One of the hallmarks of Kimberly Grant’s approach to corporate success is her ability to consistently foster a sense of curiosity. Never one to accept standardized answers or solutions, she consistently pushes herself and those around her to improve by asking questions and looking for new ways to approach challenges.
A lack of complacency was evident in Kimberly Grant from a young age and gave her a foundation to work from. Taking on a serving job for a local casual dining restaurant, Grant’s curiosity and desire to learn helped move her through a variety of different roles with the company. “I had worked my way through all the positions, bartender, line cook, kitchen manager, all these different things, and I was offered to become a trainer, and then I became a manager,” shared Kimberly Grant in a recent interview.
The curiosity that started out as an interest in better understanding the inner workings of the restaurant led, years later, to her taking on a role as president and chief operating officer for that same brand, Ruby Tuesday. To achieve this, she also took on the task of adding to her educational accomplishments. Grant built on the foundation her bachelor’s degree in hospitality gave her by identifying areas for growth and choosing to pursue her MBA in finance and banking. Completing the work at Boston University, she found that the advanced degree helped position her for increased leadership responsibilities while giving her an environment to ask questions and apply her industry knowledge to new concepts.
Years later, having experienced roles as a chief operating officer, chief executive officer, and board director, Kimberly Grant still finds that lifelong learning is an essential part of her success. She has since taken continuing education courses through the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Business School Executive Education to enhance her skills and address her desire to keep learning. This coursework, including topics in environmental, social, and governance, as well as compensation, has also helped her better serve the companies she works with.
Despite having decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Grant remains humble and open to new ideas, always seeking opportunities to expand her knowledge and skills. She also firmly believes in sharing this strategy with her teams. Understanding that in-house talent can have untapped potential, she has built out training programs designed to cultivate resources rather than outsourcing to solve challenges.
“I’ve come to appreciate that anyone that is a hard worker, that’s curious, that really is passionate about what they do, can really do anything.” shared Grant. And if you have that mindset, then all of a sudden finding talent is a lot easier than if you’re just looking for people who already work in your sector or already have a long track record of experience.”
This blend of curiosity and learning have guided Kimberly Grant throughout her career as well as her personal pursuits. This approach adds excitement as well as an ability to help Grant navigate challenges both in and out of the office. “I’m curious. And so just not knowing about whatever that topic is or whatever it might be, that’s just not acceptable to me. I want to know. And so I think that’s my approach, whether it’s with my team or my job, or my choice of a restaurant, or why people do what they do. I think curiosity is such a fulfilling thing to have in your being.”
Curiosity has also led Grant to develop innovative ways to train and mentor others. Realizing that industry professionals could learn from one another regardless of their specialization, Grant created a cross-learning program during her time with luxury dining property Blackberry Farm and cross-trained her NYC opening team at Union Square Hospitality restaurants prior to opening the Ruby Tuesday at Times Square. The result of these novel collaborations was an idea sharing session between staff across the casual and fine dining divide that showed the employees and Grant, that training and continuing education could be a key component of advancement and success for culinary experts regardless of their employer or sector. Grant went on to establish more in-depth training programs for her teams, further investing her own learnings into the education and development of her employees.
Looking to the future, Grant remains committed to learning. In her current role as independent director for Performance Food Group, she offers a fresh perspective and a growth-oriented mindset fueled by education and imagination. By maintaining a curious mindset and not being afraid to ask questions, she is able to seek and suggest innovative solutions and new opportunities for market expansion and to be a best-in-class employer. As the business world continues to change rapidly in the wake of shifting consumer demands and evolving technology, this approach helps Kimberly Grant lead and advise more adaptable teams to stay ahead of the curve.
