most, and advice he put into practice.

In “Slay the Tax Hydra, Unleash Opportunity,” a recent article by Brian Brenberg, Assistant Professor of Economics at The King’s College, he talks about U.S. tax laws and their crushing effect on small businesses.

On the face of things, “it’s never been easier to start a business,” Brenbreg wrote. “Web technology makes it incredibly cheap to put up a storefront, connect with customers, ship a product and collect payments.” Brenberg goes on to say that despite these advantages, the federal tax code — which runs more than 70,000 pages — is a “crushing burden” for small businesses.

King’s helped Kail understand the economic environment for small business owners — something he knew nine years before he launched his own business.

Here are Adam’s top tips for up-and-coming entrepreneurs: 

1. Pray for your career and goals daily. Let God direct your decisions and seek Him before doing anything.

2. Adversity builds character. When I got into the workplace, I was used to working my tail off and it resulted in more responsibility, promotions, and financial growth. No matter how tough something gets, if you fight through, it will make you better.

3. To lead is to serve. I was able to be mentored by great people like Brian Parker, who showed me that leading is just as much about high level decision making as it is getting in the trenches and showing people you aren’t above them.

4. Make three lists of goals: 10 year, 1 year, and 1 month. Assess your monthly goals each month and everything you do should support hitting those goals. The 1 month goals play in to the 1 year goal, and the yearly goals play in to the 10 year goal. Doing this consistently changed my life.

5. View your career top down, not right to left. What I mean by that is that something you’re doing now is preparing you for where you want to be in 10 years. Don’t think about that next great job or that next big pay day. With every company you work for, think about how you would work if you owned that company, and work like that. If you do those things right now the right things will happen. This is especially prudent for TKC students to know – driven people like you know the job you are doing now isn’t as gratifying as the job you want next. But what you’re doing today won’t be what you’re doing in 10 years. What you’re doing right now helps build the habits we rely on as we grow.

6. You should start reading about Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – that discipline, more than anything, has shaped my ability to succeed in business and leadership. James 1:19, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,” seems to be a directive of EQ, teaching you to hearing something and not respond with anger.

There is a special King’s discount to Bros. Leather Supply Co. for students, alumni, faculty, and staff. You can email Adam to receive your discount.