Inside the first year of Shining Diamond Media Group and the mindset that made it work
Most people who leave a VP title behind spend months second-guessing the decision. Alexis Kerr spent that time building. The founder and CEO of Shining Diamond Media Group walked away from her role at Hallmark Mahogany with relationships, a clear sense of direction, and a willingness to trust the process. What followed was a first year that most agencies take several years to replicate.
The quiet entrepreneur who finally went public
Kerr has always had an entrepreneurial instinct. She just had not acted on it yet. “I’ve always been an entrepreneur, a quiet entrepreneur, and so that was a piece of it,” she says. When a push from outside gave her the opening, she did not resist it. Instead, she got still and got strategic. “I took the time to say, what is next for me now, and what are the key relationships that I have that can really propel me forward.”
She watched colleagues navigate the same transition in different ways. Some found new corporate roles. Others were still searching. Kerr chose to move toward something she had been building toward for years. Within three months, Shining Diamond Media Group was open for business.
Alexis Kerr on finding the right people before the right clients
Before she could serve clients well, Kerr had to be honest about who she brought into the work. “You have to find the right people, and sometimes that begins with you. You have to be in the right mindset.” She was intentional about not filling seats with people she was doing favors for. “At this level, you know the type of expertise that you need, and so you don’t want to bring along friends and people that you’re helping out. You want to make sure that they’re going to contribute in a thoughtful way.”
She drew from a network she had spent years building, pulling in people she had seen perform at a high level. That foundation, she says, has been a key part of the agency’s early success.
Why cultural currency is not going anywhere
Shining Diamond Media Group works across multicultural and general market spaces, and Kerr sees the overlap as an advantage that few agencies can honestly claim. “We live in a world where everything is saying that DEI and our culture is to be dismissed, but the thing is that this cultural currency is not going anywhere.”
Her client base reflects that breadth. Entrepreneurs, large corporations, nonprofits, and startups across different races and religions have all come through the agency. “I spent a lot of time in the multicultural space, but I also spent over half of my career in general market as well, so I have the perfect blend of both.” That combination, she believes, positions the agency to serve clients that others cannot reach as effectively.
Saying no as a growth tool
One of the most practical shifts Kerr made in year one was learning where to draw the line. Early excitement, she says, can push founders to accept every opportunity that comes their way. She pushed back against that instinct. “Really, it’s in the no’s that you have time to truly serve the right clients in a way that’s very strategic.” Her team stays close to clients even after the formal engagement ends, checking in, making connections, and following up on opportunities that surface later.
That long-term orientation, she says, comes from a core belief about what business is actually built on. “Everything is not about money. When everything is not about money, you can really partner, you can have great success, and then you can build relationships, because this is the long game, and in the long game, relationships will take you so much further than a transaction.”
With a strong Q1 already behind her and large-scale events in the pipeline, Kerr is focused on selective growth, the right influencer partnerships, and continuing to serve major clients across multiple markets.
To connect with Shining Diamond Media Group, visit shiningdiamondmedia.com, send an email to [email protected], or follow the agency on Instagram @shiningdiamondmedia. Subscribe to their newsletter through the website for updates.